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Harry Potter – An IntroductionCreated by author J.K.Rowling, the Harry

Potter book series has become one of the most ubiquitous titles in recorded history. Featuring Harry Potter, a boy who discovers his magical powers on his eleventh birthday, the series’ seven books span Harry’s seven years spent at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during which time he makes life-long friendships and battles unimaginable evil.

Because of the series’ popularity, many resources have been created surrounding the topics and issues contained in the books. This pathfinder seeks to consolidate these resources in a simple but comprehensive guide. The ultimate goal is for this pathfinder to open up new worlds of discovery in and around the world of Harry Potter.

Since the first book was written, websites following the series’ progression, characters, and factoids have been created and maintained. The Harry Potter revolution has largely been digital, and because of this electronic materials are a key part of this pathfinder. You will find links to websites, as well as databases, videos, books and kits.

These materials have been selected based upon a number of criteria including the following:

popularity (number of visitors to the sites)how up-to-date they are (recent news and regular

updates)

educational valueusability various student suggestionsreviews provided by reputable sources such as

Publisher’s Weekly and Amazon.com All of the websites are accessible via the

school’s Internet connection and may be reached on any of the school’s computers as well as computers at your local library and at home. All of the books and other materials can be purchased online or at a local book or toy store.

Harry Potter – Electronic Resources

Harry Potter Specific SitesThe following sites are directly related to the Harry

Potter Books and Movies and refer to them specifically.

J.K. Rowling Official Sitehttp://www.jkrowling.com/ “J.K.Rowling Official Site – Harry Potter and More”. 2008. http://www.jkrowling.com/. Accessed on 14 May 2008.

This is J.K. Rowling’s officially maintained site. It includes information about the author including all of the books that she has written. She updates the site regularly and includes links to other useful Harry Potter websites. The site is available in a variety of languages.

MuggleNetwww.mugglenet.com “MuggleNet – Make A Final Stand”. 2008. http://www.mugglenet.com/. Accessed on 14 May 2008.

Muggles, or non-wizarding people, can find a wealth of information on this site, which features apparel, discussion forums, images, and many popular computer desktop backgrounds. The highlight of this site is all of the viewer-submitted content, such as homemade videos and stories. You can also chat live with other HP enthusiasts.

The Harry Potter Lexiconhttp://www.hp-lexicon.info/index-2.html “The Harry Potter Lexicon”. 2008. http://www.hp-lexicon.info/index-2.html. Accessed on 27 May 2008.

Of all of the sites featuring Harry Potter facts and news, HP Lexicon is the most authoritative. J.K.Rowling herself has said that she referred to this site when she needed to check her facts while writing the books. HP Lexicon also features a store where you can buy gear, and a discussion forum where you can pick up great conversation topics and the latest theories.

Harry Potter Warner Brothers Movie Sitehttp://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/“Harry Potter – The Official Site”. 2008. http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/.

Accessed on 27 May 2008. Because Warner Brothers studio is the

company in charge of producing the movies that coincide with the books, this site is the best one out there for information on all of the movies, as well as the movies that haven’t been made yet. Featuring trailers and behind the scenes footage of the movies,

there are also games and quizzes to take making this a fun and informative website.

Veritaserum – Everything Harry Potterhttp://www.veritaserum.com/“Veritaserum – Everything Harry Potter”. 2008.

http://www.veritaserum.com/. Accessed on 15 May 2008. Veritaserum specializes in being on the

cutting edge of news and information regarding the Harry Potter books, movies, and artwork. Although the books have all been completed, the movies are still in production and new editions of the book are being published every few months. Vertiaserum keeps viewers informed of the new developments as well as keeping all of the previous news logged away.

Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregatorhttp://www.hpana.com/“HPANA – Harry Potter News and Rumors”. 2008. http://www.hpana.com/.

Accessed on 14 May 2008.HPANA is exactly what it says it is; a news

aggregator (or collector) that focuses specifically on news relating to Harry Potter. If the news is what you’re after then this is the site for you. Instead of searching many different sites for information, this site does all of the work for you and lists how recently the information has been collected. Many of the news stories include links to their original location as well as pictures to accompany the stories.

Harry Potter Book Series – Scholastic Websitehttp://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/“Harry Potter Book Series by J.K.Rowling”. 2008.

http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/. Accessed on 26 May 2008.

