AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: JK ROWLING

I recently started reading J.K. Rowling's newest book, The Casual Vacancy, and I thought it would be fun to recap her previous works since this new one is a departure from Harry Potter.

Joanne Kathleen Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter series and has won numerous awards and honorary degrees for her work in children's literature such as the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord, France’s Légion d’Honneur, and the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.  Rowling supports a large number of causes through her trust, and she is the founder of Lumos, a charity that works to improve the lives of disadvantaged children.  J.K. Rowling wrote two books that appear as titles in the Harry Potter novels (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them & Quidditch Through the Ages) in aid of Comic Relief; she also wrote The Tales of Beedle the Bard to aid the Children's High Level Group which is now Lumos.

For more information check out her webpage at http://www.jkrowling.com/

Interested in following Harry Potter from the beginning?  Here is the list of books in order:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The success of the Harry Potter series has lead to film adaptations, a theme park (http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/), and a Harry Potter website (http://www.pottermore.com/).

All seven books were made into films with the seventh book becoming two movies.  Click on the titles below to see if they are available at the library:

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. Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Part 2

The Casual Vacancy was released in 2012.  It is Rowling's first novel written for adults.  It is a novel set in the small town of Pagford.  When Barry Fairweather unexpectedly dies, the town is left in shock.  The town is at war with itself, and the empty seat left by Barry on the town council is up for grabs.  Who will win in an election that is full of passion, duplicity, and unexpected discoveries?

Read it for yourself and find out.