JKR (bookcase) – Harry Potter Lexicon

Click on the Eyeglasses “Links” Portkey: (formerly a pen) it brings you to a library bookshelf…
The eyeglasses Portkey drops into a cup in the lower left corner. Click on it to return to the desktop.

The books that fly in and settle onto the shelf are links to other websites important to Jo or about the Harry Potter universe. Click on them to open the book and read about the specific site. Click the window on the left hand page to Apparate to the site.
The moth is ticklish, and is an orange (formerly blue) butterfly during the day and brown at night.
Birds fly in the paintings. Watch them take flight in the painting on the right and then emerge in the painting on the left!
Some books on the shelves have titles of real books that Jo has said are special to her. Others are made-up fantasic titles.

Slide the book with the question mark over to reveal a key.
Use the key to open the chest on the shelf at the right for the scrapbook extra: Page of doodlings (page 2) Sorting hat, (you’ll have to click on the bubble).

On March 9, 2006 a new book appeared in the middle of the bottom shelf titled “Ancient Runes Made Easy“. Click on the book, it opens to reveal a key to the Rune tiles strewn in the Rubbish Bin screen. (see a Transcript here.)

Collect the potion bottle (flask, flagon) for the secret Potion recipe #1.

PEEVES: snuffs out the candle and swings the hanging bookmark. After March 9, 2006 he knocks down the painting on the left to reveal a clue to working one of the scrapbook extras.
What’s on the bookshelf?
(Question marks indicate our best guess at the probable titles)

Version 1 – As it appeared when the site launched on May 15, 2004

on the upper shelf:

Christopher Little Literary Agency (link)
World Mythology
My Favourite Spells – Name?
The Commitments – Roddy Doyle
Book of Spells – ?author (pink & burgundy)
(tiny tan book)
“?” sliding key book
I Capture the Castle – Dodie Smith
Press and Publicity (link)
? – Dorothy L. Sayers (2 copies) possible bio by Brabazon, Durkin, Reynolds
Amnesty International (link)
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
The Little White Horse – Elizabeth Goudge
Book of Spells – ?author (pink & burgundy)
Official Warner Bros Site – Harry Potter (link)
Children’s Stories (no author)
One Parent Families (link)
E. Nesbit’s Fairy Tales – E. Nesbit

on the lower shelf:

Short Stories (no author)
(blue book) Tales? – E. Nesbit
Manx Mouse – Paul Gallico
The MS Society Scotland (link)
?Wizard’s Book – Jo Rowling?? (little blue and yellow)
Book of Spells – ?author (pink & burgundy)
Publishers (link)
Short Stories
Witches and ? (skinny red book)
?Wizard’s Book – Jo Rowling?? (little blue and yellow)
Grimble – Clement Freud
Book of Spells (tan)
Magical Studies? (leaning)
(tiny red leaning)
stacked, top to bottom:
- Spell potions? (red)
- Katherine Mansfield
- Book of Spells – ?author (pink & burgundy)
- Book of Spells (tan)(upside down)
- Spell potions? – (?author Tim?)(red)
- Magical Studies?
- Fairy Tails?
Emma – Jane Austen
the van – Roddy Doyle
Writers & Artists Yearbook
Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

Version 2 – The bookcase decorated for Christmas, December 2004 and 2005.

Version 3 – February 23, 2006

The bottom shelf was rearranged to add a link to Cage Bed information. The Emma book and the Writers & Artists Yearbook on each side of the Roddy Doyle The Van book were moved to the left next to the Publishers Links (blue book) replacing a brown book called Short Stories.

Version 4 – March 9, 2006

The Clement Freud Grimble book in the center of the bottom shelf was replaced with Ancient Runes Made Easy. This new book is clickable and gives a key to the rune tiles that appear in the Rubbish bin section.

Version 5 – August 3 2006

A new book CHLG – The Children’s Voice is added to the top of the stack of books on the bottom shelf. This new book is clickable and provides information and links to The Children’s High Level Group, the charity JKR helped found.

Version 6 – December 11 2006

The Christmas decorations are the same as the first two years, except the snowman snow-globe is moved. It is especially evident in this section that the site has been gradually getting “darker” with deeper shadows and the candle flame shrinking.

Version 7 – June 27 2007

A new clickable book was added to the bottom shelf entitled “Missing Madeleine”. It replaced the Writers and Artists Yearbook and the small red book.