Just like the Warner Brothers site focused on the movies, the Scholastic Book Publisher’s site focuses on the books. This site has some of the best games and book trivia as well as the most up to date news on the books and related publications. There are also reviews of the books and downloadable posters perfect for decorating your library, classroom, or bedroom.

Harry Potter – Video Game Sitehttp://harrypotter.ea.com/“EA: Harry Potter”. 2008. http://harrypotter.ea.com/. Accessed on 27 May

2008. Like video games? This is the site for you!

Along with the books and movie, there are now video games that correspond with the Harry Potter series. This site is specifically for the “Order of the Phoenix” game, but it includes links to other games as well. You can watch a trailer for the game and find all of the information that you need about buying and owning the game as well.

Kidsread Harry Potter Sitehttp://www.kidsreads.com/HP07/content/index.asp“Kidsread.com – Harry Potter”. 2008.

http://www.kidsreads.com/HP07/content/index.aspAccessed on 27 May 2008.

Kidsread’s Harry Potter site is great for first-time Harry Potter readers. With a special section titled “So You’ve Never Read HP?”, you can catch up on the plots and characters. This section also serves as a great summary for those interested in hearing about the main points of the books without reading all seven of them. There are also links to information about the two “Hogwarts Books” (Fantastic Beasts and Quidditch Through the Ages) which few other sites have.

Harry Potter Fan Fiction

http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/“Harry Potter Fan Fiction: 50,000 Harry Potter Stories and Podcasts”. 2008.

http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/. Accessed 27 May 2008. Fan fiction is a great way to combine your

love of a certain book or movie with creative writing and imagination. Thousands of people all over the globe write Harry Potter fan fiction, and many of their stories are available on this site. You can search for stories based on the author, time it was written, keyword, or recommendations by the site moderators. You can also write your own fan fiction and submit it for review by other site watchers.

Harry Potter Book Series – Bloomsbury Websitehttp://www.bloomsbury.com/jkrevent/default.asp?sec=1“Harry Potter”. 2008. http://www.bloomsbury.com/jkrevent/default.asp?

sec=1. Accessed on 27 May 2008. When the book was originally published in

England, Bloomsbury was the company that first started printing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The site is similar to the Scholastic site, but with a British flair. It features fewer ads than the Scholastic site, and has more information about J.K.Rowling, the author of the books.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Spark Notes

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/harrypotter/“SparkNotes: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. 2008.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/harrypotter/. Accessed on 27 May 2008. SparkNotes, a modern, online version of Cliff

Notes, may be your English teacher’s favorite, but they are a great way to skim a book before committing to reading it. They are also great for checking comprehension after you have completed a few chapters. Unfortunately, SparkNotes only covers the first book in the Harry Potter series, and the summaries just aren’t as good as the real thing!

Harry Potter Coloring Pageshttp://www.coloring-book.info/coloring/

coloring_page.php?id=31“Harry Potter Coloring Book Pages”. 2008.

http://www.coloring-book.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=31. Accessed on 27 May 2008.

Coloring isn’t just for little kids anymore! Find tons of coloring pages on this site ranging from very simple to extremely complex. You can print off the pages as large or as small as you want, and you can even make stickers out of the designs. Coloring pages are a great way to decorate for a Harry Potter book club meeting, or even to spruce up your locker.

Patronus – Harry Potter Fan Listinghttp://www.thesevenpotters.com/“Patronus, The Harry Potter Fanlisting”. 2008.

http://www.thesevenpotters.com/. Accessed on 27 May 2008. This amazing site connects Harry Potter fans

all over the globe by organizing fan’s websites to be as easy as possible to browse and search. Sorted by name, link, country, likes, book (which one/s in the series), and movie/s, there are thousands of options to choose from. There are also small image “buttons” that can be downloaded and used to link from your own page to the Patronus site.

Harry Potter Related SitesThe following sites have to do with topics and subjects

addressed in the Harry Potter books and movies, but might not refer to the books specifically.

Astronomy – Google Skyhttp://www.google.com/sky/“Google Sky”. 2008. http://www.google.com/sky/. Accessed on 27 May

2008.

