Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling is a fantasy story for 11 year olds about a young wizard who knows danger is coming and is furious at being kept out of things.

What happens

Harry is spending another summer with the Dursleys. He listens to the news for anything unusual and waits for letters that might actually tell him something. His friends keep saying they can't explain yet.

That's a VERY frustrating answer when you're the one left behind. Harry knows Ron and Hermione are together somewhere. He can't understand why nobody seems in a hurry to include him.

Then something terrifying happens close to home. Dementors appear while Harry is out with Dudley. Using magic to protect them brings Harry straight into trouble with the Ministry.

If your reader has followed Harry through the earlier books, there's a lot of anger and worry to sit with here. He's trying to make sense of frightening things he's already experienced. Being told to wait quietly really isn't helping.

You hear the thoughts he can't stop going over, including some unkind ones about his friends. That could feel very familiar to a child who's ever imagined everyone else having a wonderful time without them. Harry doesn't always get those feelings neatly under control.

The magic can feel frighteningly close in this one. A street Harry knows suddenly becomes cold and dark. His cousin can't understand what's happening, and Harry has to act while he's scared himself.

Then the messages start arriving, with orders that don't all say the same thing. Your reader can share the feeling of trying to work out whom to trust. The adults who ought to be helping aren't making it simple.

The opening includes an intense attack and Harry's distressing memories of earlier violence. These may be difficult for a reader who finds nightmares or frightening creatures upsetting. The continuing story also assumes knowledge of what's happened before, so starting with the earlier books will make more sense.

What to read next

When they're ready to continue, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is in the library. Harry learns more about Voldemort's past with Dumbledore's help, while the danger spreads beyond the magical world.