Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) [Hardcover]

J.K. Rowling (Author), Mary GrandPré (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2, 1999 | Age Range: 9 and up | Series: Harry Potter (Book 2) | Lexile Measure: 940L (What's this?)

In one of the most hotly anticipated sequel in memory, J.K. Rowling takes up where she left off with Harry's second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Old friends and new torments abound, including a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, an outrageously conceited professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, and a mysterious force that turns Hogwarts students to stone.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's hard to fall in love with an earnest, appealing young hero like Harry Potter and then to watch helplessly as he steps into terrible danger! And in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the much anticipated sequel to the award-winning Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, he is in terrible danger indeed. As if it's not bad enough that after a long summer with the horrid Dursleys he is thwarted in his attempts to hop the train to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his second year. But when his only transportation option is a magical flying car, it is just his luck to crash into a valuable (but clearly vexed) Whomping Willow. Still, all this seems like a day in the park compared to what happens that fall within the haunted halls of Hogwarts.

Chilling, malevolent voices whisper from the walls only to Harry, and it seems certain that his classmate Draco Malfoy is out to get him. Soon it's not just Harry who is worried about survival, as dreadful things begin to happen at Hogwarts. The mysteriously gleaming, foot-high words on the wall proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." But what exactly does it mean? Harry, Hermione, and Ron do everything that is wizardly possible--including risking their own lives--to solve this 50-year-old, seemingly deadly mystery. This deliciously suspenseful novel is every bit as gripping, imaginative, and creepy as the first; familiar student concerns--fierce rivalry, blush-inducing crushes, pedantic professors--seamlessly intertwine with the bizarre, horrific, fantastical, or just plain funny. Once again, Rowling writes with a combination of wit, whimsy, and a touch of the macabre that will leave readers young and old desperate for the next installment. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-8-Fans of the phenomenally popular Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Scholastic, 1998) won't be disappointed when they rejoin Harry, now on break after finishing his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Reluctantly spending the summer with the Dursleys, his mean relatives who fear and detest magic, Harry is soon whisked away by his friends Ron, Fred, and George Weasley, who appear at his window in a flying Ford Anglia to take him away to enjoy the rest of the holidays with their very wizardly family. Things don't go as well, though, when the school term begins. Someone, or something, is (literally) petrifying Hogwarts' residents one by one and leaving threatening messages referring to a Chamber of Secrets and an heir of Slytherin. Somehow, Harry is often around when the attacks happen and he is soon suspected of being the perpetrator. The climax has Harry looking very much like Indiana Jones, battling a giant serpent in the depths of the awesome and terrible Chamber of Secrets. Along with most of the teachers and students introduced in the previous book, Draco Malfoy has returned for his second year and is more despicable than ever. The novel is marked throughout by the same sly and sophisticated humor found in the first book, along with inventive, new, matter-of-fact uses of magic that will once again have readers longing to emulate Harry and his wizard friends.
Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (June 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439064864
• ISBN-13: 978-0439064866
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3,337 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > School

More About the Author

J K (Joanne Kathleen) Rowling was born in the summer of 1965 at Yate General Hospital in England and grew up in Chepstow, Gwent where she went to Wyedean Comprehensive. Jo left Chepstow for Exeter University, where she earned a French and Classics degree, and where her course included one year in Paris. As a postgraduate she moved to London to work at Amnesty International, doing research into human rights abuses in Francophone Africa. She started writing the Harry Potter series during a Manchester to London King's Cross train journey, and during the next five years, outlined the plots for each book and began writing the first novel. Jo then moved to northern Portugal, where she taught English as a foreign language. She married in October 1992 and gave birth to her daughter Jessica in 1993. When her marriage ended, she returned to the UK to live in Edinburgh, where "Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone" was eventually completed and in 1996 she received an offer of publication. The following summer the world was introduced to Harry Potter."Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" was published by Bloomsbury Children's Books in June 1997 and was published as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in America by Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic in September 1998.The second title in the series, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", was published in July 1998 (June 2, 1999 in America) and was No. 1 in the adult hardback bestseller charts for a month after publication. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was published on 8th July 1999 (September 8, 1999 in America) to worldwide acclaim and massive press attention. The book spent four weeks at No.1 in the adult hardback bestseller charts, while "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" simultaneously topped the paperback charts. In the US the first three Harry Potter books occupied the top three spots on numerous adult bestseller lists.The fourth book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" was published in Britain, the USA, Canada and Australia 8th July 2000 with a record first print run of 1 million copies for the UK and 3.8 million for the US. It quickly broke all records for the greatest number of books sold on the first weekend of publication. The fifth book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," was published in Britain, the USA, Canada and Australia on 21st June 2003. Published in paperback on 10th July 2004, it is the longest in the series - 766 pages - and broke the records set by "Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire" as the fastest selling book in history. The sixth book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", was published in the UK, US and other English-speaking countries on 16th July 2005 and also achieved record sales.The seventh and final book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," was published in the UK, US and other English speaking countries on 21st July 2007. The book is the fastest selling book in the UK and USA and sales have contributed to breaking the 375 million copies mark worldwide.J K Rowling has also written two small volumes, which appear as the titles of Harry's school books within the novels. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Quidditch Through The Ages" were published by Bloomsbury Children's Books and Scholastic in March 2001 in aid of Comic Relief. The Harry Potter books have sold 400 million copies worldwide. They are distributed in over 200 territories and are translated into 67 languages.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#68 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#11 in Books > Teens

