Remember last month when I posted about Harry Potter book auctions? Well the auctions are almost starting! On June 18th, the opening day of the Potter theme park,  MissionEducation will be auctioning off 5 different lots of Harry Potter items!

On Friday, June 18^th, 2010, the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, three high school seniors will be auctioning off five unique Harry Potter fan packages on eBay to benefit Project Bangladesh.  Project Bangladesh is the brainchild of Laurabeth Goldsmith, 18, who was recognized by her community as Student Volunteer of the Year, the highest honor that community-conscious students can receive.  The charity’s mission is to build a school, a library, and a computer lab for needy children in Bangladesh. This project is working in conjunction with Girl Scouts, Rotary International, and Kiwanis International. Although the construction of the school is nearly complete, the Harry Potter auction will raise funds for the library and the computer lab. Each of the five auction packages will consist of a signed Harry Potter book donated by Shelby Hill, 18, who acquired them when she won a contest to meet J.K. Rowling back in 2000.  Three of the books will also include a unique Harry Potter sketch by illustrator Mary GrandPré.  Altogether, the books are valued at around $20,000, most notably due to a rare Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Collector’s Edition (First Edition), a gift which was given to Shelby by Rowling herself when they met.  The auction will be conducted with the help of Daniel Ortiz, 18, who has had experience auctioning a Harry Potter book in the past to the tune of $5,413 for a couple of his favorite charities.  Please bring us on the show to help us make this auction as successful as possible!  For more information about the project please visit www.missioneducation.webs.com

I will be posting links to the auction as soon as they are available! Thanks to Laurabeth for the information!  She also sent over some photos of the items that you can view below.

MediaBistro is reporting that the Harry Potter books MAY be released in e-book form!

As the iPad and iBookstore launches in the UK, the agency representing bestselling Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has said they are exploring eBook options for the beloved series–possibly taking off one of the most prominent global authors off the No eBooks list.

Rowling has held a spot on eBookNewser’s list of readers’ favorite authors who are lacking eBook versions.

Here’s more from The Bookseller: “Neil Blair, partner at the Christopher Little Agency (CLA) which represents Rowling, said the agency was ‘currently considering all the options and opportunities that this evolving space provides.’ The agency was ‘actively’ looking, whereas previously it had just been ‘monitoring the developing area,’ he said.”

Entertainment Weekly has posted their list of 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years and Harry Potter has come in at number 2!

The list will be in the June 4 issue of Entertainment Weekly which releases tomorrow.

Thanks TLC!

Harry Potter illustrator Mary GrandPre has done 3 Harry Potter sketches inside Harry Potter books that JK Rowling has signed for a charity auction to benefit Mission Education. “The auction packages will consist of four signed Harry Potter books donated by Shelby Hill, 18, who acquired them when she won a contest to meet J.K. Rowling back in 2000.  Three of the books will also include a unique Harry Potter sketch by illustrator Mary GrandPré.” Each Harry Potter book package is currently planned to include:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Collector’s Edition (First Edition) signed by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPré, with a unique sketch by GrandPré.
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First Edition) signed by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPré, with a unique sketch by GrandPré.
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone signed by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPré, with a unique sketch by GrandPré.
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban signed by J.K. Rowling. This book is unique because not only is it signed by Rowling, but Rowling didn’t seem to know where Shelby got that version of the book from, so she scribbled a note asking her where she got it above her signature.
• Harry Potter wands
• Chocolate Frogs

The books will be auctioned off in June. To learn more about the charity, click here.

Thanks MN!

Quick reminder to everyone that Mary GrandPre, the Illustrator of the Harry Potter books in the US, will be the keynote speaker at the The Girls’ Middle School Annual Scholarship Breakfast. The event will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, Apr 28 8:00am to 9:15am at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Cabana in Palo Alto, CA.

Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by going to this link (I’m not sure if you can still buy them now though.

I just found a fun new video of Mary GrandPre talking to some lucky children & parents about illustrating with some parts about Harry Potter!  She even draws Harry and reads a few segments from the books! This took place on August 2, 2005. Use this link to watch the video; the full video is over an hour long, but the first half is Potter related.

Also, don’t forget that MGP is going to be the keynote speaker at The Girls’ Middle School Annual Scholarship Breakfast on April 28th.  Tickets can be purchased starting by going to this link.