"Out of the Darkness" is indeed the perfect title for the long-awaited telling of these events. For the past 50 years, only students and professionals in the child protection field have learned the profound significance of Mary Ellen's story. This, the first book entirely devoted to this landmark case, brings Mary Ellen to life along with all those who helped her survive.

The story opens in May 1864 on a battlefield in Cold Harbor, Virginia, as Thomas Wilson receives word of the birth of his little girl in New York City and dreams of returning soon to his wife, Fanny, and their child. Shortly afterward, however, he dies in battle.

Amid the hustle and bustle of New York City life, Mary Ellen's mother attempts to care for her little girl, but poverty soon forces her to abandon the child. We learn of Mary Ellen's stay in an almshouse for a time before being taken into a foster home where she is beaten, locked in a closet, burned, and permitted no contact with the outside world. She remains in this home for 6 long years.

Shelman and Lavoritz accurately and poignantly describe the New York City of the 1860s and 1870s, allowing the reader to experience the overcrowding and the sounds and smells of the infamous Hell's Kitchen area of NYC where Mary Ellen is finally found and rescued.

The story follows two threads, first told separately, and then woven skillfully together. We learn of Mary Ellen's plight, while at the same time in NYC, Henry Bergh is working to found the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). We are with Bergh as he enforces the new animal protection laws in NYC. He fights to protect them all --from turtles to horses. He is often ridiculed as he charges, "Turtle abuse!" But he persists. Amazingly, in 1874 there was no agency to aid mistreated children. When Etta Wheeler, a dedicated social worker, appeals to Bergh and his animal rights society to take the lead in the child's rescue, he and the ASPCA's talented attorney, Elbridge Gerry, conduct the then famous trial that ultimately brings Mary Ellen freedom and a new home and results in the founding of the New York City Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, still in existence today.

The story culminates in the standing-room-only trial where Mary Ellen's foster mother is charged on several felony counts. The authors effectively recreate the circuslike atmosphere that prevails throughout the trial at which witnesses from all walks of life testify about what they have seen and heard. The transcripts of the trial are complete and authentic.

While most will read this book as a novel, a complete index at the back provides access to the wealth of factual material carefully researched by the authors. An epilogue tells what finally happened to Mary Ellen as an adult. Adding to the authenticity are a number of previously unprinted photographs provided to the authors by relatives of the principals.

An invaluable reference for those interested in the history surrounding child and animal protection, "Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson is also just "a good read."

Child abuse is a subject many people would prefer not to think about. This account of the life of Mary Ellen Wilson will change that way of thinking. This story will open your heart to a little girl who, for much of her childhood had no friends, no hugs, no kisses, no bedtime "I love you" moments. The book will take you from the beginnings of a love story, through death, child abuse, hate, compassion, rescue, and survival. It's a must read for anyone who thinks that one person cannot make a difference in the life of a child. Thank you, Mr. Shelman and Dr. Lazoritz for bringing Mary Ellen into our lives...may the doors of our hearts be opened as a result.

I bought this book having met Eric in a Californian hotel two weeks ago - we were both on business trips. Towards the end of our time talking he mentioned that he had written a book and I told him I would buy it from Amazon.com and read it. I kept my word and sat by the pool and read it.

I have dealt with child abuse personally and have read other books on the subject. I found that Out of The Darkness had been written in a way that did not read like social workers case notes, like I have found some other books. It does not dwell on each beating this poor child received, it gives you the facts in a beautifully written way that truly inspires. Mary-Ellen's story proves how just one person like Etta has to care to rescue a childs life. I am sure anyone who reads this book will not think twice about reporting a suspected case of child abuse. Eric - you are a gifted author as well as a really nice guy.

I bought this book online because of the author & title alone, not even knowing what it was about, so when it arrived the day before my birthday, I naturally fell deeply in love with it. (It's about seven finicky children who each eat only one thing, each child with his or her own special food, and they end up creating a birthday cake for their mother out of all of their foods combined.) It's a great book, my kids (3 & 7) love it as much as I do.(Any Dr. Seuss afficianado knows that reading aloud is so much more fun when it rhymes!) The illustrations are so beautifully detailed, as well. We see new things in the pictures every time we read the book! (I especially love the laundry piled everywhere in the Peters' family house...What else would you expect, with seven little kids?!) Once you read this book, you will want to read Mary Ann Hoberman's other books! AND - HERE'S A FUN TIDBIT - DID YOU KNOW THAT HER SON CHUCK INVENTED THE HOBERMAN SPHERE? HOW TALENTED IS THAT FAMILY?

