Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets facts for kids
| Author | J.K. Rowling |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Cliff Wright Mary GrandPré |
| Language | English |
| Publisher |  Blumsbury Scholastic Raincoast |
|
Publication date
|
2 July 1998 |
| Pages | 251 (United Kingdom version) |
| ISBN | 0747538492 |
| Preceded by | 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone |
| Followed by | 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the super popular Harry Potter series. It was written by J. K. Rowling and first came out in 1998. Later, in 2002, a movie based on the book was released. This book continues Harry's adventures in the magical world.
Contents
What's the Story About?
Harry's Summer Troubles
The story starts with Harry spending his summer. He lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, who don't treat him very well. Harry is an orphan, meaning his parents died when he was a baby.
One day, a strange creature visits Harry. It's a house-elf named Dobby. Dobby is forced to serve the Malfoy family. He warns Harry not to go back to Hogwarts, the magical school Harry attended last year. Dobby says terrible things will happen there.
Harry doesn't listen to Dobby's warning. So, Dobby causes a big mess to make Harry's aunt and uncle angry. They get so mad they lock Harry in his room for the rest of the summer.
A Daring Rescue and New Friends
Luckily, Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley, comes to rescue him! Ron flies to Harry's house in a magical car. Harry then spends the rest of his summer at the Weasley family home. Their house is called "The Burrow."
Here, readers meet more of the Weasley family. This includes Ron's younger sister, Ginny. She is just about to start her first year at Hogwarts.
A Magical Journey to School
Mr. Weasley, Ron's dad, works for the Department of Magic. He is very interested in "Muggles." Muggles are ordinary people who don't have magic. Mr. Weasley's job is to stop wizards from illegally enchanting Muggle objects.
However, Mr. Weasley doesn't always follow the rules perfectly. He even drives his family to catch the school train in a magical Ford Anglia. The magical train leaves Paddington station in London from Platform 9¾. But because of some strange events, Harry and Ron miss the train to school!
Danger at Hogwarts
Harry and Ron finally get to school, but they are very late. They are also in big trouble. Soon after they arrive, it becomes clear that everyone at Hogwarts is in danger.
One by one, students and even the caretaker's cat are affected. A strange and scary spell hits them. As everyone gets more and more frightened, they start to suspect each other.
Big Ideas in This Book
The Power of Suspicion
One of the main ideas in this book is "suspicion." The author shows how people can act unkindly when they are scared. If someone seems a little different, others might become suspicious. They might decide that person is causing the problem. This happens not because the person is truly evil, but just because they are seen as different.
Loneliness and Foolish Choices
In this story, there are five different characters who feel lonely and sad. Each of them makes foolish choices because of their loneliness. Harry Potter himself feels a lot of unhappiness and loneliness. This is partly because he has a special talent that very few other wizards have. The author mentioned this talent in the first book. At the time, it didn't seem very important. But now, Harry's talent makes many other students suspicious of him.
Thinking You're Special
Another important idea is about people who think they are "special." Someone might believe they are special because they are rich, good-looking, smart, or from an important family. Or they might think they are more important than others because they've had a hard life.
Whatever the reason, these people often act without respect for others. They behave as if everyone else owes them something. They act as if everyone else is beneath them. There are three characters like this in the book. Their selfish attitudes create dangerous situations.
See also
In Spanish: Harry Potter y la cámara secreta para niños
