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Harry Potter – An Introduction
Created by author J.K.Rowling, the Harry Potter
book series has become one of the most ubiquitous titles in
recorded history. Featuring Harry Potter, a boy who
discovers his magical powers on his eleventh birthday, the
series’ seven books span Harry’s seven years spent at
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during which
time he makes life-long friendships and battles
unimaginable evil.
Because of the series’ popularity, many
resources have been created surrounding the topics and
issues contained in the books. This pathfinder seeks to
consolidate these resources in a simple but comprehensive
guide. The ultimate goal is for this pathfinder to open up
new worlds of discovery in and around the world of Harry
Potter.
Since the first book was written, websites
following the series’ progression, characters, and factoids
have been created and maintained. The Harry Potter
revolution has largely been digital, and because of this
electronic materials are a key part of this pathfinder. You
will find links to websites, as well as databases, videos,
books and kits.
These materials have been selected based upon a number of
criteria including the following:
popularity (number of visitors to the sites)
how up-to-date they are (recent news and regular updates)
educational value
usability
various student suggestions
reviews provided by reputable sources such as Publisher’s
Weekly and Amazon.com
All of the websites are accessible via the school’s
Internet connection and may be reached on any of the school’s
computers as well as computers at your local library and at
home. All of the books and other materials can be purchased
online or at a local book or toy store.
Harry Potter – Electronic Resources

Harry
Potter Specific Sites
The following sites are directly related to the Harry Potter Books and
Movies and refer to them specifically.
J.K. Rowling Official Site
http://www.jkrowling.com/
“J.K.Rowling Official Site – Harry Potter and More”. 2008.
http://www.jkrowling.com/. Accessed on 14 May 2008.
This is J.K. Rowling’s officially maintained site. It
includes information about the author including all of the
books that she has written. She updates the site regularly and
includes links to other useful Harry Potter websites. The site
is available in a variety of languages.
MuggleNet
www.mugglenet.com
“MuggleNet – Make A Final Stand”. 2008. http://www.mugglenet.com/. Accessed on
14 May 2008.
Muggles, or non-wizarding people, can find a
wealth of information on this site, which features apparel,
discussion forums, images, and many popular computer
desktop backgrounds. The highlight of this site is all of the
viewer-submitted content, such as homemade videos and
stories. You can also chat live with other HP enthusiasts.
The Harry Potter Lexicon
http://www.hp-lexicon.info/index-2.html
“The Harry Potter Lexicon”. 2008. http://www.hp-lexicon.info/index-2.html. Accessed
on 27 May 2008.
Of all of the sites featuring Harry Potter facts and
news, HP Lexicon is the most authoritative. J.K.Rowling
herself has said that she referred to this site when she needed
to check her facts while writing the books. HP Lexicon also
features a store where you can buy gear, and a discussion
forum where you can pick up great conversation topics and
the latest theories.
Harry Potter Warner Brothers Movie Site
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/
“Harry Potter – The Official Site”. 2008. http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/. Accessed on 27
May 2008.
Because Warner Brothers studio is the company in
charge of producing the movies that coincide with the books,
this site is the best one out there for information on all of the
movies, as well as the movies that haven’t been made yet.
Featuring trailers and behind the scenes footage of the movies,
there are also games and quizzes to take making this a fun and
informative website.
Veritaserum – Everything Harry Potter
http://www.veritaserum.com/
“Veritaserum – Everything Harry Potter”. 2008. http://www.veritaserum.com/. Accessed on
15 May 2008.
Veritaserum specializes in being on the cutting
edge of news and information regarding the Harry Potter
books, movies, and artwork. Although the books have all been
completed, the movies are still in production and new editions
of the book are being published every few months.
Vertiaserum keeps viewers informed of the new developments
as well as keeping all of the previous news logged away.
Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator
http://www.hpana.com/
“HPANA – Harry Potter News and Rumors”. 2008. http://www.hpana.com/. Accessed on 14
May 2008.
HPANA is exactly what it says it is; a news
aggregator (or collector) that focuses specifically on news
relating to Harry Potter. If the news is what you’re after then
this is the site for you. Instead of searching many different
sites for information, this site does all of the work for you and
lists how recently the information has been collected. Many of
the news stories include links to their original location as well
as pictures to accompany the stories.
Harry Potter Book Series – Scholastic Website
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/
“Harry Potter Book Series by J.K.Rowling”. 2008. http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/.