In a word, this book is sheer delight. I don't know how many big families there are out there, but this book accurately captures the crazy chaos of living in a growing family and the challenges of making everyone happy at meal time.(I grew up in a large family.) Me, my children and my husband never tire of the lovely rhythm and rhyme of the Peters family story and their nightime escapade creating the ultimate birthday gift for their beloved Mom. In fact, my daughter and son insisted on making Dad "a pink and plump and perfect cake" for his birthday. SUPERB, detailed illustrations, delightful and memorable phrases - a very uplifting tale for weary, unappreciated parents and a BLAST for kids to read.

This book is a favorite of our family. The illustrations our beautiful and tell a story on top of the story in the text. Each child's distinct personality is revealed in the illustrations.

We starting reading this to our children when they were about 3 months old. My daughter knew it by heart by 2. We have given this book as a gift many times and it has always gotten great reviews. It is an ideal gift book because it is undeservedly obscure--- your recipient won't already have it.

We have tried unsuccessfully into turning this book into a family cooking project. Attempts at mixing the ingredients described in the book haven't worked out so well--- too much liquid!

This series of books about Trixie Belden (the young girl detective) was very exciting for me growing up. I grew up on a farm like Trixie and identified with her character much more than Nancy Drew (the other option at the time). Trixie is a tomboy and manages to get herself into all types of scrapes that are both exciting and inventive. A must read for anyone with a girl age 8-15!

Like most of the other reviewers, I started reading them when I was young, got hooked and have continued reading them. I packed them up when we moved about 10 years ago and recently was thrilled to discover my box with 34 titles in it, so thrilled in fact I had to re-read them all, in sequence. Then I had to pack them up again but now, at long last, they are in a place of honor in my new bookcase (which, by the way has a shelf of exactly the right height for Trixie Belden books). The local library recently removed from circulation an almost complete set (1-34,36,39) if you can believe it. Unfortunately I got there too late to get the two I was missing and only managed to get a duplicate of #1 which was extremely tattered. I went back a few days later and someone had cleaned them out of the rest of the set. The Trixie Belden series actually furthered my education more than once. Want to know about Arizona? the Hudson River Valley? Williamsburg? More than once I've been sent to my encyclopedias (doesn't that date me?) to look up something I read in my Trixies. I raise my voice with the rest of you--REPRINT NOW!

I first read Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion when I was eight years old. I fell in love with the Trixie Belden series immediately. I'm almost 22 now, and I own through Book 20 with a few more from the more recent books. I would dearly love to find copies of the remaining books (up to 39). Not only do I still like to read these books, but I plan to pass my collection down to my own children.

Just a note, Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion was written by Julie Campbell, not Kathryn Kenny. Julie Campbell is the author of the first six Trixie Belden books. Kathryn Kenny picked up the Trixie Belden series with Book 7, Trixie Belden and the Mysterious Code.

As a pet owner and lover, I was so touched to read a book with so many wonderful and inspirational stories about pets. So many of the stories included in the book were about the strange comforting and healing powers of our "furry friends". After each one, I would look at my beautiful cat with tears in my eyes and just hug her, wanting to hang onto one of the best friends, teachers, and healers I have ever had! It was a sensational book and one that I was very sad to see end.

