A great way to introduce children to classical music.
America's first Children's Poet Laureate has written all-new verses to accompany the composer Camille Saint-Saens's "The Carnival of the Animals, " and the illustrator of the Harry Potter books has turned these rollicking rhymes into a picture-book fun fest. Included is a CD of the music and of Jack Prelutsky reading the verses. A note to parents and teachers by Judith Bachleitner, head of the music department at the prestigious Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, suggests ways preschoolers can act out the music--tromp like an elephant, hop like a kangaroo, glide like a swan--or, for older children, be creatively inspired by this joyful work.

Book 6 in the "Harry Potter" series

A New York Times Bestseller

In the fifth and most recent book, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the last chapter, titled "The Second War Begins," started:

"'In a brief statement Friday night, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned to this country and is active once more. "It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord -- well, you know who I mean -- is alive among us again," said Fudge.'"

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" takes up the story of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at this point in the midst of the storm of this battle of good and evil.

The author has already said that the Half-Blood Prince is neither Harry nor Voldemort. And most importantly, the opening chapter of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" has been brewing in J. K. Rowling's mind for 13 years.

No Canadian Rights for the Harry Potter Series

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights (c) J. K. Rowling. (s05)

An exciting cauldron of danger and intrigue awaits your child in this installment of J.K. Rowling's now-classic series. Harry is only entering his third year at the Hogwarts School, but his magical powers will soon be put to the test. A notorious prisoner has escaped -- and all signs indicate he's headed for Hogwarts to settle an old score. Will Harry be up to the challenge?

A New York Times Bestseller

It's the darkest year yet for Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling's hero in the Harry Potter series. In Rowling's fifth book Harry finds himself and Dumbdelore under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic which refuses to alert the community and acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort has returned.

Harry's other challenges include:

- Hogwarts having a High Inquisitor
- Facing an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.L.s)
- Distressing changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup
- Vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors
- Ever-increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar

Harry faces the difficult transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemed black-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Readers, on the other hand, will be thrilled and eagerly waiting for the next title in the spectacular, magical series.

(AR) For ages 13-18

No Canadian Rights for the Harry Potter Series

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights (c) J. K. Rowling. (s05)

The fourth book in this wildly popular series finds Harry Potter back with his muggle relatives, the Dursleys, where he has just had a very disturbing "dream" involving his mortal enemy Voldemort, the sorcerer who killed his parents years earlier. When he finds his signature lightning bolt scar aching, he suspects it was more than just a dream, so he sends a letter to his godfather Sirius Black, who remains in hiding. As usual, Harry can hardly wait for the school year to begin so he can escape his mean and exceedingly nasty relations and return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Relief from the Dursleys comes two weeks early when Harry is invited to attend the Quidditch World Cup as a guest of the Weasley family. New adventures await Harry at the World Cup and back at Hogwarts, where once again he faces mortal danger from Voldemort. When Harry and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger arrive at Hogwarts, they soon discover that surprises are in store: Quidditch matches have been canceled in lieu of a very special international tournament, they have a new Master of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hagrid has obtained some new and rather disgusting specimens for the Care of Magical Creatures class, and Harry develops a crush on fellow Hogwarts student Cho Chang.

No Canadian Rights for the Harry Potter Series

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights (c) J. K. Rowling. (s05)

What's a young wizard to do when he must spend the summer with distasteful relatives and refrain from practicing magic? Thirteen-year-old Harry Potter puts up with this situation until Aunt Marge so annoys him that he violates a code of ethics by using his magic on her. Instead of being punished, Harry is allowed to finish out his holiday at the Leaky Cauldron Inn, a thoroughly enjoyable experience. But as Harry's third year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry begins, things turn serious when Sirius Black, the man who killed Harry's parents and has it in for Harry, too, escapes from Azkaban Prison. While trying to find out why Sirius murdered his parents, the young hero learns more about his own past and actually "hears" the end of his mothers life. In this third book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Hangs out with his friends Ron and Hermione, meets the "Hippogriffs" and "Dementors," and continues to make readers care very much about his fate.

No Canadian Rights for the Harry Potter Series

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights (c) J. K. Rowling. (s05)

Harry is about to return to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry after a summer with his horrible relatives, but an impish creature warns him to stay away. What challenges and dangers await him? And who -- or what -- is turning students to stone? Your child won't want to miss the further exploits of Harry Potter in Book Two of this best-selling series.

The author's first novel introduces Harry Potter, the son of a powerful wizard and witch who are killed by an even more powerful sorcerer. Sent to live with his Muggle (non-magical) aunt, uncle, and cousin, Harry is treated poorly without knowing why. On his tenth birthday, Harry learns that he is a wizard and is to go off to Hogwarts, a prestigious school for wizards and witches. Harry and his friends, Hermione and Ron, soon discover that something shady is going on, and they must save Hogwarts from the very sorcerer who killed Harry's parents.

No Canadian Rights for the Harry Potter Series

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights (c) J. K. Rowling. (s05)