Accessed on 26 May 2008.
Just like the Warner Brothers site focused on the
movies, the Scholastic Book Publisher’s site focuses on the
books. This site has some of the best games and book trivia as
well as the most up to date news on the books and related
publications. There are also reviews of the books and
downloadable posters perfect for decorating your library,
classroom, or bedroom.
Harry Potter – Video Game Site
http://harrypotter.ea.com/
“EA: Harry Potter”. 2008. http://harrypotter.ea.com/. Accessed on 27 May 2008.
Like video games? This is the site for you! Along
with the books and movie, there are now video games that
correspond with the Harry Potter series. This site is
specifically for the “Order of the Phoenix” game, but it
includes links to other games as well. You can watch a trailer
for the game and find all of the information that you need
about buying and owning the game as well.
Kidsread Harry Potter Site
http://www.kidsreads.com/HP07/content/index.asp
“Kidsread.com – Harry Potter”. 2008. http://www.kidsreads.com/HP07/content/index.asp
Accessed on 27 May 2008.
Kidsread’s Harry Potter site is great for first-time
Harry Potter readers. With a special section titled “So You’ve
Never Read HP?”, you can catch up on the plots and
characters. This section also serves as a great summary for
those interested in hearing about the main points of the books
without reading all seven of them. There are also links to
information about the two “Hogwarts Books” (Fantastic Beasts
and Quidditch Through the Ages) which few other sites have.
Harry Potter Fan Fiction
http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/
“Harry Potter Fan Fiction: 50,000 Harry Potter Stories and Podcasts”. 2008.
http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/. Accessed 27 May 2008.
Fan fiction is a great way to combine your love of
a certain book or movie with creative writing and imagination.
Thousands of people all over the globe write Harry Potter fan
fiction, and many of their stories are available on this site. You
can search for stories based on the author, time it was written,
keyword, or recommendations by the site moderators. You
can also write your own fan fiction and submit it for review by
other site watchers.
Harry Potter Book Series – Bloomsbury Website
http://www.bloomsbury.com/jkrevent/default.asp?sec=1
“Harry Potter”. 2008. http://www.bloomsbury.com/jkrevent/default.asp?sec=1. Accessed on
27 May 2008.
When the book was originally published in
England, Bloomsbury was the company that first started
printing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The site is similar
to the Scholastic site, but with a British flair. It features fewer
ads than the Scholastic site, and has more information about
J.K.Rowling, the author of the books.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Spark Notes
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/harrypotter/
“SparkNotes: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. 2008.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/harrypotter/. Accessed on 27 May 2008.
SparkNotes, a modern, online version of Cliff
Notes, may be your English teacher’s favorite, but they are a
great way to skim a book before committing to reading it.
They are also great for checking comprehension after you have
completed a few chapters. Unfortunately, SparkNotes only
covers the first book in the Harry Potter series, and the
summaries just aren’t as good as the real thing!
Harry Potter Coloring Pages
http://www.coloringbook.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=31
“Harry Potter Coloring Book Pages”. 2008. http://www.coloringbook.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=31. Accessed on 27 May 2008.
Coloring isn’t just for little kids anymore! Find
tons of coloring pages on this site ranging from very simple to
extremely complex. You can print off the pages as large or as
small as you want, and you can even make stickers out of the
designs. Coloring pages are a great way to decorate for a
Harry Potter book club meeting, or even to spruce up your
locker.
Patronus – Harry Potter Fan Listing
http://www.thesevenpotters.com/
“Patronus, The Harry Potter Fanlisting”. 2008. http://www.thesevenpotters.com/. Accessed
on 27 May 2008.
This amazing site connects Harry Potter fans all
over the globe by organizing fan’s websites to be as easy as
possible to browse and search. Sorted by name, link, country,
likes, book (which one/s in the series), and movie/s, there are
thousands of options to choose from. There are also small
image “buttons” that can be downloaded and used to link
from your own page to the Patronus site.
Harry
Potter Related Sites
The following sites have to do with topics and subjects addressed in the
Harry Potter books and movies, but might not refer to the books
specifically.
Astronomy – Google Sky
http://www.google.com/sky/
“Google Sky”. 2008. http://www.google.com/sky/. Accessed on 27 May 2008.
