Books : Children's Books : Ages 5-8 : Authors

Just So Stories (Selected) (BBC Audio)

Rudyard Kipling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) [Children's Edition] (Harry Potter)

J.K. Rowling

The Final Chapter
Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him.

In this final, seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectactular fashion the answers to the many questions that have been so eagerly awaited. The spellbinding, richly woven narrative, which plunges, twists and turns at a breathtaking pace, confirms the author as a mistress of storytelling, whose books will be read, reread and read again.

Visit the Harry Potter Store
Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, toys and more.

Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover
Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favourite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favourite moments, characters, and artefacts from the first six books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Duelling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Duelling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behaviour in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* This book is much darker than the rest. Lord Voldemort has been creating chaos in the Wizard and Muggle communities alike, the war is in full swing and the Wizarding community now lives in fear.
* It is much more emotional. The story turns at the whim of a temperamental teenager from war and life-changing tragedy, to euphoria and glistening happiness.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favourite book as a child.

Jane Austen is Rowling's favourite author.

Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favourite living writer.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Book 1)

J.K. Rowling
Winnie the Pooh: Complete Collection of Stories and Poems

A.A. Milne

Winnie the Pooh: The Complete Collection of Stories and Poems was originally published in 1994, but this beautifully produced slip-cased edition has been specially created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the publication of the very first stories about Winnie the Pooh.
It consists of the classic, well-loved, tried-and-tested stories by AA Milne, from "Winnie the Pooh" (1926), "The House at Pooh Corner" (1928) and the poetry from "When We Were Very Young" (1924) and "Now We Are Six" (1927).
Here is Edward Bear coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. And then he feels that perhaps there isn't. Anyhow, here he is at the bottom, and ready to be introduced to you. Winnie-the-Pooh.
So begins the opening sentences of chapter one of this wonderful book "in which we are introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh... and the stories begin".
Although the stories are aimed at young children, older children (i.e.,adults!) of all ages will be able to recapture the wonderful Pooh stories of their childhood, remembering once again playing at Pooh sticks, reading about Hundred Acre Wood and finding out why Edward Bear is called Winnie-the-Pooh. Was he really named after a swan?
The poems are not as well-known as the Pooh stories, but nevertheless some of them are ones to which children can still relate today, even though they were written 75 years ago when, in some circles, nannies and nurseries were commonplace.
Half Way Down
Half way down the stairs
Is a stair
Where I sit
There isn't any
Other stair
Quite Like
It
I'm not at the bottom
I'm not at the top
So this is the stair
Where
I always
Stop

This exquisite book will make an excellent gift for young and old alike. --Susan Naylor
There's No Place Like Space: All about Our Solar System (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library)

Tish Rabe, Dr Seuss

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) [Adult Edition] (Harry Potter)

J.K. Rowling

Visit the Harry Potter Store
Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, toys and more.

Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover
Paperback

Harry Potter and the Philosopher'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

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favourite book as a child.

Jane Austen is Rowling's favourite author.

Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favourite living writer.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)

J.K. Rowling
Peace at Last

Jill Murphy

This Big Book edition of Jill Murphy's classic picture book is ideal for sharing with groups of children.
It's late at night and Mr Bear is desperately trying to sleep--but Mrs Bear snores so he tries Baby Bear's room, but Baby Bear is pretending to be an aeroplane so there's no peace there. Room by room Mr Bear goes through the house trying to find somewhere to sleep.
Bright colourful pictures accompany the simple, repetitive text of this delightful storybook. Children will delight in all the wonderful sound effects and Mr Bear's reaction--"TICK-TOCK...went the living room clock...TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK. CUCKOO! CUCKOO! "Oh NO!" said Mr Bear, "I can't stand THIS." So he went off to sleep in the kitchen." And parents will have plenty of empathy for poor Mr Bear's predicament. (Ages 3 and over)
A Big Book edition of this story is also available.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Unabridged 7 Audio CD Set)