#64 in Books

#11 in Books > Teens

#64 in Books

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 56 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner December 13, 1999

By Dafna Yee

Format:Hardcover

Although I am 40+ and my husband (also 40+)originally bought the Harry Potter books for our eleven-year-old daughter, she really had to fight us both off, in order to read it for herself. She finally got to read it first because she had the excuse that her homework required her to read for at least 20 minutes a day. I can't think of a single time that she stopped reading after 20 minutes;we had to remind her that she had other homework. I found this book to be highly entertaining (although not quite on a par with the first and third books). However, my biggest complaint is that (like the other books),I couldn't put it down for just a few minutes, or my husband or daughter (whoever got there first) would grab it. Then I had to keep a watchful eye out and grab it back. I usually read it during the night hours (I'm a night owl anyway), which leads to my second complaint. Not only did the book keep me awake, I found it almost impossible to read my textbooks (I'm a graduate student)until I had finished the entire book. J.K. Rowling has made a wonderful addition to literature; I'm sure these books are destined to become classics. I can't wait for the next one to come out. In case you're wondering why I gave it four instead of five stars, was that the vain professor did not ring true and I found myself getting irritated when none of the faculty did anything at all about this incompetent instructor. On the other hand, the car who turned wild, but came in the nick of time to save his friend Ron, was thoroughly charming.

54 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets January 23, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry, a twelve year old boy is continuing another fascinating year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. This second book in the J.K. Rowling series is a must read! Not only do the main characters Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger set out to solve a new problem but, they realize that somebody has opened the Chamber of Secrets. Through trial and error our heroes search for clues to save one of their friends. Again Harry must put his life in danger to save others who are important to him. J.K. Rowling has introduced us to some new characters in book two. We meet a magical elf, Dobby, a new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart and finally Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister who joins the famous trio. I liked this book because it was a true page turner. As the reader you can search for possible clues along with Harry, Ron and Hermione. I would recommend this book to anyone over seven years old. J.K. Rowling did an excellent job on this book because it's exciting and full of adventure. I have learned from this book that life is full of tough challenges and problems. No matter how hard it is you have to be brave and trust in yourself to do the right thing.

145 of 172 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth buying May 25, 2000

By CPN

Format:Hardcover

After reading the original of the recent hits and chart-topping Harry Potter series, I just had to read the second. It once again begins over summer vacation and takes Harry to his second year at Hogwarts, the best wizarding school of the day. But for some reason, people begin to be attacked by someone - or something. Harry, Ron, and Hermione start on another slew of detective work to find out what's going on, and how to save the students of Hogwarts...it's hard to give a plot summary without exposing the secrets of the ending, which, by the way, was a total surprise!

This book is truly engrossing, more intense and frightening than the first. I loved it! It was both fun and funny, much like the other two in the series. It is interesting to read, and I honestly think it appeals to all ages. Even older readers will enjoy being taken back to the days when the line between fantasy and reality was blurred, and all the books would keep any modern teenager enthralled. Harry Potter No. 2 actually kept me laughing throughout. At some points in the middle, the story may get slightly bland, but don't worry: the best part is yet to come. I love children's stories, have read many, and these are the best, most modern works out there. There's a reason they are so hot right now, and all these other 5-star reviews are deserved! This series breaks the ordinary mold of children's books which are not always written with the same flair J.K. Rowling successfully incorporates into the plot, and they each possess their own sense of magic, not allowing the reader to put the book down! The Harry Potter books are highly recommended! Other children's authors I enjoy are Roald Dahl, Louis Sachar, Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, and E.B. White.