Google sky allows you to search the universe from
your own desktop computer! With features like constellation
maps, star showcases, and earth and sky podcasts this site is
the best when it comes to learning about the night sky just like
Harry and his friends! This site also has a search function so
you can go directly to any of the constellations mentioned in
the Harry Potter books.
Owl Pages
http://www.owlpages.com/
“The Owl Pages”. 2008. http://www.owlpages.com/. Accessed on 27 May 2008.
As the main method of sending mail in the
wizarding world, owls play a large roll in the Harry Potter
series. This site has everything you will ever want to know
about owls including artwork, news, photos and downloads.
Of particular interest to HP fans is the section devoted to owl
mythology, which may garner some information connected to
the books.
Alivan’s Wands
http://www.alivans.com/
“Alivan’s Wands”. 2008. http://www.alivans.com/Accessed on 27 May 2008.
If you’re interested in acting out your favorite
scenes from Harry Potter and a wand is your perfect prop,
then this is the place to shop! Although the site is not just for
Harry Potter enthusiasts, it does include HP-specific
merchandise including wands, robes, hats, and even brooms!
You can also find plenty of Harry Potter house colors as well.
Databases,
E-Periodicals, & Reference
Resources
Encyclopedia Mythica
http://www.pantheon.org/
“Encyclopedia Mythica”. 2008. http://www.pantheon.org/ Accessed on 28 May 2008.
Curious about all of the magical beasts and places
mentioned in the Harry Potter books and movies?
Encyclopedia Mythica is the definitive online encyclopedia for
everything mythical. Search a number of topics or browse era
and geographically specific (Greek, Roman, Asian)
information banks. One search example from the book is the
“Hippogryff”. It’s a rare, mythical beast that the site notes as
being half griffin half horse.
The Online Harry Potter Encyclopedia
http://www.hp-encyclopedia.com/
“The Harry Potter Encyclopedia”. 2008. http://www.hp-encyclopedia.com/ Accessed on 29
May 2008.
Everything you have ever wanted to know about
Harry Potter can be found here, in encyclopedia form, at the
online Harry Potter encyclopedia. The site allows for keyword
searching as well as browsing in subjects such as magical
plants, places, potions, quidditch, and Hogwarts. Of particular
interest is the Wizarding History of Time starting in 1200 B.C.
and coming to 1998+ A.D. Many of the wizarding events
mentioned in the timeline correlate with human history, and
the comparisons are explained. For example, under 1200 B.C.
it is noted that “The witch Circe, mentioned on today's
Chocolate Frog Cards, was powerful at this time, and stories
passed down from the period contain early Muggle mentions
of Mermaids, or Sirens.”
Internet Movie Database, IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/
“Internet Movie Database”. 2008. http://www.imdb.com/ Accessed on 29 May 2008.
When it comes to movie facts and news, IMDb, the
Internet Movie Database, is the best place on the web for
information. You can find just about any movie as well as
movie star in their huge database, and all of the movies and
profiles are linked. Searching for any Harry Potter title, such
as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, produces many results
including news, photos, and links to official movie websites.
Interactive
Book, Informational or Instructional
Software
Google Earth
http://www.earth.google.com/
“Google Earth”. 2008.http://www.earth.google.com/ Accessed on 27 May 2008.
With Google Earth you can take an up-close and
personal look at anywhere around the globe. The software is
downloadable for free from their website and allows you to
search by continent, country, state, city or any other location
indicator including business. Want to see what the real King’s
Cross Station (home of platform 9 ¾) is? Type in King’s Cross
Station in the search bar and away you go! Below is a screen
shot of a search for King’s Cross Station in London, England:
Audio/Video/Images
YouTube – Harry Potter Movie Trailers and Fan Videos
“YouTube”. 2008. http://www.youtube.com/ Accessed on 28 May 2008.
For each Harry Potter Movie that was made, there
has been a corresponding trailer, or movie teaser, and
YouTube is the place to find them. YouTube is easily
searchable and returns hundreds of live streaming videos on
any number of topics. Below are links to the last five Harry
Potter Movie trailers put out by Warner Brother’s studio. Also,
just to the right of every video is a list of “Related Videos”
which provides other, similar videos that can be very
interesting.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geNlXmmIp7w
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmPrfYkpwTY&feature=r
elated
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJmZT6en7eU&feature=re
lated
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNDfBcIdf4k&feature=rela
ted
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBl0GJ6oKw8&feature=re
lated
Teacher Tube – Harry Potter and M.C.Escher
“Comparing Escher Staircases to Harry Potter”. 2008.