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul is a fantastic book for anyone who has a special place in his or her heart for animals. The book was made up of many different stories describing the special qualities that make our pets and furry friends unique. I rated this book a 5 because I found myself crying one minute and laughing the next. There are stories that will make you giggle, one in particular describes buffalo playing a game on ice. It made me realize that there are many things about animals that we don't understand- and never will. Who would have guessed that buffalo play games? The book also included stories that sent tears down my cheek. The story that stands out the most in my mind is a story about how far a mother cats goes to save her kittens. The love of the mother cat can relate to human mothers as well, they will do anything to protect their children. I believe that animals are fantastic teachers. One story in the book talks about how a gorilla helped to rescue an injured (human) boy after he fell into her area in the zoo. The author of that story explained that what is truly amazing about the gorilla is that she helped the boy without caring about recognition. She helped the boy because she wanted to, she didn't know that recognition was even a part of the act. That is exactly what us humans can learn from these animals. We need to help somebody because it's the thing to do, not because we want to be remembered as a hero.
I would recommend Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul for anyone who enjoys animals or just wants to read a book that make you warm and fuzzy inside. The stories in the book will show you exactly why pets are teachers, healers, heroes and friends. You will realize how special they really are.
Also check out Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul for stories about teenagers that will inspire you.

After I read the first heart-warming pages, I couldn't put the book down for more than 15 minutes. This is the kind of book that makes you want to cuddle up with your pet and read the soul-tickling stories that are written over the 403 pages. Many times I found myself saying, "Wow!" or "Oh my gosh I can't believe that really happened!" But most of the time I found myself saying, "Aw, how sweet." I love how the stories are true. Once you open Chicken Soup For The Pet Lover's Soul, you won't be able to close it. You will love how just reading one 3 or 4 page story will make you remember it for the rest of your day. It teaches about how animals can be healers, heros, and teachers. I give this book 2 thumbs up, and in addition to the 2 thumbs, I give it 5stars as well.

Thanks Mrs. Giggles for recommending this book. It was as wonderful as you said it was. I really liked the fact that the hero was flawed (like real men), and the heroine was tough and resilient (like real women). What can I say that many others haven't already said about this marvelous book? It's inspired me to try my hand at a historical novel. Great writing, Mary Jo Putney!

Reginald Davenport is an alcoholic. Alys Weston is a gifted businesswoman and estate manager living a life of lies layered on one another like an onion. What an unlikely pairing - but it works! Reginald's cousin opens the door to his transformation by restoring an estate to him which had been unlawfully withheld; however, it is up to Reginald to walk through that door. The book traces Reginald's journey, as Alys becomes a reluctant companion along the path. That the two fall in love is not surprising; what makes it interesting, is that in the end, it is Alys's flaws that threaten to destroy their relationship, and not Reginald's addiction.

Reginald's character is written so well - it's as if MJP was able to get inside the head of an addicted person and those around him who either collaborate with the addiction, or try to neutralize it. This story has credibility and depth, and is one that I'll be recommending to my friends. Excellent job.

You know what they say, "Reformed rakes make the best of husbands." Reggie makes a great rake, but even better is his struggle to reform. The way the author writes this book adds realism and credibility. While most romance books prefer to not broach serious topics like alchoholism (usually they get a bit dark and depressing), Ms. Putney does an excellent job at entwining it with the romance. I liked this book very much.

The heroine isn't bad, but the hero is delightfully complex, and just this side of delectable. The whole book was utterly realistic until the end, which I thought was a bit stretching reality, but that's really the most I can find to complain about. This book was absoloutly wonderful.

I'd recommend this to someone that wants a romance with realistic characters and a good plot. This author's writing is very good.

While reading this book, Wait Till Helen comes by Mary Downing Hahn, I found myself asking questions that would soon be anwsered later in the book. All in all, I truly enjoyed it. I do think it could have been a bit scarier though. It was the scariest book I ever read considering it was one of the only ones I read. I felt as if I were Molly trying to get through Heather unsuccesfully. One thing I didn't appreciate all that much was how Heather ad Helen sound so much alike. I often had to stop and ask why was Heather lureing kids into the lake, soon realizing that was Helen. I felt a little sorry for Heather and a lot sorry for Molly. My favorite character was probably Helen. Mary Downing Hahn is my favorite author and all in all, this was my favorite one of her books. I have read 3 others, none ghost stories, though.

Name: unknown Age: 12 almost 13

"Wait till Helen Comes" is a really good book. It has adventure, friendship, ghosts and most of all suspense. It is about two kids (Molly and Micheal) and their mom, and her husband (Dave)and his daughter Heather. Then one day they move to the country. Molly and Micheal don't like it there because they don't live near town. Also Molly dosen't like it because there is a graveyard in the backyard. Then one day Heather makes a friend with a ghost. Her name is Helen, but Helen is a bad ghost and tries to drawn Heather in the pond. Molly is the only person that saw Helen besides Heather. It is up to Molly to save Heather. If I could I would tell you the rest of the story,but you are going to have to find out for yourself.

