All over the world, people have the fever for Harry Potter. The series (which will eventually number seven books) is written by J.K. Rowling, with her latest out yesterday. Fans of the series flock to the nearest bookstores the night before a new Harry Potter release. Even if you've seen the movies and read the novels, here are additional Harry Potter sources to explore.
WEB SITES
www.alivans.com
Ever wanted a magic wand? This is the place to find one, as well as other Harry Potter fare to stimulate a child's imagination. You can even take a virtual tour of the store.
www.mugglenet.com
The ultimate site for all things H.P., it includes games, newsletters and summaries of the books. It also gives overviews of the movies and video games.
www.jkrowling.com
Read Rowling's biography and discover little tidbits about Harry's best friend Ron Weasely and his family.
lumos2006.org
Lumos 2006 is a symposium for Harry Potter fans who wish to discuss his adventures from an academic viewpoint. Go to the Web site for more details.
www.bloomsburymagazine.com/harrypotter/
Learn about the latest news, upcoming H.P. events and send Howlers and Owlers to your friends.
www.fictionalley.org
People can write or create art for their favorite characters on this interactive site.
www.webrary.org/kids/jharrypotter.html
This has fun facts and trivia about Harry and his world, but it contains spoilers for the later books.
www.hp-lexicon.org
Giving definitions and in-depth information about Harry Potter, this source features everything from wizarding places to passwords for the Gryffindor common room.
www.pensieve.net
A 17-year-old in Cape Town, South Africa, created this thoughtful site.
www.the-leaky-cauldron.org
Check here for comprehensive Harry Potter news and gossip.
www.werewolfregistry.net
This fan site is dedicated to Remus John Lupin, Harry's third-year Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who also is a werewolf.
BOOKS
The original series by J.K. Rowling:
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (1998)
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (1999)
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (1999)
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2000)
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2003)
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2005)
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
Made to look like the actual textbook shared by Harry and Ron, it includes margin notes, doodles and brief descriptions of Rowling's creatures.
"The Plot Thickens ... Harry Potter Investigated by Fans for Fans" Galadriel Waters, editor (2004)
This non-fiction book delves deeply into Harry's world as readers theorize and speculate about H.P., his friends and other events and characters in the series. "An Unofficial Muggle's Guide to the Wizarding World: Exploring the Harry Potter Universe" by Fionna Boyle (2004)
Boyle discusses the meanings of characters and places in Harry's adventures and compares the books to the movies.
"The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends and Fascinating Facts" by David Colbert (2002)
This is an exploration of the legends and myths that shape characters and events in the series.
"Kids' Letters to Harry Potter From Around the World" by Bill Adler, editor (2002)
A charming collection of letters written to Harry Potter by kids from all over the world, including an interview with each contributor who shares his or her thoughts on H.P. and his world.
Jessica Roel is a Union-Tribune intern and a journalism student at Point Loma Nazarene University.
