Journal Entry 1 by leeny37 from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Saturday, December 06, 2008

From Amazon.com:
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers’ attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger’s new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump,” and of course, “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter.

The stories are accompanied by delightful pen-and-ink illustrations by Ms. Rowling herself, featuring a still-life frontispiece for each one. Professor Dumbledore’s commentary—apparently written some eighteen months before his death—reveals not just his vast knowledge of Wizarding lore, but also more of his personal qualities: his sense of humor, his courage, his pride in his abilities, and his hard-won wisdom. Names familiar from the Harry Potter novels sprinkle the pages, including Aberforth Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and his forebears, and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington (or “Nearly Headless Nick”), as well as other professors at Hogwarts and the past owners of the Elder Wand. Dumbledore tells us of incidents unique to the Wizarding world, like hilariously troubled theatrical productions at Hogwarts or the dangers of having a “hairy heart.” But he also reveals aspects of the Wizarding world that his Muggle readers might find all too familiar, like censorship, intolerance, and questions about the deepest mysteries in life.

Altogether, this is an essential addition to our store of knowledge about the world and the magic that J. K. Rowling has created, and a book every true Harry Potter fan will want to have for their shelves. 

Journal Entry 2 by leeny37 from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Friday, December 12, 2008

This book was much thinner and smaller than I expected and it was really quick to get through. There's not much to fault with this little book, J.K. Rowling's latest offering to her Harry Potter crazed fans (me included). The five short tales that Rowling has written up here are enjoyable, but made even more so through Dumbledore's notes, giving readers additional insight to the Harry Potter universe. I was also impressed by her own hand-drawn illustrations included in the book; I can imagine why the collector's edition, which is a replica of the handcrafted original, would be a prized treasure for those willing to spend the money! This is a neat little addition to the Harry Potter series and it's also nice to know that my purchase helped in a small way towards a charitable cause. For all Harry Potter fans, this is definitely a must-buy!