"Wait Till Helen Comes," was a fantastic and enjoyable book for all ages. It is about two single parents who get married and move to a church in a town called Hollwell. Michael and Molly are brother and sister who are enemies with their step sister Heather, a bratty and spoiled little girl. Little did they know why she was like that. When the family moved to the church, the children found out that they had no neighbors and they lived next to a graveyard. Every day Heather visits this one very suspicious tombstone. Molly suspected something and followed Heather. Soon she found out that Heather allied herself with a ghost named Helen. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys spooky stories about ghosts.

I've heard from many people that this book is supposed to be better than the first two. Upon reading it, I found myself slightly disappointed by the pacing. Although it was still a fun read, Rowling spends about two-thirds of the book focusing almost exclusively on the Quidditch match (which was intriguing, nonetheless), and towards the last 80 pages, suddenly does a series of revelations and zooms the reader right past to the end. Nothing is really resolved by the close of this book, except to set the stage (I'm guessing), for the books to come.

If you've already read her first two books, you're accustomed to the way Rowling writes like a kind of whodunnit mystery, dropping plenty of hints and plenty of distractions for the reader to "guess" at what's really going on. In this story, a prisoner of Azkaban (mentioned briefly has Hagrid's prison in Chamber of Secrets) has escaped and is supposedly after Harry Potter. This prisoner, called Sirius Black, never makes an actual appearance till the end, and barely makes an appearance at Hogwarts. Although Rowling continues to drop hints throughout the book about this storyline, most of it is spent on Quidditch.

Perhaps my greatest disappointment is that Rowling pulled the time travel card, which is often used to solve any unsolveable problem. Why is Hermione so eager to study so many classes? Is she planning on graduating early? If not, then it seems a stretch that they would go out of their way to get a time travel device for her just so that she can take more classes than humanly possible.

With her previous books, I had always been impressed by the way the author managed to tie up loose ends and bring everything together in a satisfied type of way. I thought it was a cop-up to use the time travel idea, for if they're allowed to do that to save a life, why not do that every time a crime is committed? Why didn't they use it to save Harry Potter's family? It opens up a huge can of worms.

Wow! Super! Fantastic! Add suspense, humor, intrigue, and more than a little human relationship--and you have Book 3 in J.K. Rowling's very successful Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." And whatever it takes to create a mega-success, well, Jo Rowling certainly has it. The series doesn't even think of slowing down!

Back for his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, Harry is thankful that his summer is over. Again, he's had to endure the miserable conditions of the Dursleys, his foster family. (And this time, Aunt Marge descends on the family which creates even another crisis! Harry breaks a Hogwarts rule--not to use his magic during summer recess--causing Aunt Marge to blow up like a balloon!)

The plot thickens, when Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban. Black was involved with the murder of Harry's Parents and is now eager to extract some revenge on the young Potter for his part in thwarting resident "baddie" Lord Voldemort. At Hogwarts, guards (the Dementors) from Azkaban have been sent to get Black. (And we learn why wizards live in fear of Azkaban!)

The story gets complicated! But in an exciting sense, of course! Harry continues his Quidditch play--certainly a game for all time! And with pals Ron and Hermione (and the rest of the gang we've come to know so well), how can the story fail! Literally millions of readers--one suspects that a great percentage are adult readers! --have become quite intrigued with the Rowling adventures, with the whole literary world (not to mention book sellers!) awaiting for Book 4. (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

J.K Rowling captures the hearts of not only the children but also adults alike who are captivated by the world of mystical magic and wizards and witches, et al.

The third instalment of the series, Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, plays on the same tune the previous two books she has worked on and Rowling manages to seamlessly infuse some elements from the debut book into this one. For example, there is a small anecdote on how Hagrid had gotten the bike from Sirius Black in "Prisoner Of Azkaban" which was mentioned very briefly in the first book. It may be very inconspicuous to note, but it just amazes me as though Rowling has already planned to write beyond the first book when she was working on her debut novel.

