How could the book be? Will I like it? Will I be interested in it? Will I read the further series? Oh! Actually it was my first Harry Potter book. I had never read one. Well, I love books, but I had never gone through this series. I have read series like Gone with the ghost, Wimpy kid, The secret science club, Julia Jones, Goosebumps, Nancy drew and bunch of others, but my favorite series is Dairy of a wimpy kid.

My mom was the one who introduced the idea of "Harry Potter" and suggested me to read it. Firstly, I was not enthusiastic at all. But later when I checked into Google and saw the reviews, I got a little carried away and wanted the book right away. But my mind started to calculate the above-mentioned questions.

As I entered into the bookstore my eyes went straight all the way to Diary of a wimpy kid: The meltdown; and was the latest one. I was excited to buy one, but of course I was there to buy a book from the "Harry Potter" series. I reached to the section where plenty of Harry Potter books were shelved, including deathly hollows. But I choose Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban.

Secondly, I also wanted to buy Dairy of a wimpy kid: The Meltdown, but my mom told me to choose one amongst the two. Hence I decided to take Harry Potter because I wanted to try something new. I bought the book and was delighted going through it. I found the book quite exciting and wonderful. The book is written by British writer J. K. Rowling. I am sharing the book’s major highlights.

The key plot line in this book is that of Sirius Black, the best friend of Harry’s father James and only person granted the knowledge of the Potter’s whereabouts. According to rumors that have gone unbounded for thirteen years, Sirius betrayed James and Lily Potter to the Dark Lord and caused their death. The night after his thirteenth birthday Harry storms out of his uncle’s house in Privet drive, dragging his trunk, broomstick and caged owl with him. For all these Sirius has been a resident at the wizarding jail, Azkaban. An island ruled over by inhuman and terrifying magical creatures called dementors. However, Sirius manages to escape the prison, a feat never achieved by any other wizard, and as far as everyone in the book is concerned he’s trying to hunt down Harry, so he can finish the work his master started.

Meanwhile at Hogwarts all sorts of things are going on such as: magical sport played on brooms in the air. Harry’s new Divination teacher foresees his death, whilst Hagrid, now teaching Care of Magical Creatures, introduces them to a majestic creature that is a strange cross between an eagle and a horse, whilst Hermione seems to have taken on more subjects than can physically fit into a day.

Harry is given the gift of an enchanted map that shows him secret passageways out of Hogwarts and defending himself against dementors and the painful and terrifying memory. Harry is given Fire bolt as a second gift, an enviable racing broom. Sirius Black breaks into Hogwarts, not once, but twice, evading the dementors and threatening both a portrait and Harry’s very own dorm-mate Ron, with a knife. This book is when the Harry Potter books begin to get grown up. The dementors open up a new facet of darkness and horror to the magical world, which just can’t be matched by the earlier incidents with the giant spiders and the basilisk. As ever, there are some excellent comedy moments between Ron and Hermione. And, if we’re mentioning comedy, we cannot forget the brilliant “blowing up my aunt” incident at the start of the book either.

The book’s biggest flaw is it seems to end in a faster pace. Harry is briefly reunited with his godfather and can feel a genuine family connection for the very first time, yet this emotional connection isn’t backed up in anyway. Every other relationship and emotional tie in the series is built up. Harry and Sirius are behaving as if they have known each other their whole lives; it just seems a little insipid and unbelievable, particularly when you compare to some of the other relationships in the books. The Prisoner of Azkaban is dark and upsetting in a lot of ways; it looks into horrible aspects of revenge and spite through Sirius Black. It also addresses several interesting concepts about responsibility and growing up.

It is a wonderful book. It has now become one of my favorite book series. There is drama, fiction and adventures in this book. The writer has cleverly taken control of mind of readers through the rich words and spontaneous writing. The story teaches us not to doubt without facts. It also tells us that we need great patience and good faith to perform any duty or work.

Samragyi is student of Grade VI B at St. Xavier's School, Godavari.