Book Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

Want to know more about the magical beasts in the world?  Newt Scamander has written the book for you.  He scoured the globe looking for creatures that classify under the Ministry of Magic's term of Beast.  However, some creatures, like the centaurs and mermaids are only classified as beasts because they refuse to be in the same classification as a few animals that have been labeled beings.

The book is not a boring encyclopedia of information.  It contains stories among the facts to keep the reader entertained.  The copy that Muggles have been fortunate enough to lay their hands on is a reproduction of the famous Harry Potter's textbook, which he shared with his pal, Ron Weasley.  Intermingled among Scamander's written word are notes written by the two boys themselves.

I liked the forward by Albus Dumbledore and the introduction which explain how the book came about.  Who is Newt Scamander and what is his motivation for putting this book together?

If you want to know more about the creatures inhabiting the wizarding world pick up a copy of Fantastic Beasts today.

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In 2001, JK Rowling put together two books, one a text book and the other a library book, from Potterverse with the 20% of the proceeds going to her favorite charity, Comic Relief.  Fantastic Beasts is a fun way to expand one's knowledge of the world she created.  Information on these beasts can be found on the internet, but not in the capacity that they are in this book.  I truly enjoyed reading it and think that any Harry Potter fan will as well.

I did feel the book was too UK centric.  I had to think about it.  Newt Scamander is from the UK so of course he would know more about that area than any other part of the world.  But, too many beasts live in the UK and not spread all over the world.

I was skeptical when I first heard of the book back in 2001, because I was not a Harry Potter fan and didn't know about the charity.  I thought Rowling was just trying to make more money, but this is a great thing for charity.  Harry Potter fans do buy these books.  Rowling writes something Harry Potter and the fans lap it up, even back in 2001.  I bought this as a collection of both books, so look for my review on Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp coming soon.