Wizard Rock EP of the Month Club 2008

With stupendous reviews from wizard rock fans and bands alike, Joe and Paul DeGeorge of Harry and the Potters have announced that they plan to continue the Wizard Rock EP of the Month Club in 2008! They have already donated $13,000 to First Book with money raised from the 2007 EP of the Month Club.

Members of the EP of the Month Club receive three exclusive, limited-edition albums from wizard rock bands at four different points in the year. This year, the bands include Harry and the Potters, The Whomping Willows, the Hermione Crookshanks Experience, The Mudbloods, Catchlove, Gred and Forge, Justin Finch-Fletchly and the Sugar Quills, The Nifflers, The Giant Squidstravaganza, The Basilisk in Your Pasta, and Gryffindor Common Room Rejects. The proceeds from this year's project will be split evenly between two fantastic organizations: The Harry Potter Alliance and First Book.

Also, remember to check out MuggleNet's brand new Wizard Rock section! With interviews and song samples from over 170 bands and several podcasts, there will surely be something for fans of every genre. Don't forget to write a review for your favorite wizard rockers!

(SOURCE: MUGGLENET)

USA Today Names "Deathly Hallows" Top Book of 2007

There is a new set of stories online from USA Today regarding the spectacular sales of the final book in author J. K. Rowling's series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," and of the impact this, and other books, had on the publishing industry this past year. In a series of reports, the magazine notes the smashing of "records with its 12-million-copy first printing" and the staggering "8.3 million [copies] sold in its first 24 hours" when the novel finally hit bookshelves on July 21, 2007. In the first article, USA Today names the Harry Potter novels, along with the sudden increase in popularity of paperback editions of books, the biggest trends of 2007.

"Deathly Hallows" also received the top honor when the online edition of the paper released their list of Top 100 books for 2007, naming the seventh installment of the series number one. Interestingly enough, the previous six Harry Potter novels, each of them having been in print for many years, were also ranked among 2007's top books. The sixth novel, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," came in at number 11 on the list while the remaining books of the series ranked as follows:

33. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
36. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
70. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
88. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
96. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Finally, the paper takes a look back at the number one books for each week of 2007, attempting to decipher the reading habits and influences which made that particular book tops during a specific time. Noting that no another book came close to the sales of "Deathly Hallows" in 2007, the report says this of the novel's place at number one:

The weekend of July 21 marked the end of an era. That's when the seventh and final Harry Potter book went on sale, pulling the other six books in the series high onto the list. Even the Harry Potter Schoolbooks ("Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Quidditch Through the Ages") made an appearance on the Top 150 list. Rowling is such a giant force that Potter books accounted for 8% of all sales tracked on the list in 2007. She is the year's top-selling author, selling nearly three times as many books as No. 2 author James Patterson. Deathly Hallows is the No.1 book of 2007, selling nearly three times as many copies as its nearest competitor, No. 2 The Secret.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" Nominated for Costume Designers Guild Award

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix received another nomination today, this from the Costume Designers Guild. The costumes created by Jany Temime for the fifth Harry Potter film received a nomination in the Fantasy Feature Film category. Others nominated include "Enchanted, " "The Golden Compass," "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," and "300." The Costume Designer Guild Awards will be presented on February 19 in Los Angeles, California. Congratulations Jany Temime!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Movie Magic Magazine Feature on Future of Harry Potter Films

Movie Magic Magazine, on newsstands and in bookstores now, talks of the last three Harry Potter films, "Order of the Phoenix, "Half-Blood Prince," and "Deathly Hallows" in a multiple page spread in their January 2008 issue. Featuring scores of previously released photos from the "Order of the Phoenix" filming, the magazine contains interviews with Dan Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), and Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling. In the interview with Dan Radcliffe, he speaks briefly of returning to the set after a filming break while Rupert, in his interview, speaks of the romantic turn taking place between his character and Hermione Granger. He says:

"Filming a kiss scene or a love scene, that would be awkward, I think. I imagine the first time we do it, we might just burst into laughter, because of course we're friends, and it's just going to be strange at first. Of course, with movies, you have to film things over and over again, so eventually we'll get it right, but the first time, if we have to kiss, it's just going to be awkward as anything. Still, I think I'd like Ron's kiss to be very enthusiastic. Harry's first kiss was very nice, but I think Ron is going to be very enthusiastic about finally kissing Hermione."

In addition to a look at the making of the fifth film, this magazine features Director David Yates and Producer David Heyman discussing beginning work on the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Photos and reports, we first brought you back in October, showing some of the first of the on-location filming of "Half-Blood Prince" in Lacock, England, were also included in this extended feature on the Harry Potter movies.

You can see a number of scans from this issue and read snippets of the articles here in our Image Galleries thanks to Magical-Menagerie.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" an ALA Notable Book

The American Library Association continued handing out awards, and included another mention for the final book in the Harry Potter series. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling was named on the list of 2008 Notable Children's Books, specifically in the "Older Reader" category.According to the ALA "as applied to children's books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways." You can read the entire list of books here.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Two BAFTA Nominations for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has nominated Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for awards in two categories. The fifth Harry Potter film was nominated in the category for "Production Design" (Stuart Craig/Stephenie McMillan), and "Special Visual Effects" (Tim Burke/John Richardson/Emma Norton/Chris Shaw). Also, actress Julie Christie (Madam Rosmerta) was nominated as "Best Actress" for her performance in the film "Away from Her." The BAFTAs will be presented February 10 at the Royal Opera House in London, England, with the show hosted by Jonathan Ross and to be broadcast on the BBC. Congratulations to all at OotP!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)