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.

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)

The seventh and final book in J.K. Rowlings magically phenomenal Harry Potterseries is available in this large-print edition.

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.

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)

What purrs, barks, and chirps and has long purple fur? Fern is about to find out . . . and to make a new friend. Mary GrandPre's bright artwork brings the magic-and mayhem-of the Purple Snerd's one-of-a-kind visit to laugh-out-loud life.