The second installment in the amazingly successful Harry Potter series
             is a delightful literary romp that can appeal to adults as well as
             children. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets chronicles the adventures
             and escapades of the title character during his second year at Hogwarts
             School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Along with Harry Potter's intrepid
             sidekicks, the aptly-named Ron Weasley and astute, precocious Hermione
             Granger, J. K. Rowling crafts a fine array of colorful characters. The evil
             ones of the bunch: Draco Malfoy and Professor Severus Snape, add complexity
             to the cast at Hogwarts, as do ancillary characters like the likeable
             Hagrid and regal headmaster Dumbledore. Harry Potter and the Chamber of
             Secrets includes the requisite elements of the supernatural and macabre
             that characterizes the Harry Potter series. However, it is Rowling's
             distinctive sense of humor that set apart Rowling's books from other young
             adult series. The names of spells, slapstick incidents, and gross-out
             scenes prove delightful for readers of all ages.
             Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , like other books in the
             series, begins in Harry's "Muggles" home. Muggles are non-magical folk, who
             are often the victims of prejudice from the magical elite. In fact,
             prejudice against Muggles emerges as a central theme in The Chamber of
             Secrets. Hermione, one of Harry's best friends, happens to be a Muggle, so
             in this case, the struggle is personal. Moreover, Ron's father, Arthur
             Weasley, is an activist trying to protect the rights of Muggles. In Chamber
             of Secrets, a mysterious monster said to be trapped in a secret chamber in
             Hogwarts, is bent on killing all Muggles and mixed bloods in an attempt to
             purify the school. Here, Rowling knowingly or not uses this as a magical
             In many respects, Harry Potter is just a normal kid. He doesn't excel
             at his studies and he isn't the most popular bo...