Book One: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Quidditch! Young Harry, Ron, and Hermione! The good Dumbledore! “I shouldn’t have said that.” A charming, wonderful book, but a woeful film adaptation from Chris Columbus.
Book Two: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Gilderoy Lockhart! The Mirror of Erised! The Whomping Willow! The book is quite good, but the film, directed again by Chris Columbus, suffers from excess.
Book Three: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Puberty! Sirius Black! Dementors! The best scene from any Harry Potter book! And, most of all, a decent director! This is the best film — and book — of the series so far. (Caveat: I haven’t read book six yet.)
Book Four: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Cho Chang! “You’re the boy who lived…” This film had a lousy first half, but the last hour made up for it. It was the first book in the series where Rowling was set free from the fetters of her editors, and the story suffered because of it.
Book Five: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
From childhood to adulthood! Dolores Umbrage! Heavy-handed political allusion! An overlong book, but how will it transfer to film? (I actually think the trailer is quite good.)
Film released on 13 July 2007!
Book Six: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I have nothing to say about this book because I haven’t read it. (But thanks to obnoxious bumper stickers, I know what happens at the end.)
Film released on 21 November 2008!
Book Seven: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The last(?) book in the series will be released on 21 July 2007 — you can pre-order it here
Film released summer 2010!
Why! haven’t! you! read! HP6!?
Bumper stickers? Seriously? That’s rude!