Bookstores gear up for fifth Harry Potter book

Hogwarts and wizards and frogs, oh my! It is no surprise that the release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the fifth and latest edition in the Harry Potter series, will be a celebratory occasion for many adoring fans. \n"We are thrilled to announce the publication date. 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' is absolutely superb and will delight all J.K. Rowling's fans," said Barbara Marcus, president of Scholastic Children's Books. "She has written a brilliant and utterly compelling new adventure." \nThe book is due on shelves June 21 and many local booksellers already are planning exciting events.\nBarnes and Noble, 2813 E. 3rd St., will host a midnight madness party beginning at 7 p.m. June 20. "We will have several Harry Potter characters in attendance, passing out wands and capes," manager Alex Kornya said. "Potter lovers can also count on an activity involving the infamous sorting hat."\nHoward's Bookstore, 116 Fountain Square, plans on observing the release all day long. Howard's will be open from 9 a.m. until after midnight. The books will be sold at midnight, as the grand finale to the long celebration. Movie screenings of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone" as well as a day full of games and prizes are open to all Potter buffs. Mike Burns, an employee at Howard's, revealed that some of the prizes will include Harry Potter card games, stickers and chocolate frogs. \nBorders Books and Music, 2634 E. 3rd St., has a scheduled itinerary for their elaborate celebration. The kickoff begins at 6 p.m. June 20. Children are encouraged to wear Harry Potter costumes and come with enthusiasm. At 7 p.m., Katie Wolf of the John Waldron Art Center will host a craft activity, in which fans can use their creativity to construct all different kinds of Potter creatures.\nThe Harry Potter Trivia Contest begins at 9 p.m. Prizes such as lightning bolt tattoos, lemon drops, mini gummy frogs and hats will be awarded to those who answer correctly. The costume contest will start at 10 p.m., and more prizes will be handed out for the best costume. At midnight the official selling of the books will begin. \n"We have no real numbers for the quantity we're expecting to sell," said Matthew Monroe, inventory manager. "We do expect a big turn out and approximately an 80 percent pick up rate." As with almost all of their books, Borders took many special pre-orders for the newest edition of Harry Potter and gave customers who pre-ordered a 40 percent discount.\nSome bookstores, however, are taking a more informal approach to the latest edition. One independent bookstore manager commented, "Who's really going to stay awake to read at midnight? Most people are going to bed before it even comes out." \nLess enthusiastic fans may agree and save themselves the hassle of a night of sleep deprivation. \nScholastic Paperbacks, publisher of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," revealed that the book will be approximately one-third longer than the fourth book in the series, with a hefty 255,000 words compared to 191,000 in the fourth book. In the fifth out of seven books in the series, Harry will enter his fifth year at wizard school and will encounter more adventures, more fun and maybe even a new level of trust and respect in his friendships.