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22baa335aa594bac566f Accessed on
28 May 2008.
This short, 45 second video is a fascinating
comparison of the artist M.C. Escher’s drawing of multi-level
staircases and the staircases at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry, the school where Harry Potter and his friends
are students. Teacher Tube is designed just like YouTube and
is easily searchable using any number of keywords. The
following link brings you directly to the video.
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22baa
335aa594bac566f
The Leaky Cauldron Image Gallery
http://gallery.the-leaky-cauldron.org/
“Harry Potter Pictures, Images, and Graphics”. 2008. http://gallery.the-leaky-cauldron.org/
Accessed on 29 May 2008.
This Harry Potter fan site specializes in photos and
other images of book art as well as movie pictures and news
related to the books. You can browse for images of the movie
actors, J.K.Rowling, the books, as well as general movie
pictures. It is also possible to search for any topic in the search
bar. A search for the word “Azkaban” (the wizarding prison)
garnered over 125,000 results ranging from pictures of the
actors in the movie, to cover art from around the world.
Books and Print Materials
The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias, and Particularities
The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias, and Particularities. 2008. Sterling & Ross
Publishers. New York, New York.
According to Amazon.com, “This entertaining
trivia book tests the knowledge of even the most hardcore
Harry Potter fans. It's divided into nine sections called "quests,"
and each quest contains 75 questions separated into three skill
levels: Pixie, Raven, and Wyvern. All the answers can either be
found in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, including the two
she wrote for charity (Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them
and Quidditch Through the Ages), or in the world-building
information contained on her official website. Hints are
provided throughout, along with trivia and analysis of the
books and films” (Amazon). This book is great for testing your
own Harry Potter knowledge, as well as your friend’s.
A Complete Idiot’s Guide to the World of Harry Potter
A complete idiot’s guide to the world of Harry Potter. 2007. Alpha Publishers. New
York, New York.
Whether you know everything or nothing about
Harry Potter, this is a great book. It’s more than just facts; it’s a
guide to each of the books as well as the characters and
themes. As part of the “Total Idiot’s Guide…” series, it’s
guaranteed to be reliable and well organized with plenty of
pictures.
Field Guide to Harry Potter
Duriez, Colin. 2007. Field Guide to Harry Potter. IVP Books. New York, New York.
You can’t get much better than an expert’s
opinion, and that’s exactly what this book is. According to
Publisher’s Weekly, “One thing Potter devotees can bank on is
that Duriez (A Field Guide to Narnia) knows his material inside
out and has amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of the great
classics of children's literature and the Western intellectual
cannon—which he employs judiciously to situate everything
from the wizarding world in the romantic tradition to the
relationship between Hogwarts and the classic school story”
(Publisher’s). A good read for first-timers and many-timers
alike.
The Pottersaurus: 1,500 Words Harry Potter Readers Need to
Know
Randall, Eric D. 2007. The Pottersaurus: 1,500 words that Harry Potter Readers need
to Know. Pinewood Press. New York, New York.
Ever have trouble understanding some of the
words in the Harry Potter books? Tired of having to refer to a
HUGE dictionary every time you’re stuck? If so then this is the
perfect book for you! According to Amazon.com, “[This book]
Provides kid-friendly definitions of the high-level vocabulary
words that appear in the Harry Potter series. Each entry
includes at least one example of how the word is used in
books I-VI of the series. An appendix lists the words by book
and chapter” (Amazon.com).
Games and Other Fun Stuff
Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter
Hansel, Alison. 2007. Charmed Knits: Projects for fans of Harry Potter. Wiley. New
York, New York.
For all of you knitters out there, this is a great
book full of patterns, tricks, and tips for knitting your very
own Harry Potter inspired clothing and bags. According to the
book, “You'll soon be knitting enchanting things you didn't
know were within your powers. Charmed Knits offers dozens
of patterns for items that evoke the mystique of Harry Potter a Wizard Robe, an Invisibility Shawl, a Quidditch Sweater,
Ron's Ragg Raglan, a Clock Blanket, Harry Christmas
Ornaments, and more. Easy-to-follow patterns, color photos of
the finished projects, and illustrations of special stitch patterns
and design elements make it easy for all knitters - from
beginners to those at Mrs. Weasley's level - to work knitting
magic” (Hansel).
Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Building Cards
Stillinger, Doug. 2007. Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Building Cards.
Klutz. New York, New York.
Interested in something a bit more tactile than just
reading? These building cards, created by Doug Stillinger are a
great way to experience Hogwarts in 3-D. The book contains
275 cards that can be fitted together to create an actual freestanding castle. The kit also comes with detailed directions
and a miniature Harry Potter action figure that can be used
with the castle. The castle doesn’t need any glue or nails, and
can be put together easily in one sitting.
Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans
Created by Jelly Belly, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour
Beans, a candy that is frequently discussed in the Harry Potter
series, were made to tickle your taste buds. These beans aren’t
for the faint of heart; they include flavors such as earthworm,
sausage, grass, soap, vomit, and booger (as well as plenty of
other “normal” flavors). Have fun trying to pick out the good
from the bad. They can be purchased at most Borders Book
Stores, as well as Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Bertie-Jelly-3-5Ounce/dp/B0002AB4KS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food&qid=1212126280&sr=8-1
Harry Potter – Keywords and
Searching
As a quick reference guide, all of the book titles
are listed below in chronological order according to
publishing year:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Also written by J.K. Rowling, but under the
pseudonyms Newt Scamander and Kennilworth Whisp, are
two books considered part of the “Hogwarts Classic Library”.
They are:
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Quidditch Through the Ages
When doing your own Internet or print material
searches it is always helpful to have a few keywords at your
disposal. Using any of these terms in a search engine or
database is guaranteed to produce some useful results. If
you are unfamiliar with the books, some of these terms may
seem strange, but trust that they will garner plenty of
information!
Harry Potter J.K.Rowling Hogwarts Gryffindor Ravenclaw
Hufflepuff
Slytherin
Quidditch
Muggle
Voldemort
Hagrid
Diagon
Alley
Platform
9¾
Ron
Weasley
Hermione
Granger
Horcrux
Deathly
Hallows
Azkaban
Mudblood
Dumbledore
You can also use these terms in combination (ex:
Horcrux + Dumbledore, or Harry Potter + Quidditch). A
general search engine such as Google or DogPile will bring
up many results, but searching one of the websites listed in
the “Electronic Resources” section of this pathfinder will
produce more specific and consistent results. These search
terms are also useful for image and video searches.
Harry Potter – Extension Ideas
So now that you have all of this great
information about Harry Potter, what are you going to do
with it?! Below are a few suggestions for how you can take
everything that you’ve learned to the next level.
 Want to read the books with some friends? Start a book
club surrounding the Harry Potter series and then expand
into other similar titles. Begin with the first book in the series
and read all seven. Then create a list of general terms
relating to the books (such as “wands”, “wizards” or
“spells”) and search for other books that include these
topics. Meet once a month or once a week (depending on
how much free time you have) to discuss the books and
create theories for how each one will end.
 Want to follow in J.K.’s footsteps? Fan Fiction is a way for
people who enjoy a certain book, movie, or TV show to
create their own interpretations of how part or all of the
story should go. Search for Harry Potter Fan Fiction (also
known at “fanfic”) online to get an idea of what’s out there.
http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com/ is a great site to
start with. Then create your own Harry Potter fan fiction
incorporating real and fictional people and places. Turn it in
as a creative writing assignment or post it on a site online for
other people to read and enjoy.
Think you know everything about Harry Potter? Organize
a Harry Potter trivia contest to test your knowledge against
that of your friends and teachers. Organize everyone into
competing “houses” and come up with questions from each
of the books. Have tie breakers ready if the competition is
close. Award ribbons for the most knowledgeable
competitors as well as the rest of the participants.
 Have a craving for the stage? Take a scene from one of the
books and act it out alone or with some friends. Use props
and costumes and use different voices for different
characters. Once you have perfected your scene perform it at
the next school coffee house or one-act competition.
 Wish you could go to Hogwarts like Harry? Choose a
Hogwarts class, such as Ancient Runes or Astronomy, and
research it in a real world context. It might not be exciting as
levitation or charms, but even real science can be magical!
Talk to your teachers about what you are learning and see if
you can turn your new expertise into an extra credit project
or a paper substitution.
 Watch the following video from Teacher Tube about
Hogwarts and M.C.Escher’s staircase drawing. Then find
pictures of each of the two images and combine them in an
original drawing or collage. Turn it in during your next art
class as an extra credit project.
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22baa
335aa594bac566f