There are further twists within the twists in the fate that lies ahead of Harry Potter and his gang, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and his entourage of Rubeus Hagrid, Albus Dumbledore, Prof McGonagall. Throw in some interesting new characters, like the "mis-fortune-telling" Prof Trelawny and Sirius Black, and not forgetting his adversaries, Prof Serverus Snape and Draco Malfoy, and we've got another year of excitement and titillating, intense fun of the magical School of Hogwarts.

Harry Potter thought he had a fairly normal life (aside from living with his aunt and uncle who hated him), but he was very wrong. On his 11th birthday he learned that he was a wizard and had been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Suddenly, Harry is plunged into an entirely new world of magic. At Hogwarts Harry has friends for the first time in his life. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are his best friends at the school and they are the ones who help Harry through all of his troubles. From the very beginning though, Harry is slightly aware of something strange going on at Hogwarts. Harry pieces together the mystery slowly throughout the school year in while he isn't busy working on schoolwork or Quidditch (a magical game played on broomsticks).
My favorite part about this book was the world that J.K. Rowling created. While it would have been easy for her to just set the story in a school where the kids learn magic, she didn't. Things like Diagon Alley, which is where all of the students go to get school supplies, allow her to add so much more to the magic world just through descriptions of things Harry sees. Quidditch also makes the world seem much more real.
I originally read this book because I needed a young adult book for class, but I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would. I can't remember the last time I actually read much outside of school, but after reading this book I read the other three and am now anxiously awaiting the fifth book. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. It's obvious that it was aimed at younger readers, but I found I enjoyed it as much at 17 as my sister did at 11.

When I read a book, I get absorbed into a different life for an hour, maybe two. When I read a good book, I get drawn into a different reality for a few days, and always hate to return to my own. When I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I disappeared, willingly I might add, into a time when my heroes were Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton, and I longed for the day when I would find myself a wardrobe and disappear into the Narnia of C.S. Lewis. But with age comes peer pressure, with that comes disillusionment, accompanied by an attitude of being too mature for fairy tales and imaginary worlds. But, from the moment I opened that book, I was caught in the carefully woven trap of fantasy that J.K. Rowling had expertly crafted. I was engrossed in the story of a boy whose home life had shades of Dahl's Matilda meets Dickens' Pip, and whose true identity is like an Ugly Duckling for all ages. Through Harry, I saw lives that I thought authors had stopped writing about seventy years ago, a parallel universe that didn't have guns or war planes or invading aliens, but an everyday world, on the outskirts of an extraordinary one. The extraordinary secret of these books is how Rowling makes us believe that magic can truly exist in this Muggle world of Mundania. It doesn't matter whether you are six or sixty, whether you have lived through Disneyworld or the Depression; the irresistibility of the Harry Potter books is based in the human desire to believe in the unbelievable, no matter how fantastical or magical it may be. That is what makes a children's book so special for adults everywhere. But, for me personally, this magical fantasy is only a part of the reason why I love Harry Potter. It wiped away all the cynicism I had carefully cultivated over the years, and grabbed at a piece of me I thought I had lost when I was ten. Not only did it provide a magical world for me to base my reality in, but it also provided an entirely new perspective on that reality. For example, when I went to Duke, I was expecting at least a minimal amount of racism in the "Deep South". Instead, one girl who asked me about the book was a blond, blue-eyed child with a Southern drawl that would have put Scarlet to shame. I could start whole conversations, with adolescents no less, based on the parallel universe of Harry Potter. Those incidents gave me faith that there are a few things that can, at the very least, minimise the social chasms that exist in the world. If we have to start with fantasy and magic, then so be it. Maybe it's healthier for adults to believe in unreality just as strongly as children can. It will provide for us, as it did for me, something to smile about when I think the world leaves no room for joy, to recognise that, amidst all of the mundane realities that we face, all the pollution, all the crime, everything that critics claim is collapsing our society, there is one place where magic will always exist for me - in the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone The book "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling was fantastic. It captures the imagination right from the beginning, as Harry goes through one adventure after another. It is very fun and easy to read. I found it very difficult to put this book down. Rowling pulls you right into the fascinating magical world of Harry Potter. This book is a must read for all ages. Any chance of leading a normal childhood goes up in flames when Harry's parents are murdered by the evil wizard Lord Volemort. Harry is forced into living with his cruel relatives, the Dursleys. He is always being picked on by his cousin Dudley. Also he is constantly being scolded by his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Hopes of happiness for Harry arise when he receives a letter accepting him to the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry meets Hagrid, a huge man at least 10 ft tall, and is taken away from the miserable life with the Dursleys. At Hogwarts, Harry befriends a boy named Ron and a know-it-all girl named Hermione. This starts the amazing adventures of Harry Potter. This book as you might have guessed is a fantasy. You should also read "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" all of which are superb sequels to the 1st Harry Potter.

