The WOMBAT review center at the LeakyLounge is now open! Get your wits about you, and prepare for the next pop quiz from JKRowling.com!

At an awards ceremony last night, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince became the very first entry into the brand new Audio Book Hall of Fame. Narrated by Jim Dale, this honor for the HBP audio book was presented at the Audie Awards at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Half-Blood Prince had also …read more!

The New York Times reports that a Book Industry Study Group report, being released today, found that 2005 book sales were up by 5.9% at $34.6 billion (USD). The “strongest growth niches” were juvenile books, religious books and elementary and high school textbooks. “[T]he children’s book segment was driven largely by the publication last year …read more!

Last fall we reported that Arthur Weasley, well known collector of Muggle artifacts, had his beloved Ford Anglia car stolen from a film studio lot. This crime has gone unresolved until now, as the enchanted vehicle has mysteriously turned up outside a magical fortress, or in Muggle terminology, Carn Brea Castle. The Scotsman reports that …read more!

PotterCast.com, the Web site for our podcast, has gotten, once again, a huge facelift. Go poke around and have fun, but first here’s the rundown of what you can find in this new version: Flash player: Listen to PotterCast right on the site, with a customized streaming audio Flash player that is small enough to …read more!

A quick reminder that voting for the MTV Movie Awards ends tomorrow. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was nominated in three categories, including “Best Villian” (Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort), “Best Hero” (Dan Radcliffe as Harry), and “Best On-Screen Team” (Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson). To vote online, click here. You can …read more!

Netscape has drawn up their list of “The Best of the British” and included some actors from the Harry Potter films. Of number eight, Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) they say “He’s what we like to call the George Clooney of England, except with more talent and less girlfriends. Hey, it all evens out! ” At …read more!

Last week when we told you that Jo was coming to New York City to take part in a charity reading, it was announced that there was going to be an special auction for tickets to this event.

It is fitting that May, the month for flowers, sees the birthday of our favorite Herbology professor Miriam Margoyles (Professor Sprout)! Today Miriam is celebrating her 65th birthday. Cheers! (and gooo Hufflepuff!)

We’ve received a report that some filming for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has been taking place in London near Tower Bridge. They say that they have been shooting for the last four days in the Butlers Wharf area along the Thames. Readers will remember that last year in an interview, Phoenix …read more!