Two new books penned by J.K. Rowling will help tide over Harry Potter fans as they await book five, and raise money for a good cause: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, an A to Z listing of all beings magical (and required reading for all first-year Hogwarts students), and Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp (a "renowned Quidditch expert"), the official handbook of the wizard's sport of choice, both with a foreword by esteemed Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore. Rowling wrote the books to raise funds for Comic Relief in the U.K., a charitable organization helping poor and disadvantaged people in Africa and the U.K. (not affiliated with the U.S. Comic Relief organization). Many printers and paper suppliers are joining in the effort by donating their services. ( Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Gr 4-8-These slim paperbacks are made to look like actual Hogwarts tomes, complete with creased covers and plenty of marginalia scribbled by Harry and other students. Fabulous Beasts, a facsimile of Harry Potter's very own textbook, contains descriptions of 75 magical beasts, written in a wonderfully dry yet droll style by a renowned magizoologist. Quidditch is the facsimile of a Hogwarts library book, which had to be literally pried from the hands of librarian Madam Pince. It gives a comprehensive history of the game and its rules, as well as a rundown of each of the 13 league teams of Britain and Ireland. Harry Potter fans who pride themselves on knowing every minute bit of Hogwarts trivia will devour both books. From Professor Dumbledore's introductions to the price listed on the back cover (14 Sickles 3 Knuts), readers will find a wealth of detailed magical lore and laugh-out-loud humor. Neither book is as gripping as the actual series, of course, but fans who are waiting for the fifth installment will be entertained by these volumes in the meantime.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.