J.K. Rowling

Just when it seems that there cannot possibly be another twist to the Harry Potter tale, Stephen Fry dons his haughtiest and naughtiest tones to bring Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to vibrant life on audio.
Harry Potter has spent the first 10 years of his life at the mercy of the dreadful Dursleys--the aunt, uncle and fat, spoilt brat of a cousin who reluctantly gave him a home after the death of his mother and father. But on his 11th birthday Harry discovers that he is no ordinary boy, and despite the best efforts of his hideous relatives he escapes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his new life as a trainee wizard. And the rest, as they say, is history...
As Harry battles against the evils thrown in his path, Stephen Fry injects the proceedings with a wry, dry and extremely contagious humour that perfectly suits the tale, wringing out the best in Harry and his cohorts as they get to grips with their new lives at the sharp end of Hogwarts. Fry's innate upper-class drone is perfectly suited to the telling of this most magical tale, cracking into the high-pitched squawking of Hermione the swat, or the gentle tones of the firm but fair Dumbledore, or the evil sniping of slimey Snape at precisely the right moments.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a fine story and much has been written about its success but until you have heard Fry's cracking reading of this most magical of stories then you simply haven't lived. As with any audio book, this one is perfect for car journeys and an ideal way of introducing reluctant readers to the magic that is Harry Potter. (Ages 9 and over) --Susan Harrison
The Magic Faraway Tree

Enid Blyton
The Enchanted Wood (Faraway Tree)

Enid Blyton

The Enchanted Wood is one of Enid Blyton's most memorable and truly imaginative stories, capturing a world where almost anything can happen if you just believe in the magic of nature and its creatures.
Many adults will have fond memories of discovering the world of The Enchanted Wood: from the delightfully gentle Silky the Fairy, to the wonderfully bizarre but terminally jolly Moon-Face who along with a host of strange and mysterious characters live among the branches of The Magic Faraway Tree.
Kate Winslet, the award-winning actress, was captivated by the stories at an early age and during her pregnancy approached the company who own the rights to the Enid Blyton name to ask them if they would be interested in having her record these magical stories on tape. The result is stunning.
Winslet, with her gentle, singsong voice, captures the pure joy of these unforgettable stories from the moment the tale begins, and Joe, Beth and Fanny--the three young children who move from the city with their family to the country house surrounded by the Enchanted Wood--are captured as the wide-eyed and open-minded children they really are, eager to become involved in all manner of adventure and never once questioning that this strange world they have entered might not be quite, well, normal.
Probably the most memorable and certainly the most magical Enid Blyton stories of all are here brought to life with aplomb, with Winslet's enthusiasm for the tales she tells on this five-hour collection shining through.
This recording of The Enchanted Wood is set to become a classic, and would make a fantastic gift for the young, while providing an enchanting trip down memory lane for the adult who has never quite let go of the magic. (Ages 4 and over) --Susan Harrison
Fantastic Mr Fox

Roald Dahl

In the tradition of The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, this is a "garden tale" of farmer versus vermin, or vice versa. The farmers in this case are a vaguely criminal team of three stooges: "Boggis and Bunce and Bean / One fat, one short, one lean. / These horrible crooks / So different in looks / Were nonetheless equally mean." Whatever their prowess as poultry farmers, within these pages their sole objective is the extermination of our hero--the noble, the clever, the Fantastic Mr. Fox. Our loyalties are defined from the start; after all, how could you cheer for a man named Bunce who eats his doughnuts stuffed with mashed goose livers? As one might expect, the farmers in this story come out smelling like...well, what farmers occasionally do smell like.
This early Roald Dahl adventure is great for reading aloud to three- to seven-year-olds, who will be delighted to hear that Mr. Fox keeps his family one step ahead of the obsessed farmers. When they try to dig him out, he digs faster; when they lay siege to his den, he tunnels to where the farmers least expect him--their own larders! In the end, Mr. Fox not only survives, but also helps the whole community of burrowing creatures live happily ever after. With his usual flourish, Dahl evokes a magical animal world that, as children, we always knew existed, had we only known where or how to look for it. (Great read aloud for any age; written at a 9- to 12-year-old reading level) --Amazon.com
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3) Paperback

