Empire Online has posted a brief interview with Jason Isaacs, currently in talks to play Lucius Malfoy in Chamber of Secrets. (Thanks to Catherine for the link.) The Scotsman reports on “the magic of Potter”: It is a measure of the success of the Harry Potter books that two companies reporting this week claim their …read more!

Thanks to everyone who let us know about A&E’s airing of “Harry Potter and me” on their Biography series. The show will air Monday, 21 January at 8pm ET/PT. Check your local listings for more information.

Two from the Financial Times: Harry Potter success lifts Argonaut’s confidence; and Bloomsbury set for more magical results. Potter evening enchants at library (from GazetteNET). Potter goes up the wall; the bedroom of a Warrington showhome could hold any child spellbound.

You may notice that we just added a search feature in the left-hand column. It was made using a free search engine service from Atomz. This is new for me and until I find a decent Content Management System I’m comfortable administrating myself, we’ll have to rely on 3rd party for searching capabilities – however …read more!

Harry Potter Science Kits developed by Delta Kids have recently been honored by The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio and Parenting for High Potential magazine.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has been nominated for Excellence in Production Design by the Art Directors Guild. In addition, the film was also nominated for seven awards by the Phoenix Film Critics Society: Best Family Film, Best Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Newcomer (Daniel Radcliffe), and Best …read more!

Thanks to everyone who alerted us to the possible casting of Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy in The Chamber of Secrets. A few sites which are carrying the report are Empire Online, Ananova, and CNN. Saskatoon parents want Potter books banned (from The Star). Private show lifts spirit of Bay City third-grader.

A village street has become a Mecca for Harry Potter fans — because it is called Quidditch Lane (from The Sun).

It may be school vacation time here, but kids everywhere are itching to enroll in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter is coming to Costa Rica (from the Tico Times). The Taipei Times list of bestselling books includes “Quidditch Through the Ages; Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and “Harry Potter …read more!

Reader Spencer pointed us to this wonderfully funny article from The Escapist: “Spellcasting 101: Don’t Try This At Home.” Bookshops aren’t counting on Harry to save them, says the Sydney Morning Herald.