Grade 4-8-These slim paperbacks are made to look like actual Hogwarts
tomes, complete with creased covers and plenty of marginalia scribbled
by Harry and other students. Fabulous Beasts, a facsimile of Harry
Potter's very own textbook, contains descriptions of 75 magical beasts,
written in a wonderfully dry yet droll style by a renowned
magizoologist. Quidditch is the facsimile of a Hogwarts library book,
which had to be literally pried from the hands of librarian Madam
Pince. It gives a comprehensive history of the game and its rules, as
well as a rundown of each of the 13 league teams of Britain and
Ireland. Harry Potter fans who pride themselves on knowing every minute
bit of Hogwarts trivia will devour both books. From Professor
Dumbledore's introductions to the price listed on the back cover (14
Sickles 3 Knuts), readers will find a wealth of detailed magical lore
and laugh-out-loud humor. Neither book is as gripping as the actual
series, of course, but fans who are waiting for the fifth installment
will be entertained by these volumes in the meantime.
