The Horn Book Guide

INTERMEDIATE FICTION

Rowling, J. K.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

435 pp. | Scholastic/Levine | September, 1999 | Trade ISBN 0-439-13635-0 $$19.95

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. In this third installment in Harry's saga, all the elements that make the formula work are heightened. The characters are particularly interesting, including Harry himself, who in facing the reality of his parents' violent deaths becomes a stronger person and a more complex hero. The Quidditch action is the best yet, the Hogwarts classes are inventive and entertaining, and there's a nifty bit of time manipulation in the exciting climax.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1999