Rate this book

LEGO Harry Potter: Building The Magical World (2011)

by Elizabeth Dowsett(Favorite Author)

4.27 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0756682576 (ISBN13: 9780756682576)

languge

English

genre

Middle Grade & Children's

publisher

DK Publishing

review 1: DK Publishing has built a reputation on their visual guides. Hardcover books filled with detailed, high quality photographs and information, my favorites have been visual guides for Star Wars and recently, for LEGO. Sometimes Star Wars LEGO. As a celebration of the final Harry Potter movie (and final Harry Potter LEGO sets, unfortunately), DK has put out LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World. The 96-page hardcover has pictures of every Harry Potter set LEGO has produced, with additional information that goes beyond just demonstrating the toys and into how the toys are designed. It also includes an exclusive LEGO Minifigure: Harry in his "formal robes" from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. After an introduction that explains the data file system that LEGO ... moreand DK have developed (including the official set name and number, year of release, number of pieces, minifigures and components), there's a two-page timeline. The timeline has pictures of the box art from every set, and covers the span from 2001 to 2011. Unlike some of the other themes that LEGO has used over the years, Harry Potter has had periods of dormancy, with only one set released between 2005 and 2010. There have been fifty sets total, and I've bought twenty-five of them. Don't tell my wife.The main body of the book is two-page spreads that are organized by characters and locations. Harry Potter gets his own two-page spread of course, as do Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and Professors Dumbledore and Snape. This is partially due to the sheer number of minifigures produced; for example, there have been 24 different Harry Potters produced, with variations on clothing and facial expressions; there have only been 9 Hermiones. Some characters include others that are connected to them--for example, the Ron Weasley pages also include the other members of the Weasley family that have been immortalized as minifigures. Most of the largest LEGO sets get their own two-page spread: The Burrow, Dumbledore's Tower, Diagon Alley, The Shrieking Shack, etc. With the Harry Potter sets, there have been several variations on the same set that have been produced: from 2001-2011, there have been three different Hogwarts Express trains, and four different Hogwarts Castle sets. Each gets their own spread, with the text and photos highlighting the differences and special features in each. Besides the built sets, they also highlight the minifigures unique to each set, like Igor Karkaroff in the Durmstrang Ship set. Inset boxes called "Brick Facts" explain unique pieces, their source, and why they're included. Action features and hidden "Easter Eggs" are also highlighted and explained. A ten-page section at the back of the book does a good job of explaining the design process for LEGO, how they determine which sets will be made, what features they'll have, and how the designs actually get produced. Seeing the sculpting models for Hagrid's beard and Bellatrix LeStrange's hair is a great way to demonstrate this in a few photos, and it's a nice addition to the book. The LEGO Harry Potter game is also on display, along with ancillary merchandise like keychains, old computer games, and magnets. The final four pages of content include all 127 minifigures, their names, years of release, and their page number in the book, so you can go back and see which set they came with. It's almost overwhelming to see all of them grouped together like that, but it's the kind of visual treat that DK is known for, and I love. If you're a fan of LEGO or Harry Potter, this is a great read. If I had unlimited funds, I'd probably own all fifty Harry Potter sets, but I don't. This is a fun way to explore the world of Harry Potter and LEGO without breaking the bank, and getting a bonus little minifigure besides. Now that Harry Potter has wrapped up his cinematic life, his LEGO life won't be far behind.
review 2: We were supremely disappointed that this is NOT directions for building cool Harry Potter stuff with your Legos. What it is is a catalog of Harry Potter sets that Lego has produced, and cool facts about them. It's more a birthday wish-list than a book. That said, we drooled and lost ourselves in the delicious consumerism and our family is now having a blast putting together a new Hagrid's Hut (Cabana de Hagrid on the box) set! less

Download links for: LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World

Advertising