Google sky allows you to search the universe from your own desktop computer! With features like constellation maps, star showcases, and earth and sky podcasts this site is the best when it comes to learning about the night sky just like Harry and his friends! This site also has a search function so you can go directly to any of the constellations mentioned in the Harry Potter books.

Owl Pageshttp://www.owlpages.com/“The Owl Pages”. 2008. http://www.owlpages.com/. Accessed on 27 May

2008. As the main method of sending mail in the wizarding world, owls play a large roll in the Harry Potter series. This site has everything you will ever want to know about owls including artwork, news, photos and downloads. Of particular interest to HP fans is the section devoted to owl mythology, which may garner some information connected to the books.

Alivan’s Wandshttp://www.alivans.com/“Alivan’s Wands”. 2008. http://www.alivans.com/Accessed on 27 May 2008.

If you’re interested in acting out your favorite scenes from Harry Potter and a wand is your perfect prop, then this is the place to shop! Although the site is not just for Harry Potter enthusiasts, it does include HP-specific merchandise including wands, robes, hats, and even brooms! You can also find plenty of Harry Potter house colors as well.

Databases, E-Periodicals, & Reference Resources

Encyclopedia Mythicahttp://www.pantheon.org/“Encyclopedia Mythica”. 2008. http://www.pantheon.org/ Accessed on 28

May 2008. Curious about all of the magical beasts and places mentioned in the Harry Potter books and movies? Encyclopedia Mythica is the definitive online encyclopedia for everything mythical. Search a number of topics or browse era and geographically specific (Greek, Roman, Asian) information banks. One search example from the book is the “Hippogryff”. It’s a rare, mythical beast that the site notes as being half griffin half horse.

The Online Harry Potter Encyclopediahttp://www.hp-encyclopedia.com/“The Harry Potter Encyclopedia”. 2008. http://www.hp-encyclopedia.com/

Accessed on 29 May 2008. Everything you have ever wanted to know about Harry Potter can be found here, in encyclopedia form, at the online Harry Potter encyclopedia. The site allows for keyword searching as well as browsing in subjects such as magical plants, places, potions, quidditch, and Hogwarts. Of particular interest is the Wizarding History of Time starting in 1200 B.C. and coming to 1998+ A.D. Many of the wizarding events mentioned in the timeline correlate with human history, and the comparisons are explained. For example, under 1200 B.C. it is noted that “The witch Circe, mentioned on today's Chocolate Frog Cards, was powerful at this time, and stories passed down from the period contain early Muggle mentions of Mermaids, or Sirens.”

Internet Movie Database, IMDbhttp://www.imdb.com/

“Internet Movie Database”. 2008. http://www.imdb.com/ Accessed on 29 May 2008. When it comes to movie facts and news, IMDb, the Internet Movie Database, is the best place on the web for information. You can find just about any movie as well as movie star in their huge database, and all of the movies and profiles are linked. Searching for any Harry Potter title, such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, produces many results including news, photos, and links to official movie websites.

Interactive Book, Informational or Instructional Software

Google Earthhttp://www.earth.google.com/ “Google Earth”. 2008.http://www.earth.google.com/ Accessed on 27 May

2008. With Google Earth you can take an up-close and personal look at anywhere around the globe. The software is downloadable for free from their website and allows you to search by continent, country, state, city or any other location indicator including business. Want to see what the real King’s Cross Station (home of platform 9 ¾) is? Type in King’s Cross Station in the search bar and away you go! Below is a screen shot of a search for King’s Cross Station in London, England:

Audio/Video/ImagesYouTube – Harry Potter Movie Trailers and Fan

Videos“YouTube”. 2008. http://www.youtube.com/ Accessed on 28 May 2008.

