As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief… or will it?

Book five in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teenager. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny from the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth: that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toad-like and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of defence against dark arts teacher—and in no time manages to become the high inquisitor of Hogwarts. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their examinations, devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team line-up, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny 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. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energised as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvellous magical series. —Emilie Coulter

Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand and jellybeans that come in every flavour, including strawberry, curry, grass and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J K Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. In the non-magical human world—the world of "Muggles"—Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is renowned as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoilt, pig-like cousin Dudley.

A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig ... and that's where the real adventure—humorous, haunting, and suspenseful—begins.

This magical, gripping, brilliant book—a future classic to be sure—will leave children clamouring for a sequel. (Ages 8-13) —Karin Snelson

The worry, when faced with the follow-up to books as good as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (both winners of the Nestlé Smarties Prize Gold Award), is that it won't be as good. With J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban any concerns are banished from page one. This, the third in the series, continues where the previous two left off and is a fantastic adventure of mystery, magic and mayhem combined with liberal doses of humour and plenty of suspense.

Forced to do his homework in the dead of night and forbidden to refer to his magic skills or his life at Hogwarts school, Harry Potter is forced to endure the summer holidays with the dreaded Dursleys. The arrival of Aunt Marge is the final straw and, in a fit of anger, Harry breaks all the rules and casts a spell on her, causing her to blow up like a balloon. Running away from his dreaded relatives, Harry expects to be expelled from Hogwarts for his blatant flaunting of the rule not to use magic outside term time. However, the arrival of the mysterious Knight Bus and a meeting with Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, result in Harry enjoying the rest of the holidays in the wonderful surroundings of the Leaky Cauldron.

The escape of Sirius Black—one time friend of Harry's parents, implicated in their murder and follower of "You- Know-Who"—from Azkaban, has serious implications for Harry for it would appear that Black is bent on revenge against Harry for thwarting "You-Know-Who". Back at Hogwarts, Harry's movements are restricted by the presence of the Dementors—guards from Azkaban on the look out for Black—however, this doesn't stop him throwing himself into the new Quidditch season and going about his normal business—or at least attempting to. Despite warnings Harry is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Sirius Black—how could this one-time close friend of his parents become the cause of their deaths?

And why does the presence of the Dementors have such a devastating effect on him, causing him to hear the last moments of his mother's life?

With another four Harry Potter novels planned, Jo Rowling is creating a series of books which will become classics to rival C.S. Lewis'Chronicles of Narnia—books written for children but loved by adults too. (Ages 9 and up) —Philippa Reece

Every novelist, screenwriter and oral storyteller faces the challenge of creating original and exciting characters. Archetypes - mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate - provide a solid foundation upon which to fashion new and vastly different story people."45 Master Characters" explores the most common male and female archetypes, provides instructions for using them to create your own original characters, and gives examples of how other authors have brought such archetypes to life in novels, film and television. Worksheets are then included for writers to develop and map the lives of their own characters.

How to Turn a Calculator into a Metal Detector, Carry a Survival Kit in a Shoestring, Make a Gas Mask with a Balloon, Turn Dishwashng Liquid into a Copy Machine, Convert a Styrofoam Cup into a Speaker, and Make a James Bond Spy Jacket with Everyday Things

Did you know that your standard issue of Sports Illustrated magazine can be turned into over 20 useful gadgets? In author Cy Tymony's Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things, you'll learn how an average magazine can become many extraordinary gadgets such as a compass, hearing aid, magnifier, peashooter, and bottle opener.

Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things covers 40 new educational and unique projects that anybody can successfully complete with simple household items. The book includes a list of necessary materials, detailed sketches, and step-by-step instructions for each gadget and gizmo. Among the sneaky schemes are:

" Creating a electroscope out of a glass jar

" Turning a drinking cup into a speaker

" Using an AM radio as a metal detector

" Making a spy gadget jacket with over 20 individual sneaky uses ranging from a siren and

whistle to a walkie-talkie and voice recorder

These days, "be prepared" applies to more than just the Boy Scouts. Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things provides loads of practical ideas, science projects, and captivating solutions for dealing with life's unexpected challenges. Great fun for the curious, inventive, and creative of all ages.

Illustrator 8 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide will give newcomers to Adobe Illustrator 8 a push in the right direction. Authors Weinmann and Lourekas demonstrate how to use this illustration package's user interface, tools, and palettes to create, save, and open illustrations.

The authors teach you how to create basic objects and show you the options and techniques for selecting, moving, reshaping, and transforming objects. Next you learn how to use Illustrator's Fill, Stroke, brushes, and pen options; add and manipulate type; work with layers; combine paths; and create gradients.

Later chapters teach you to apply filters, work with masks, create graphs, use precision tools, work with the Actions feature, change the program's preferences, create separations, and output your work for print and for the Web. A full-color section in the center of the book offers eye-catching artwork to help get your creative juices flowing. The book closes with a guide to those contributing artists and a quick reference guide to keyboard shortcuts. —Kathleen Caster

This Visual QuickStart Guide to Photoshop 5 for Windows and Macintosh is ideal for computer graphics beginners who need thorough help with even the most basic tools in Adobe's image editor. The authors provide step-by-step instruction for each exercise while offering the exact keyboard and mouse operations, plenty of screen shots and illustrations, extra usage tips, and a bit of technical insight. First, you learn the essential options on the menus and in the palettes; approach the issue of color in Photoshop; and explore the significance of pixels, red-green-blue (RGB) and cyan-magenta- yellow-black (CMYK) models, channels, image and blending modes, and color management. To get you started on some real work, the authors show you how to create, open, and save files; scan images; import files; resize and crop images; and use the Navigator palette. The subsequent chapters guide you through the processes of making selections; creating composite images using layers and the Stamp tool; working with History (undo and redo) options; using Adjustment Layers; choosing, adjusting, and correcting color; and working with the line, paintbrush, airbrush, and gradient tools. In the last, most advanced part of the book, the authors show you how to create interesting effects using layers, masks, paths, the type tool, and filters. Finally, the authors show you how to customize your images for output to the Web, Macromedia Director, and Adobe After Effects. —Kathleen Caster

Solaris Systems Administrator's Guide, Second Edition is designed to work as both a practical tutorial and quick reference, this book provides UNIX administrators complete, detailed descriptions of the most frequently performed tasks for Solaris. This book will show readers how to employ the features of Solaris to meet the needs of users and make administration easier. Coverage includes File Systems, Networking, Printing, Shells, Troubleshooting, and more. Appropriate for beginning system administrators, those new to the Solaris environment, or experienced administrators who need a quick reference from time to time. The officially authorized tutorial for Solaris system administration, written by an award-winning, recognized expertCompletely updated to cover Solaris 2.6 topics, including: x86 differences, new shell descriptions, new file system administration features, redesign of print packages, and moreTask-oriented and simple to reference, this easy to follow tutorial provides indispensable tips, advice, and quick-reference tables which make it the classic guide to understanding Solaris for both new and experienced system administrators