NEWS FOR THE DAY 25.3.06

Half-Blood Prince Paperback Now Available for Pre-Order

The US paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now available for pre-order from retailers such as Amazon.comandBarnes and Noble. As we reported previously, the paperback edition of Book Six from Scholastic will be released on July 25 here in the States. The UK paperback edition of Half-Blood Prince published by Bloomsbury, will be released a month earlier on June 23. If you would like, you may pre-order your copyvia our shop, with the proceeds to benefit the Floo Network.

Jim Dale on Broadway; Opening Night is Tomorrow

We told you in January that Jim Dale would soon be returning to Broadway in "The Threepenny Opera." Opening night for this show, at the Roundabout Theatre, is tomorrow. The cast also includes Alan Cumming, Cyndi Lauper and Ana Gasteyer. For more information and to order tickets, click here.

Scholastic.com Updates Harry Potter Download Section

Scholastic has updated their Harry Potter siteto include new downloads for Prisoner of Azkaban and Chamber of Secrets. These downloads are being added each week as part of the previously announced contest Scholastic is holding for children to win a Harry Potter Ipod package and more. To enter, you must answer a poll question each weekrelated to one of the books, print out a copy of the book cover, and then mail in your complete set of these book covers. Entries must be turned in by April 24. For more about this contest for children 18 and younger, click here.

Possible J.K. Rowling Appearance and Interview for UK Channel 4

Last monthwe told youthat Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince had been nominated for the WHSmith Book of the Yearat the British Book Awards. These awards are due to be presented next weekend in London, England. Tonight we can report that this award program is due to be broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK Saturday April 1 from 6:00pm - 7:00pm. The Radio Times websitealso indicates the following:

"Highlights from the glitziest awards ceremony in the book calendar as Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan host the show which covers the presentations and the post-award interviews. Nominees and awards presenters include JK Rowling, Sharon Osbourne, Jamie Oliver, Rupert Everett, Alan Bennett, PD James, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard E Grant, Andrew Flintoff, Ellen MacArthur, Piers Morgan and Jimmy Carr. "

We do not know if this means that Jo will be presenting, or even attending; the only thing we can confirm that HBP was nominated for the award. Also tonight we are hearing from many of you, as well as MuggleNet is reporting , that the same Richard & Judy apparently announced today on their television showthat J.K. Rowling was to be interviewed for their show in conjunction with their new series of interviews begining on June 19th. This is a few days before Jo is to attend the Queen's special birthday party being held at Buckingham Palace on June 25. We are trying to find out more about this possible interview and will update with more as soon as we can. You may still vote for the British Book Awardsvia this linkuntil March 27. Thanks to MN and everyone who let us know!