CHECK IT OUT

For legions of Harry Potter fans, there’s a wealth of wizardry beyond

pages penned by J.K. Rowling. Tap into it in new and classic fantasies on

young adult shelves at Newport libraries.

Among the most popular volumes that revisit the spirit of Rowling’s

bespectacled sorcerer are those in T.A. Barron’s “The Lost Years of

Merlin” sequence. The five-book saga chronicles the past of King Arthur’s

formidable tutor -- an era unexplored in traditional Merlin lore -- from

the perspective of the great wizard himself.

For a somewhat younger audience, Jane Yolen provides a worthy

introduction to Arthurian legend with “Passager,” the first volume in her

young Merlin trilogy. Aimed at readers in fourth through seventh grades,

the installment begins when an 8-year-old boy finds himself abandoned in

the woods of medieval England and embarks on a journey that will make him

the world’s most famous wizard.

Like Rowling’s Harry, who uses supernatural powers to tackle myriad

challenges, the protagonists in Diane Duane’s “So You Want to Be a

Wizard” stumble on magical ways to cope with problems. With tips from a

library book on wizardry, 13-year-old Nita and her friend Kit fight back

against a gang of bullies in this fabulous fantasy.

The fun continues in Duane’s “Deep Wizardry,” in which Nita and Kit

assist the whale wizard S’reee in combating an evil power. It concludes

in “A Wizard Abroad,” which finds teenage wizard Nita at her aunt’s home

in Ireland, entangled in a battle to save the country from ghosts.

Several years before Harry Potter began enchanting readers, a young

girl and her “daemon” (the manifestation of her soul in animal form) were

catapulted into a life-and-death struggle against dark forces in Philip

Pullman’s “Golden Compass.” The fantasy novel provides spellbinding

literary theater that teen readers, as well as adults, won’t want to see

end.

Fortunately it doesn’t, as Pullman continues the saga in “The Subtle

Knife,” in which he introduces a young hero who has learned the art of

invisibility, plus a universe of other colorful spirits. The English

author recently provided a third installment with “The Amber Spyglass,”

bringing the rollicking adventure to a heart-stopping conclusion.

For fantasy fans interested in reaching further back into literary

history, such beloved classics as C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch and

the Wardrobe,” Edward Eager’s “Half Magic” and J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The

Hobbit” offer escape that has enthralled readers for decades.

Or, for those truly hooked on Harry, Jim Dale adds a new dimension to

Potter-mania with fantastic recordings of all volumes in Rowling’s

popular series -- great for kids and adults who’ve already read ‘em, for

newcomers to the series, and for the whole family on the road.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

Gina Moffitt. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by

accessing the catalog at o7 www.newportbeachlibrary.orgf7 .