The great strength of Rowling's works is her conscious effort to never let the messages in her stories overshadow their readability and sense of fun. All books should first and foremost tell the story, and Rowling never forgets that. That said, her latest installment, The Goblet of Fire, takes us back to Hogwarts for another year of magic, danger and intrigue. This book is the pivotal part of Harry's seven year tale, and ends on a note that many readers may find unsatisfactory, as the issue of accountability and leadership in the Ministry of Magic comes to light.
Goblet of Fire reads on many levels; younger children will delight in the fast and inventive pace of the plot and storytelling, and older readers will find themselves waiting to see how the issue of Voldemort's true return and the Ministry of Magic's reaction are resolved or expanded in book five.

This fourth book in the Harry Potter series of seven is billed as "pivotal" by the cover, and is certainly delivers on that promise. It is Rowling's longest work yet, but the plot stays strong for all 735 pages. I especially enjoyed that she broke away from the standard practice of reexplaining the characters, locations, and plot points from previous novels at the very beginning of the book. Instead, she has them unfold over the course of the novel, which recaptures that sense of discovery that readers will recall from the first few books. Rowling writes the story in such a way that those who have not read the first three books will be able to follow the plot, yet HP veterans will not be bored by a "recap" chapter. The length of the novel demands new characters be added, but is also allows the development of some of the more minor character from previous books, such as Arthur Weasley and the teaching staff, to take on a more prominent role. The book provides a deeper glimpse into the power structure of the Wizarding world, and Rowling focuses on the trails of being an adolescent trying to deal with friendship, jealousy, and adult expectations. Another benefit of the longer book is that the subplots of this book are more thoroughly developed. Hermione, Ron, and Neville are explored at greater length, and the students' are faced with some challenges to their preconceived notions of what makes a life valuable. There is a lot going on in the book: new locations and names, fascinating spells and charms, and unexpected plot developments. The bottom line is that HP fans will be delighted with the developments, shocked by the revelations, and intrigued to read what happens as he enters his fifth year. Let's hope Rowling doesn't make us wait too long.

J.K. Rowling has hit another home run with her fourth instalment of the Muggle confined wizard Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." In this book, our young hero is 14 years old and on his way back to Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry to the great company of his two best friends Hermione Granger (played by Emma Watson in the movie) and Ron Weasly (Rupert Grint). But before anything that might be construed as boring and anything that will cause learing in our heros, they must first go the biggest sporting event in the wizarding world: The Quidditch World Cup. Dark things are going down right at that time though, which everybody except the villian Lord Voldemort and his faithfull servent Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew are not knowing of.

This book as everything that a loyal Potter fan and even somebody who hasn't read one can enjoy: adelescent angst at the schools Yule Ball, a sleazy reporter and magic up the wazzoo. Making a very welll plased return in this book as Harry's godfather is Sirius Black who made his debut in the third book, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

The tone and tempo of the series so far has gone flawlessly. The first book is very inoccent and fancyfree, the second one dwells deeper into the darker portions of the characters lives, the third one steps outside of Hogworts and the fourth one takes all three of the themes and crams them together. Most people that I have talked to have said that it is too long, but I think that is what makes it great; the things that happen can't be contained in a 350 page book. The end will make you feel like your watching a reunion on a TV show and waiting to see the rest of the cast join the main character. Mentioned in the essential hospital scene is none other than former Dark Arts teacher Remus Lupin and a name that you might recognize: Arabella Figg.

What makes the Harry Potter series much more entertaining than the Lord of the Rings trilogy is that Harry and his friends do more than wonder around and look for a magic ring and actually interact and participate in things that are fun, but also be in periliss danger.

