Book Review - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

I know that the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has been read, devoured and reviewed many times over.  Perhaps millions of times but I'm still going to review it now.  One because I never have, two because I reread this book for the 2012 British Books Challenge.  And three, most importantly to me, I read it for the first time to my children and hearing the book and experiencing it through their eyes made it all new for me.

So, what can I say about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that hasn't already been said one hundred or one million times? Well, I'll tell you this, my child said, "Mommy, the book has a lot more details than the movies."  She's right, of course, and most people (book lovers, anyway) love all the details but I loved hearing my child say this.  I love that she not only realized this but appreciated it.  Another thing about all of the details is that I got to revisit some of the ones that I had forgotten in the years since I last read this book.  J.K. Rowling  is a master with details that add to the rich and imaginative world of Harry Potter.

Also, the book, even while having definite dark elements, is funny! I can not even begin to tell you how many times my kids and I laughed during this book.  My kids even learned a few new words that perhaps I wasn't ready for them to learn but they're not the end of the world, either.  For example: Git.  Here is the definition according to dictionary.com: British slang noun - a foolish or contemptible person.  So you see, not necessarily a word I'd have taught them but oh so applicable to a certain character name Gilderoy Lockhart in the book.

Now my kids and I are on to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  They are loving this one too and I'm sure I'll review it from their perspective as it's quite wonderful as well.