Lewis Carroll, John Tenniel Source of legend and lyric, reference and conjecture, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is for most children pure pleasure in prose. While adults try to decipher Lewis Carroll's putative use of complex mathematical codes in the text, or debate his alleged use of opium, young readers simply dive with Alice through the rabbit hole, pursuing "The dream-child moving through a land / Of wonders wild and new." There they encounter the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, and the Mad Hatter, among a multitude of other characters—extinct, fantastical, and commonplace creatures. Alice journeys through this Wonderland, trying to fathom the meaning of her strange experiences. But they turn out to be "curiouser and curiouser," seemingly without moral or sense.

For more than 130 years, children have reveled in the delightfully non-moralistic, non-educational virtues of this classic. In fact, at every turn, Alice's new companions scoff at her traditional education. The Mock Turtle, for example, remarks that he took the "regular course" in school: Reeling, Writhing, and branches of Arithmetic-Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. Carroll believed John Tenniel's illustrations were as important as his text. Naturally, Carroll's instincts were good; the masterful drawings are inextricably tied to the well-loved story. (All ages) —Emilie Coulter

Patrick Cauvin

Paulo Coelho

Charles Dickens David Copperfield is the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters he encounters are his tyrannical stepfather, Mr. Murdstone; his formidable aunt, Betsey Trotwood; the eternally humble yet treacherous Uriah Heep; frivolous, enchanting Dora; and the magnificently impecunious Micawber, one of literature’s great comic creations. In David Copperfield—the novel he described as his “favorite child”—Dickens drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of his most exuberant and enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy and comedy in equal measure.

Anne Frank C'est d'abord pour elle seule qu'Anne Franck entreprend l'écriture de son journal le 12 juin 1942. Mais au printemps 1944, le gouvernement néerlandais décide de rassembler, dès la fin de la guerre, tout écrit relatant les souffrances du peuple occupé. Du haut de ses treize ans, Anne Franck s'adresse alors à la postérité. Au fil d'un récit alerte et chaleureux, elle décrit à sa "chère Kitty" imaginaire sa pénible vie clandestine. Car Anne et les siens vivent cachés dans "l'annexe" des bureaux paternels. L'occasion pour la jeune fille d'observer et de consigner dans son précieux cahier les comportements de chacun, d'analyser avec une maturité étonnante les tensions psychologiques dont vibre le quotidien. Elle y confie aussi sa peur, ses rêves et ses ambitions, ainsi que ses premières amours et ses réflexions sur la religion.

Ce Journal demeure l'un des témoignages les plus émouvants sur la Seconde Guerre mondiale. La mort d'Anne Franck en déportation nous laisse au coeur une plaie vive : le souvenir, rendu plus présent et plus insupportable encore, par cette lecture, du génocide des Juifs. —Laure Anciel

Jostein Gaarder

Christian Jacq

Valerio Massimo Manfredi

Guy de Maupassant

Bruno Moutard

Haruki Murakami

Amélie Nothomb L'annonce de la mort imminente de Prétextat Tach, Prix Nobel de littérature, misanthrope et obèse, suscite un engouement sans précédent chez les journalistes du monde entier. Rares sont ceux qui ont le privilège d'approcher le grand homme ; les quatre premiers, trahis par leur incompétence et leur fatuité, sont éconduits de façon grossière : le premier est épinglé pour sa bêtise, le deuxième, écoeuré, fuit au récit des orgies rituelles de Tach, les deux autres n'échappent pas non plus aux vexations orchestrées avec jubilation ; seule Nina, par sa parfaite connaissance de l'oeuvre de l'écrivain, parvient à faire face au mépris et au sadisme affichés par Tach ; tous deux engagent alors un duel à fleurets mouchetés, qui va amener l'écrivain à se dévoiler et à révéler son surprenant passé...

Amélie Nothomb signe avec Hygiène de l'assassin son premier roman ; son style corrosif, au service d'une intrigue originale, assure depuis lors le succès de l'auteur de Péplum et de Stupeur et tremblements. —Nathalie Gouiffès

Amélie Nothomb Mais que diable Amélie-san allait-elle faire dans cette galère ? C'est la question qu'on se pose en découvrant l'invraisemblable traitement auquel la jeune narratrice, double à peine voilé de l'auteur, est confrontée lors d'un emploi de quelques mois au Japon. Embauchée par la compagnie Yumimoto, Amélie espère bien pouvoir faire ses preuves dans ce pays qui la fascine tant depuis qu'elle y a séjourné enfant. C'est sans compter sur la subtilité des règles tacites qui régissent la société japonaise, sans compter encore sur le mépris de Mle Mori, sa supérieure. Les humiliations et les vexations se succèdent et la soumission s'installe : Amélie pensait être traductrice, elle finira dame pipi de l'entreprise…

Comme toujours, Amélie Nothomb a le sens du bizarre, mais aussi du texte : son expérience traumatisante se transforme en un fascinant récit, irrésistible de drôlerie. On la soupçonnerait presque de s'être laissé traiter de la sorte pour mieux pouvoir l'écrire ensuite… —Karla Manuele

J-K Rowling The Final Chapter
Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him with.

In this final, seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectactular fashion the answers to the many questions that have been so eagerly awaited. The spellbinding, richly woven narrative, which plunges, twists and turns at a breathtaking pace, confirms the author as a mistress of storytelling, whose books will be read, reread and read again

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Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

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Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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Paperback Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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Why We Love Harry
Favourite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series—no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favourite moments, characters, and artefacts from the first six books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores—gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden—this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Duelling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Duelling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behaviour in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up—the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione—and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* This book is much darker than the rest. Lord Voldemort has been creating chaos in the Wizard and Muggle communities alike, the war is in full swing and the Wizarding community now lives in fear.
* It is much more emotional. The story turns at the whim of a temperamental teenager from war and life-changing tragedy, to euphoria and glistening happiness.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." —J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know? The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favourite book as a child. </ a> Jane Austen is Rowling's favourite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favourite living writer.

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Odile Weulersse

Eiji Yoshikawa

Eiji Yoshikawa