# Harry Potter-like book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432 "2002-06-11T13:18:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JAPrufrock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@JAPrufrock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JAPrufrock)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432/1 "2002-06-11T13:18:29Z")
When I was a kid, I used to read this book series that was vaguely similar to the Harry Potter books (this was about 15 years ago.) It was about some boy who would go on these supernatural adventures and…well, ok so I don’t remember much about the books. I do know there was a librarian in the books who is a woman with bird-like reatures (she wasn’t a bird, she just had thin features like a bird would), and that the series had a bunch of books. Does this ring a bell for anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432/2 "2002-06-13T00:31:26Z")
Sounds like the Anthony Monday Series by the late John Bellairs. I have **The Dark Secret of Weatherend** here in front of me and I quote "_Anthony was fourteen years old, with a thin, pinched face and a long pointed nose."_ His best friend is a librarian named Miss Ells who is described as "_a small, birdlike woman with a wild nest white hair on her head."_ I love John Bellairs stuff. It is pretty scary for children’s books. He wrote several series with kids as protagonists. I think Anthony is the oldest one. Many of his works have been finished by Brad Strickland. I highly recommend them. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432/3 "2002-06-13T00:48:21Z")
I adored John Bellairs as a child- there was always that feeling that some parents probably wouldn’t let their kids read this stuff. Plus they always had the supercool Gorey covers. “The House With a Clock in its Walls” was my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432/4 "2002-06-13T03:31:59Z")
Ooh, I love that bunch-- they were pretty darn creepy at the time-- House with a Clock in its Walls, etc. Are they still good? ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432/5 "2002-06-13T03:57:54Z")
Brad Strickland isn’t has good at creeping you out as John Bellairs was, but yeah they are still good. My favorite is **Eyes of the Killer Robot** first time I read it I had to go sit on the bed with my sleeping hubby:D I usually read a handful of his books about once or twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-like-book/113432/6 "2002-06-13T05:25:21Z")
Yes, they’re still _very_ good. I can’t think of too many books that creep me out as much at 20 as they did when I was 10.