The “Harry Potter” books rank #1 in the list of the American Library Association’s most frequently challenged books of 2000, according to an article printed in the Christian Science Monitor. Works from authors John Steinbeck and Maya Angelou are also included.

ABC 28 (Lubbock, Texas) reports that an advertisement in Sunday’s Avalanche Journal condeming Harry Potter is causing quite a controversy. In Oneonta, New York, about 80 people have signed a petition saying they oppose “the teaching, the use of or the viewing of Harry Potter books and films.” “It only takes one book at the …read more!

From Ananova: Harry Potter works magic for Belgian card company. Harry Potter not bad at all (from The Monitor, Kampala, Uganda). MuggleNet has posted some information (albeit still in the rumour stage) on the upcoming Harry Potter DVD: It is confirmed that the only amount of extra time on the DVD is 10 minutes! Director …read more!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone passed $800 million worldwide over the weekend (from Yahoo news).

The Snitch reports that the following new entries have been added to the 2002 Guinness Book of World Records: Largest reading by an author — JK Rowling (UK) was one of three authors who read from their works to an audience of 20,264 at Toronto’s SkyDome stadium (Canada) on 24 October 2000, as part of …read more!

Revival of interest in controversial movies’ messages encourages even skeptics. Euro, Harry Potter feves of choice for French Epiphany cakes (from EU Business). The Eastern York School Board members ended a 6-week-old controversy by voting 7-2 last night to keep the first book in the Harry Potter series on the district’s book list for class …read more!

Harry Potter is way ahead of Frodo Baggins in the battle of the box office, but in conservative Christian churches, Frodo rules (from the Boston Globe). Quotage: Tim Keller, a conservative Presbyterian minister in Manhattan … stirred up controversy when he tried to praise “Harry Potter” in a sermon at his church, arguing that the …read more!

Ministers on Harry: delightful or dangerous? (from Lancaster Online). Harry Potter book fight brews discord on school board (from the Grand Rapids Press).

Chicago humorist conjures up a Harry Potter parody (from the Chicago Tribune). El Paso Times columnist Robert Seltzer says that the Potter book burning was misguided.

Harry Potter conjured up most popular fictional character in a poll conducted by famed waxwork maker Madame Tussaud’s (from the BBC; thanks to the Harry Potter intayside site for the link). Even after dubbing the Thai soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, some of the young actors who provided the voices of JK …read more!