Reading Level: Ages 9-12

The fifth installment of the Harry Potter series is different from its predecessors — it had to be. The death of Cedric Diggory and the return of Lord Voldemort marked the abrupt end of innocence in this epic story and sowed seeds of discord and discontent.

In the first four books Harry was propelled along his series of adventures by outside forces and the circumstance of his fame. He was, like typical youth, immersed in the here-and-now, focused on the problem of the moment, without much thought to the past or concern about future consequences. During the month spent secluded at the Dursleys after the tragic events of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry has time to think about what has happened to him and worry about what is to come. And he's angry, frustrated, and feeling alienated even in his true home, the wizarding world. This broadening of Harry's perception of the world around him is the foundation to the multitude of changes found in "Order of the Phoenix". All of which result in the best Harry Potter book yet.

This is the first volume in the series where there is no attempt to craft a standalone book. From the first page on, Rowling assumes you know the story and are immersed in the world she has created. (She has saved us yet another 30-or-so pages by cutting the usual back story references required in a standalone book.) As expected, "The Order of the Phoenix" draws on a rich existing cast of characters and locales, while taking us to places we've never been and introducing memorable characters including a clumsy auror, a wizard from the wrong side of the law, and a positively dreadful new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. But this is not the most striking difference in the book.

What is most different about the "Order of the Phoenix" is its tone and its deviation from the comfortable style and structure of the previous installments. All of these changes have been orchestrated to instill in us the same anxious and unsettled feelings Harry is experiencing—and they are effective. From the first chapter, we are nagged by feelings that "this isn't right" or "that's not the way it's supposed to be." Rowling has set us up and is now masterfully manipulating the rules of the game.

Rowling no longer focuses only on what Harry does. The increased bulk of the book is due almost entirely to the inclusion of what Harry thinks and how he feels. Harry's rampant feelings are at the core of this volume. This is an appropriate—and welcomed—change, not only for Harry, who is now fifteen, but for the older reader, for whom this book is intended.

The characters, plots, and emotional landscape have all matured in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," and so has J. K. Rowling as a writer.

— KB SHAW, Publisher, Spectrum - Member SCBWI