For each Harry Potter Movie that was made, there has been a corresponding trailer, or movie teaser, and YouTube is the place to find them. YouTube is easily searchable and returns hundreds of live streaming videos on any number of topics. Below are links to the last five Harry Potter Movie trailers put out by Warner Brother’s studio. Also, just to the right of every video is a list of “Related Videos” which

provides other, similar videos that can be very interesting.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stonehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geNlXmmIp7wHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=dmPrfYkpwTY&feature=related Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=oJmZT6en7eU&feature=relatedHarry Potter and the Goblet of Firehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=rNDfBcIdf4k&feature=relatedHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=GBl0GJ6oKw8&feature=related

Teacher Tube – Harry Potter and M.C.Escher“Comparing Escher Staircases to Harry Potter”. 2008.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22baa335aa594bac566f Accessed on 28 May 2008. This short, 45 second video is a fascinating comparison of the artist M.C. Escher’s drawing of multi-level staircases and the staircases at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school where Harry Potter and his friends are students. Teacher Tube is designed just like YouTube and is easily

searchable using any number of keywords. The following link brings you directly to the video.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22baa335aa594bac566f

The Leaky Cauldron Image Galleryhttp://gallery.the-leaky-cauldron.org/ “Harry Potter Pictures, Images, and Graphics”. 2008. http://gallery.the-

leaky-cauldron.org/ Accessed on 29 May 2008. This Harry Potter fan site specializes in photos and other images of book art as well as movie pictures and news related to the books. You can browse for images of the movie actors, J.K.Rowling, the books, as well as general movie pictures. It is also possible to search for any topic in the search bar. A search for the word “Azkaban” (the wizarding prison) garnered over 125,000 results ranging from pictures of the actors in the movie, to cover art from around the world.

Books and Print MaterialsThe Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias, and

Particularities The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias, and Particularities. 2008. Sterling & Ross Publishers. New York, New York.

According to Amazon.com, “This entertaining trivia book tests the knowledge of even the most hardcore Harry Potter fans. It's divided into nine sections called "quests," and each quest contains 75 questions separated into three skill levels: Pixie, Raven, and Wyvern. All the answers can either be found in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, including

the two she wrote for charity (Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages), or in the world-building information contained on her official website. Hints are provided throughout, along with trivia and analysis of the books and films” (Amazon). This book is great for testing your own Harry Potter knowledge, as well as your friend’s.

A Complete Idiot’s Guide to the World of Harry Potter A complete idiot’s guide to the world of Harry Potter. 2007. Alpha Publishers. New York, New York.

Whether you know everything or nothing about Harry Potter, this is a great book. It’s more than just facts; it’s a guide to each of the books as well as the characters and themes. As part of the “Total Idiot’s Guide…” series, it’s guaranteed to be reliable and well organized with plenty of pictures.

Field Guide to Harry Potter Duriez, Colin. 2007. Field Guide to Harry Potter. IVP Books. New York, New York.

You can’t get much better than an expert’s opinion, and that’s exactly what this book is. According to Publisher’s Weekly, “One thing Potter devotees can bank on is that Duriez (A Field Guide to Narnia) knows his material inside out and has amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of the great classics of children's literature and the Western intellectual cannon—which he employs judiciously to situate everything from the wizarding world in the romantic tradition to the relationship between Hogwarts and the classic school story” (Publisher’s). A good read for first-timers and many-timers alike.

The Pottersaurus: 1,500 Words Harry Potter Readers Need to Know Randall, Eric D. 2007. The Pottersaurus: 1,500 words that Harry Potter Readers need to Know. Pinewood Press. New York, New York.

Ever have trouble understanding some of the words in the Harry Potter books? Tired of having to refer to a HUGE dictionary every time you’re stuck? If so then this is the perfect book for you! According to Amazon.com, “[This book] Provides kid-friendly definitions of the high-level vocabulary words that appear in the Harry Potter series. Each entry includes at least one example of how the word is used in books I-VI of the series. An appendix lists the words by book and chapter” (Amazon.com).

Games and Other Fun StuffCharmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter

Hansel, Alison. 2007. Charmed Knits: Projects for fans of Harry Potter. Wiley. New York, New York.

For all of you knitters out there, this is a great book full of patterns, tricks, and tips for knitting your very own Harry Potter inspired clothing and bags. According to the book, “You'll soon be knitting enchanting things you didn't know were within your powers. Charmed Knits offers dozens of patterns for items that evoke the mystique of Harry Potter - a Wizard Robe, an Invisibility Shawl, a Quidditch Sweater, Ron's Ragg Raglan, a Clock Blanket, Harry Christmas Ornaments, and more. Easy-to-follow patterns, color photos of the finished projects, and illustrations of special stitch patterns and design elements make it easy for all knitters - from beginners to those at Mrs. Weasley's level - to work knitting magic” (Hansel).

Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Building Cards Stillinger, Doug. 2007. Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Building Cards. Klutz. New York, New York.

Interested in something a bit more tactile than just reading? These building cards, created by Doug Stillinger are a great way to experience Hogwarts in 3-D. The book contains 275 cards that can be fitted together to create an actual free-standing castle. The kit also comes with detailed directions and a miniature Harry Potter action figure that can be used with the castle. The castle doesn’t need any glue or nails, and can be put together easily in one sitting.

Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour BeansCreated by Jelly Belly, Bertie Bott’s Every

Flavour Beans, a candy that is frequently discussed in the Harry Potter series, were made to tickle your taste buds. These beans aren’t for the faint of heart; they include flavors such as earthworm, sausage, grass, soap, vomit, and booger (as well as plenty of other “normal” flavors). Have fun trying to pick out the good from the bad. They can be purchased at most Borders Book Stores, as well as Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Bertie-Jelly-3-5-Ounce/dp/B0002AB4KS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food&qid=1212126280&sr=8-1

Harry Potter – Keywords and Searching

As a quick reference guide, all of the book titles are listed below in chronological order according to publishing year:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Also written by J.K. Rowling, but under the pseudonyms Newt Scamander and Kennilworth Whisp,

are two books considered part of the “Hogwarts Classic Library”. They are:

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemQuidditch Through the Ages

When doing your own Internet or print material searches it is always helpful to have a few keywords at your disposal. Using any of these terms in a search engine or database is guaranteed to produce some useful results. If you are unfamiliar with the books, some of these terms may seem strange, but trust that they will garner plenty of information!

Harry Potter

J.K.Rowling

Hogwarts

Gryffindor

Ravenclaw

Hufflepuff SlytherinQuidditc

h Muggle Voldemort

HagridDiagon Alley

Platform 9 ¾

Ron Weasley

Hermione Granger

Dumbledore Horcrux

Deathly Hallows Azkaban Mudblood

You can also use these terms in combination (ex: Horcrux + Dumbledore, or Harry Potter + Quidditch). A general search engine such as Google or DogPile will bring up many results, but searching one of the websites listed in the “Electronic Resources” section of this pathfinder will produce more specific and consistent results. These

search terms are also useful for image and video searches.

Harry Potter – Extension IdeasSo now that you have all of this great

information about Harry Potter, what are you going to do with it?! Below are a few suggestions for how you can take everything that you’ve learned to the next level.

Want to read the books with some friends? Start a book club surrounding the Harry Potter series and then expand into other similar titles. Begin with the first book in the series and read all seven. Then create a list of general terms relating to the books (such as “wands”, “wizards” or “spells”) and search for other books that include these topics. Meet once a month or once a week (depending on how much free time you have) to discuss the books and create theories for how each one will end.

Want to follow in J.K.’s footsteps? Fan Fiction is a way for people who enjoy a certain book, movie, or TV show to create their own interpretations of how part or all of the story should go. Search for Harry Potter Fan Fiction (also known at “fanfic”) online to get an idea of what’s out there. http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/ is a great site to start with. Then create your own Harry Potter fan fiction incorporating real and fictional people and places. Turn it in as a creative writing assignment or

post it on a site online for other people to read and enjoy.

Think you know everything about Harry Potter? Organize a Harry Potter trivia contest to test your knowledge against that of your friends and teachers. Organize everyone into competing “houses” and come up with questions from each of the books. Have tie breakers ready if the competition is close. Award ribbons for the most knowledgeable competitors as well as the rest of the participants.

Have a craving for the stage? Take a scene from one of the books and act it out alone or with some friends. Use props and costumes and use different voices for different characters. Once you have perfected your scene perform it at the next school coffee house or one-act competition.

Wish you could go to Hogwarts like Harry? Choose a Hogwarts class, such as Ancient Runes or Astronomy, and research it in a real world context. It might not be exciting as levitation or charms, but even real science can be magical! Talk to your teachers about what you are learning and see if you can turn your new expertise into an extra credit project or a paper substitution.

Watch the following video from Teacher Tube about Hogwarts and M.C.Escher’s staircase drawing. Then find pictures of each of the two images and combine them in an original drawing or collage. Turn

it in during your next art class as an extra credit project.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22baa335aa594bac566f