J.K. Rowling
Magic: New Stories
Green Eggs and Ham (Dr Seuss Green Back Books)

Dr. Seuss

This timeless Dr. Seuss classic was first published in 1960, and has been delighting readers ever since. Sam-I-Am is as persistent as a telemarketer, changing as many variables as possible in the hopes of convincing the nameless sceptic that green eggs and ham are a delicacy to be savoured. He tries every manner of presentation with this nouvelle cuisine--in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, with a goat, on a boat--to no avail. Then finally, finally the doubter caves in under the tremendous pressure exerted by the tireless Sam-I-Am. And guess what? Well, you probably know what happens, but even after reading Green Eggs and Ham for the thousandth time, the climactic realization that green eggs and ham are "so good, so good, you see" is still a rush. As usual, kids will love Dr. Seuss's wacky rhymes and whimsical illustrations--and this time, they might even be so moved as to finally take a taste of their broccoli. (Ages 4 to 8)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6)[Children's Edition]

J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth book in J.K. Rowling's bestselling series, picks up shortly after we left Harry at the end of The Order of the Phoenix. Lord Voldemort is acting out in the open, continuing his reign of terror which was temporarily stopped almost 15 years beforehand. Harry is again at the Dursleys, where the events of the previous month continue to weigh on his mind, although not as much as the impending visit from his Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Given their last meeting, Harry is understandably confused as to why the old wizard would want to visit him at home.
Rowling opens with a chapter she had wanted to use for the first book, of The Philosopher's Stone--Lord Voldemort has been creating chaos in the Wizard and Muggle communities alike, the war is in full swing and the Wizarding community now lives in fear. The press have been questioning the events at the Ministry which led to the admission of Voldemort's return, and of course Harry's name is mentioned a number of times. Harry's got his problems, but his anxiety is nothing compared to Hermione's when the OWL results are delivered. There's a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, an assortment of new characters and creatures, and startling revelations about past characters and events.
Gone is the rage-filled Harry of The Order of the Phoenix--he's not being kept in the dark any more, his unjustified Quidditch ban has been lifted and he has matured considerably in his short time out of school. Half-Blood Prince follows Harry into the world of late-teens, and his realisation that nobody is infallible has made his growth that much easier. Accepting his destiny, Harry continues to behave as teenagers do, enjoying his time with his friends, developing his relationships outside of his usual circle, and learning more about how he must, eventually, do what he is destined to do.
J.K. Rowling delivers another fantastic tale which will have the readers gasping for more, capturing the characters perfectly and continuing a tale which readers will enjoy over and over again. --Ziggy Morbi
Harry Potter Adult Paperback Boxed Set (Harry Potter Adult Cover)

J.K. Rowling
Roald Dahl's Scrumdidlyumptious Story Collection (Box set)

Roald Dahl
The BFG

Roald Dahl

Evidently not even Roald Dahl could resist the acronym craze of the early eighties. BFG? Bellowing ferret-faced golfer? Backstabbing fairy godmother? Oh, oh... Big Friendly Giant! This BFG doesn't seem all that F at first as he creeps down a London street, snatches little Sophie out of her bed, and bounds away with her to giant land. And he's not really all that B when compared with his evil, carnivorous brethren, who bully him for being such an oddball runt. After all, he eats only disgusting snozzcumbers, and while the other Gs are snacking on little boys and girls, he's blowing happy dreams in through their windows. What kind of way is that for a G to behave?
The BFG is one of Dahl's most lovable character creations. Whether galloping off with Sophie nestled into the soft skin of his ear to capture dreams as though they were exotic butterflies; speaking his delightful, jumbled, squib-fangled patois; or whizzpopping for the Queen, he leaves an indelible impression of bigheartedness. (Ages 9 to 12) --Susan Harrison
George's Marvellous Medicine

Roald Dahl