Editorial Review
The first of three books in an exciting new series, The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias and Particularities is designed to delight and challenge Potter fans of all ages. Its nine quests, each built around a different aspect of wizardry — Hogwarts and Academia, Potions and Spells, Magical Menagerie, and others — contain questions in three skill levels: Salamander, Phoenix, and Dragon. These magical creatures increase in size, just as the questions increase in difficulty. All are associated with the element of fire, which is said to govern leadership, enthusiasm, and competitiveness, making it an ideal theme for question difficulty. An answer key at the end of each quest allows readers to check their answers by question number, with the source of the answer cited according to book and chapter number. Scattered throughout, hints and intriguing trivia tidbits, including little-known historical facts referenced in the Potter series, keep readers informed, engaged, and entertained.
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Customer Reviews
This book makes me fall in love with the Potterverse all over again! 
2008-01-08
As a huge Harry Potter fan and considering myself a fairly careful reader of the books, I was pleasantly surprised by how this book managed to not only stump me but also helped me to recall facts about the series that I never realised I actually knew.
Some of the inconsistencies of the Harry Potter world can make a book like this difficult but the author does an excellent job of explaining these issues. I particularly like how the answers to the questions cite the book and chapter that the information came from. Very helpful to settle disputes amongst fellow Potter fans :)
This is a must-have book for anyone planning a Harry Potter-themed party or event. The three levels of difficultly make is easy for both the casual reader of the books and the hardcore fans to test their knowledge, start discussions or spark debate.
I'm greatly looking forward the rest of the books in this series.
Loved it! 2008-01-07
Man, I thought I knew a lot about the world of Harry Potter before I read this book. Racheline Maltese's well-written and informative book provides hours of amusement (and in my case, frustration, because I was sure I knew the answers! Stupid Quidditch!). I highly recommend this book for any Harry Potter fan - it's an excellent addition to my library.
It is all in the details 2008-01-07
What I love most about this book is the level of minute and obscure detail. As a Harry Potter fan, I thought I had a good working knowledge of the world in which the stories take place. With great chagrin I found myself working my way up through the trivia levels, surprised at how much I didn't know. It's wonderful to feel like I'm rediscovering the Potter-verse, to find myself better acquainted with all the odd nooks and crannies.
This is a wonderful book to have, as it will demand the reader go pick up copies of the stories and read them again with a closer eye. I can see how it would be great fun for groups of friends or at birthday parties. Anyone who ever wanted to play Harry Potter Jeopardy only needs a copy this book to help set up the board.
A must for any Harry Potter fan 2008-01-05
Ms. Maltese has pulled out all the stops in this fun and challenging (even to the seriously obsessed Harry Potter fan) book. Not only will you be able to gauge just how intricately you know Ms. Rowling's work, you will learn a lot from the experience.
Fun for both the casual reader and the hardcore fanatic! 2008-01-05
I had the pleasure of meeting the author in person at a Harry Potter theme holiday party. She is a hardcore Potter fanatic, and has been involved with the fandom for about ten years now. I just love books written about Harry Potter by true fans rather than academic scholars. Don't get me wrong, Racheline IS a Harry Potter scholar, but she's also emotionally tied to the series (at least that's the impression I got from her and the loving detail with which the book is written). This book is accessible to both the casual Harry Potter reader and to the hardcore fanatic with its trivia questions in three levels of difficulty. It is a great book to break out at parties, since it reads like a trivia game. It is also fun to test your own knowledge of canon.
You THOUGHT you knew Harry Potter ... 2008-06-30
This book is eye-opening! I have been an avid fan of Harry Potter for years with many reads of the entire series under my belt. I teach a Harry Potter class to elementary & middle school aged kids in the summer (which is why I bought this book). It is so much fun to realize how deep the HP universe really is! I can't wait for volumes 2 & 3 to come out.
This book is wonderfully organized and easy to use. The information is totally fascinating and the questions range from moderately to extremely challenging. There are also some great pages of trivia about the trivia answers.
For all who want to explore even more into the world of Harry Potter, this book is a great buy. Highly recommended!
bring along your remembrall 2008-06-08
for someone who is wanting to enjoy a challenging afternoon this is the book for you.Rachelene Maltanese has formated her book in such a way that the beginning,casual and the serious readers of the Harry Potter series will tested in their knowledge of potions,spells,curses,witches and wizards and myriad other topics by her Salamander,Phoenix and Dragon levels.this book is highly recommended for any HP group disussion or just to bone up on your knowledge, or lack thereof.So purchase this product, sit back and enjoy
Harry Potter trivia book is challenging and entertaining 
2008-05-14
I got this book for my 3 kids, ages 11,18 and 22 who are all Harry Potter book fanatics and used to sit around and make up trivia questions to try to stump each other (especially the older 2). They all have enjoyed taking the quizzes and it is both challenging and entertaining. I would definitely recommend it for those who think they are well versed in Potter minutia--you might be surprised!
Fun for Kids, Adults, and the Serious Fan 2008-02-01
Having just finished this book, I'm going to skip ahead and say: I am delighted.
Skipping backwards, however:
- The simple skill levels provide an excellent ladder into the suprisingly voluminous information within: Young fans will be thrilled to be quizzed as Salamanders (Level 1), drawn on to learn more and graduate to Phoenixes (Level 2), and even adult fans will be challenged by Level 3, the Dragon.
- Hint boxes on almost every page make sure the reader isn't left to flounder if they're lost (or tempted to cheat!). They don't chivvy, scold, or insult, but instead encourage lateral thinking to get at the answers.
- However, the best part might be the extras. The answers are not simple, dry solutions; they are complete and filled with additional content and facts, making it a surprisingly useful reference.
- Trivia Tidbits! Never let it be said that curiosity, once fanned, was allowed to fizzle. The "tidbits" are actually quite meaty asides that often bring in real-world comparisons, point out the historical fact and mythology woven through the Harry Potter books, and encourage outside research and reading.
A wonderful idea for parents might be to purchase the book prior to a birthday and use the questions as a party game. This would work equally well for teenagers, and even adults. Harry Potter appeals to nearly everyone, and this book makes it fun to share trivia and thoughts on the series with friends.
So You Think You're A Potter Fan? 2008-01-25
I'll come right out and admit that I expected this book to be a cakewalk. I've read the entire series of books multiple times, and I was convinced that I'd have no problem answering even the difficult questions. Well, I've been well and truly humbled.
Ms. Maltese has gathered an incredible range of facts and tidbits from seemingly nowhere. The book itself is divided into individual quests, or areas of knowledge, then further broken down into three levels of difficulty: salamander, phoenix, and dragon. I knew I was in trouble when I started missing phoenix questions!
Fortunately, the answers are supplied at the end of the chapter, along with some fun trivia bits. I actually went and double-checked some of those answers for accuracy, and the book was right every time.
This book would be a great at a party, or for a fund-raiser trivia quiz. I think this would also be a great idea translated into other languages, since many of the character names are completely different in each country.
My hat is off to Ms. Maltese and her impeccable research skills. I challenge all Potter fans to try their hand and test their Potter knowledge!
