Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: POtter

  • Harry Potter – A History of Magic The Book of the Exhibition

    Harry Potter – A History of Magic The Book of the Exhibition

    In October 2017 The British Library opened the exhibition Harry Potter: A History Of Magic, making this the first major exhibition to explore the many aspects of JK Rowling’s beloved stories, showcasing the many historical and mythical aspects that have been used through the creation of Harry Potter stories.

    The book by the same title is one that accompanied the exhibition and is now available to the general public, which is marvellous as those who were unable to visit the exhibition personally, can now do so thought pages of this beautifully presented, page by page tour.

    Amongst the many items that made up the exhibition were original artworks from Jim Kay, which have been reproduced for this book, and are wonderful to be able to view. The pencil sketch of a young Harry Potter portrays innocence, intelligence and a little bit of something different.

    Each of the chapters deals with a different aspect of the magic that is Harry Potter, laced with full colour pictures, original documentation which ties back to recorded history and mythology, as well as introduction of the various sections from people such as Julia Eccleshare, who introduces The Journey. She has written a number of books in regard to children’s literature, in particular A Guide To The Harry Potter Novels.

    Anna Pavord discusses the many herbs and plants use in the study of Herbology undertaken at Hogwarts as one of the seven core subjects studied there in Herbology. Tim Peake, Astronaut and test pilot discusses Astronomy and the possibility of wizardry, while simply viewing the night skies in all their magic, while Owen Davies talks about the many aspects of magic, folklore and mystery that go into the creation of each of the stories in Divination.

    As each section in introduced by specialist in their fields, reading them is like being present at your own ‘talk’ about the specialist areas researched by JK Rowling’s of which form the basis for stories beloved by all.

    Twenty years on, Harry Potter shows no signs of slowing down, and one who will remain a boy who is special, has magical powers. Along with his wonderful word of magic Harry Potter has also encouraged so many children to read books and discover the very real magic to be found in amongst pages.

    Harry Potter: A History of Magic, the book, is the prefect keepsake for Harry Potter fans and a wonderful celebration of twenty years of the phenomenon that is Harry Potter.

     

     

  • Creatures : Harry Potter A Paper Scene Book

    Creatures : Harry Potter A Paper Scene Book

    The world of wizard Harry Potter is one filled with magic and so many wonderfully fearsome Dragons and creatures of the Otherworld such as Thestrals, Dementors and Acromantulas, along with of course the centaurs and a host of dragons, all adding to the wonderment of the mysterious world of wizardry.

    But spare a thought for the people who have lovingly crafted the works of JK Rowling, turning them into Movies loved and adored by many, bringing the colour and magic to life on the big screen. Guided only by the words of JK Rowling the filmmakers, the craftspeople who bring the world of magic to the screen, had to create creatures that were as fearsome and unique to the Forbidden Forest and the Black Lake that lived up to their reputations. What a massive challenge and one that fans of Harry Potter will agree they have done superbly.

    In this book of dioramas beginning with the Forbidden Forest we meet the Thestrals, a gentle species that choose to avoid humans because they are a bit different. The following pages are filled with information on the other creatures that also inhabit the Forest, with details about their size and construction, such as the Acromantulas which in the Movies are portrayed as small spiders, digitally created except for Aragog, who was a physical creation with an eighteen-foot leg span. Not so little after all!

    Dragons come next with their own luscious red diorama, as well as accompanying pages discussing the Norwegian Ridgeback, the Ukrainian Ironbelly and the Dragons of the Triwizard Tournament. Following right along is The Black Lake; its diorama filled with octopus like magical creatures and an explanation as to how Harry Potter managed to remain underwater for so long, to complete his challenge.

    The final diorama is Dark Creatures creating a world of swirling dark and filled with Dementors, the foulest creatures that walk this earth; creatures who love it like that and enjoy being used by Lord Voldemort for his own ends. This shows how Dementors, The Basilisk and Inferi were created and where their creators discovered inspiration for these dastardly creatures of the dark.

    Harry Potter Creatures is a treasure of a book which would be considered as the perfect gift for anytime of the year by all Harry Potter Fans and will become a treasured possession to add to every Harry Potter fans collection.