Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

Pages: 280

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Script / Fantasy

Notes for Parents: Some violence and mature content

The Back Cover

The year is 1926 in the city of New York…

A time and place where the actions of a handful of people…and creatures…will determine the fate of the many. Magizoologist Newt Scamander, newly arrived in town, intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when Newt’s magical case is misplaced and some of his fantastic beasts escape into the city, it spells trouble for everyone…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is J.K. Rowling’s screenwriting debut. Set in the Harry Potter universe (but about 75 years before Harry), this is the original screenplay for the movie of the same name that was released in November.

What’s good?

Enchanting supernatural beasts, magical spells, disquieting villains, and a delightfully eccentric hero make this new addition to the Potterverse and absolute joy to read. While this is not a Harry Potter novel, it has the same fantastical feel of the Harry Potter series. The plot is simple—very simple, in fact—and the characters are curious and charming. There’s plenty of action, adventure, waving wands, creature chaos, and dark, devious evil lurking in the shadows. The story is both fun and funny, with everything you would expect from a J.K. Rowling story. The book itself is beautifully designed with elaborate drawings and flourishes.

Best Part: The Niffler.

What isn’t good?

The only negative thing I can say is that the story loses a little to the screenplay format. We don’t get the mood-generating imagery, or the world-building descriptions that made the Harry Potter books so visual. However, the movie gives you all of that and more, so the script is more of a companion to the film than a stand-alone book.

Worst part: There were absolutely no “worst parts”!

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻

For those who were disappointed with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, this is redemption. Despite the different format, this has all of the elements that made Harry Potter so entertaining – eccentric characters, fantastical beasts, humor, adventure, tense moments, and an everyday hero. Definitely recommended.

Rowling, J.K. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay. New York: Arthur A. Levine, 2016. (Hardcover)