Althought this book is much darker (The Death Eaters) it still has a sense of goodness in it that manifests itself perfectly in his godfathers extreme loyalty to Harry. "Goblet" is the Wizard of Oz of our time and is not only a childrens fantasy novel but also a great detective story and such a fast read that you will want to read it again and again and again.

The second book of the Harry Potter series does an excellent job of living up to the expectations set by the first book. The story in which the 12-year-old wizard, Harry Potter, faces trials and tribulations testing his supernatural abilities will undoubtedly keep you on the edge of your seat and always wondering what will happen next.

The novel begins at the Dursley's house where Harry lives with his "muggle" (non magic) aunt and uncle. Due to the differences between the two types, Harry is treated horribly by his family and looked upon with disgust. Things begin to spiral further downward when a creature named Doby shows up to warn Harry that he should not attend Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardy this year because "bad things are supposed to happen". However, Harry insists on going since it is the only excuse he has to leave the Dursley's home. Doby then decides to mingle with things in order to prevent Harry from going and in turn gets him into quite a bit of trouble. A few weeks later while at school, terrible accidents begin to happen to the mudbloods, the witches and wizards that come from non-wizard families. Then, a disturbing message appears on the wall stating that the chamber has been opened once again. This message provokes Harry and his two closest friends Ron and Hermione to investigate the confusing situation, providing for an interesting mystery full of twists and turns.

The theme of this book teaches a moral by denouncing the act of discriminating a group of people. By targeting the mudbloods, Rowling is showing how wrong it is to treat someone differently for an unavoidable reason. ... I think that she is teaching us all a lesson through her writing, and we should take the time to listen to the message she wishes to convey.

I loved this book for the simple fact that I felt able to escape from my world and enter the magical and enchanting Hogwarts school. While reading J.K. Rowling's novel, my imagination is given the option to run wild and I feel once again like a little child. I sincerely recommend that everyone read this book if given the opportunity. I believe that people of all ages would thoroughly enjoy reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Some say Chamber of Secrets is the weakest of the four Potter books.

Yes, the incident in it is "minor" compared to other Potter books, than say, the third or fourth. But the plot is tightly woven up. It doesn't ramble, like the third or fourth. And the first time you read it, face it, it's a lot scarier than the others. Why? Because students are being stunned --frozen in time-- left and right. Roosters are dying, GHOSTS are practically dying.

Meanwhile, excellent points are being brought up.

In the second (might have some spoilers here), Harry finds out that Voldemort transferred some his own powers when he gave Harry the scar. That means that besides speaking Parseltongue, Harry probably has some of Voldemort's strenth and "brilliancy."

Notice, too, that this is the first book where Harry truly realizes Professor Dumbledore's store of knowledge and how much Dumbledore believes in him when no one else will. Only after this book does Harry start asking for Dumbledore's help. I'd also like to note that Dumbledore was transfiguration teacher before principal, and when Dumbledore was gone, McGonagall, the current transfiguration teacher, became principal. Transfiguration teacher must be pretty powerful and high up on the hierchical ladder.

From this book on, Voldemort knows Harry's own past --his performance in school, his personality, his attitude. From this book on, Voldemort has a decided advantage over Harry.

Chamber of Secrets reveals the past --Hagrid's, Tom Riddle's, even Dumbledore's. Many people don't like this book as much because there's not as much "ambiguity" as some of the others. But I don't think it's meant to be that. I think it's meant to be a sort-of-background of the past.

In the second book of what is bound to become a world-renowned fantasy series, J.K. Rowling documents Harry Potter's return to Hogwarts school.A wide array of new characters includes Gilderoy Lockhart, the new defense against the dark arts teacher; Dobby, an adorable little house elf. Tom Riddle, the mysterious Hogwarts alumni who provides Harry with clues; not to mention the whole Weasley family, and their flying car! A new mystery awaits Harry upon his return to school, and it is up to Harry, Ron and Hermione to save the school once again, this time from the evil Heir of Slytherin, who has opened the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed a monster on the school. Only in the amazing, spine-tingling climactic scene is his/her identity revealed, and you won't believe who it is. If you liked Harry Potter and the sorceror's stone, this book is a must-read.