The-Leaky-Cauldron.org

A one-stop Harry Potter bonanza.

Entertainment Value: High Graphics: Photos, avatars, videos Playability: Medium Reading Level: Medium Website: http://The-Leaky-Cauldron.org

Common Sense Note

Parents should know that this Harry Potter site could keep any fan of the series occupied for hours. With a wealth of content, including extensive book club groups, interviews with cast members, and heavily-moderated discussion forums and chats (both 3D and text-based), this is really a one-stop-shop for all things Potter. Kids can also download podcasts for their MP3 players and cell phones, and can check certain news portions of the site remotely. The site does feature a few ads, and The Cauldron Shop sells everything from books to wands.

Families can talk about fan communities. Why do people love talking about the books and movies so much? Is it more fun to guess theories about the upcoming book or to be completely surprised? Families can also talk about the series. Who are your favorite characters and why? If you were making the next Harry Potter movie, what would you change from the book? What would you leave the same?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Ashley Mathis

What started out as a place for Harry Potter news, THE-LEAKY-CAULDRON.ORG (along with its friendly rival MuggleNet.com) is now the preeminent Potter site. The series' author J.K. Rowling herself has said that it's her personal favorite of the Harry Potter sites, and the creator and Webmistress, Melissa Anelli, has even met with the notoriously private author at her Scotland home.

The site hosts everything Harry Potter: a huge photo and video gallery, book discussions and essays, an extensive news feed, quizzes, craft ideas, and the very popular downloadable PotterCast podcast. If fans produce their own Potter art or crafts, they can upload photos of their creations to the site and let other fans rate them. The site also features quite a few ads and products to buy, all related to Harry Potter.

Fans can talk to other fans in the heavily-moderated chat rooms -- either the Chamber of Chat (the 3D avatar experience) or The Corner Booth (the text-based option). In the Leaky Lounge discussion forum, fans gather to discuss theories for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, their hopes for the upcoming films, favorite and least favorite characters, and more. Unlike many forums on the Web, threads tend to stay friendly and age-appropriate, and moderators are on hand to ensure that it stays that way. The site also has strict policies on spoilers for both the books and movies, though those can be harder to enforce in a chat forum. Kids who are still reading the series should stick to the main content pages just to be on the safe side.

For more Harry Potter fun, head on over to MuggleNet.com, JKRowling.com, or read one of the books.

Reviewed: 04/20/2007

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence
Language The chat rooms and discussion boards are heavily moderated for language.
Message
	Social Behavior
	Commercialism There's a store that sells everything Potter -- and some ads, too.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
	Educational Value Gets kids interested in reading the books.