Gamertell

Title: The Tales of Beedle the Bard (standard edition)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Price: $12.99
Release Date: December 4, 2008
Publisher: Scholastic
Pros: Cute little original fairy tales and fables, “commentary” from Dumbledore on each story. Fits in well with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages.
Cons: Don’t go in expecting a long, detailed novel or deep experience. Only one story has “ties” to Harry Potter. Very short.
Overall Score: One wand (thumb) up, one wand (thumb) sideways; 80/100, B-; *** out of 5

The story may be over but little companion books, like The Tales of Beedle the Bard, can often help fans better appreciate the story and Harry Potter universe they have grown to love over the past seven books. Since this collection of five stories is actually written by J.K. Rowling, it makes it all the more influential and entertaining. It is an incredibly short read but satisfying nonetheless. It isn’t a literary masterpiece but it’s a nice and fun final touch to the Harry Potter universe.

A fictional collection of fairy tales come to life.

Beedle the Bard was originally a rare, handmade treasure. The book was first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and J.K. Rowling later created the brief collection of short stories as a means to thank six people who helped her with the Harry Potter books and to help raise money for The Children’s Voice. So originally, only seven copies existed.

Since fans expressed a desire to own their own copies, the decision was made to release The Tales of Beedle the Bard in North America and the UK. Like the original seventh copy of the book, the sales of the public copies also benefit a charity, this time the Children’s High Level Group.

Beedle the Bard contains five short stories: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart”, “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump” and “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” (“Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump” was my favorite.) After each story, there is a brief analysis of the tale in the words of Albus Dumbledore, designed to enlighten people as to the story’s background, reception and influence.

Who are The Tales of Beedle the Bard for?

Whether or not Beedle the Bard will appeal to you depends on what kind of Harry Potter fan you are and your general demographic.

Young fans of Harry Potter will likely adore Beedle the Bard because it will be like they’re getting the same fairytales and stories children from that universe would hear. It will be a way for them to connect to the book and series that goes beyond hearing about the main characters. For every person who’s had a son, daughter, niece, nephew or young cousin who wants or wanted to be a wizard, Beedle the Bard will encourage their imagination.

Older fans of the Harry Potter series with a fondness for folklore and fairy tales will also find some measure of entertainment from Beedle the Bard. The older fans will probably be the only ones who appreciate the “Dumbledore Commentary”

Only the casual fans and people expecting some sort of narrative that further elaborates on the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermoine will be disappointed. The only short story from this collection that actually has any relation to the events in Harry Potter is “The Tale of the Three Brothers” and, if you’ve read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, you already know what happens in that story.

An entertaining diversion, provided you don’t go in expecting a story on Harry

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a supplement. Its like when you go to a class and are assigned one book to read, and have the opportunity to read another title with the same theme to help enhance the first book. If you go into this collection with that mindset, not expecting more Harry stories, then you’ll be satisfied with the stories that lay within. All five are a nice diversion, and if you own J.K. Rowling’s other Harry Potter companions books, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, then you’ll want The Tales of Beedle the Bard to round out your collection.

Site [The Tales of Beedle the Bard]