Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Paperback)

by Newt Scamander (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Two new books penned by J.K. Rowling will help tide over Harry Potter fans as they await book five, and raise money for a good cause: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, an A to Z listing of all beings magical (and required reading for all first-year Hogwarts students), and Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp (a "renowned Quidditch expert"), the official handbook of the wizard's sport of choice, both with a foreword by esteemed Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore. Rowling wrote the books to raise funds for Comic Relief in the U.K., a charitable organization helping poor and disadvantaged people in Africa and the U.K. (not affiliated with the U.S. Comic Relief organization). Many printers and paper suppliers are joining in the effort by donating their services.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-These slim paperbacks are made to look like actual Hogwarts tomes, complete with creased covers and plenty of marginalia scribbled by Harry and other students. Fabulous Beasts, a facsimile of Harry Potter's very own textbook, contains descriptions of 75 magical beasts, written in a wonderfully dry yet droll style by a renowned magizoologist. Quidditch is the facsimile of a Hogwarts library book, which had to be literally pried from the hands of librarian Madam Pince. It gives a comprehensive history of the game and its rules, as well as a rundown of each of the 13 league teams of Britain and Ireland. Harry Potter fans who pride themselves on knowing every minute bit of Hogwarts trivia will devour both books. From Professor Dumbledore's introductions to the price listed on the back cover (14 Sickles 3 Knuts), readers will find a wealth of detailed magical lore and laugh-out-loud humor. Neither book is as gripping as the actual series, of course, but fans who are waiting for the fifth installment will be entertained by these volumes in the meantime.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books; 1st edition (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439295017
• ISBN-13: 978-0439295017
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #590,621 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun book for any Harry Potter fan to own, September 16, 2003

By	Kurt A. Johnson (Marseilles, Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (School & Library Binding)

This cute little book was actually part of a pair (along with Quidditch Through the Ages) produced by J.K. Rowling for the charity Comic Relief. Written in a tongue in cheek manner, this book claims to be a copy of a textbook shared by Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, complete with margin notes and doodles! Purportedly written by one Newton "Newt" Artemis Fido Scamander, this book discusses magical creatures in J.K. Rowlings world, treating them all most seriously, and telling you a surprising amount about them.

This is a fun book for any Harry Potter fan to own. It's a good, light-hearted read, and I must say that I found the glimpse into J. K. Rowling's world to be quite fascinating. I hope that some more of these creatures find their way into future stories, as they are quite interesting. Buy this book!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Companion to the Harry Potter Books, May 9, 2002

By	Mary-Ann Russon (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (School & Library Binding)

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" truly is an excellent companion to the Harry Potter books.
Written in J.K. Rowling's consistantly humorous style, the book is interesting, and to prevent the information from becoming boring, there are lots of funny remarks and comments supposedly "written" by Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, two of the Harry Potter books' main characters.
It is also fascinating - if you observe the book carefully, you will see how much effort has been put into it to make it look like it really DID come right out from Harry's world.

This book is a must for Harry Potter fans everywhere, but should only be read after completing the main books, as otherwise it will not be as easy to understand. Also, from purchasing this book, you will have the pleasure of knowing that you have helped a great cause, no matter where you might be.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes the Wizarding World Even More Realistic To Us Muggles, February 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (School & Library Binding)

I hate to give away some of the books more interesting points, but I LOVE the way this book is written to explain away muggle sightings of magical beasts such as the Loch Ness Monster, and other creatures featured in muggle "fairy stories" such as fairies, unicorns, trolls, etc. It also explains how such creatures can really exist without our knowledge. The Foreward by Dumbledore that mentions the "Thiefs Curse" on anyone reading the book who did not purchase it is also cute. The notes by Harry, Ron, and Hermoine are amusing as well.

Another benefit for any reader of Harry Potter books is that it gives one a greater understanding of why creatures like the centaurs in the first book and the mermaids in the fourth book mostly want little to do with humans. Of course this portrayal of the centaurs behavior is only in the book and not the movie, and therefore wouldn't be at all intriguing to someone who has only seen the movie, but only to a true addict like myself. I can't wait till the 5th book is released - I WANT MORE!