All of the Harry Potter books are considered high fantasy.  They contain all 6 of the motifs of fantasy:  magic, other worlds, good vs. evil, heroism, special character types, and fantastic objects.  All of these motifs are central to the Harry Potter books and no doubt one of the reasons they are so loved by children and adults.  High fantasy takes us away from our world and into a world that is an escape.  It has problems and evils, but they are more removed from the problems we experience in our lives and so the novel becomes a true escape for the reader.  And, after reading these novels, the reader is given a sense of empowerment to take back to their own world, through the triumphs of Harry's character.

 

The magic of Harry Potter himself and the magic in the Harry Potter novels is magic in the truest and most literal sense of the word.  People can turn into cats, objects and people fly, portraits talk, staircases move, ceilings are enchanted, and owls deliver the mail.

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban offers, in my opinion, excellent characterization of Harry Potter.  He is the reader's favorite boy wizard, but he also experiences distinctly human pain and triumphs in the Prisoner of Azkaban, making him even more identifiable to young readers as a truly human character.  His strengths and weaknesses are portrayed, he is seen to suffer at the loss of his family, he is fearful of Sirius Black, and by the end of this third book, he has grown as a character.

 

The Prisoner of Azkaban focuses on the escape of Sirius Black from the wizard prison of Azkaban.  Sirius is portrayed as evil, villainous, dangerous, and most of all, the betrayer of Harry's parents.  Harry has someone on his tail, presumably Black, who is trying to murder him in hopes that Lord Voldemort will return to power.  The novel unfolds with all of the details and intricacies readers have come to know and expect from J.K. Rowling.  Down to the last sentence of the book, she does not miss a beat.  Actions progress realistically and scene changes give readers a break in tension.  The action builds to an almost maddening point, because even to the end, the suspense of the reader is held.

 

Good versus evil is a primary focus of all of the Harry Potter books.  Books are paced well, with funny and humorous scenes usually involving Ron or Hermione woven with tense battles of good vs. evil, Harry vs. all of his enemies.  As the action progresses in the Prisoner of Azkaban, the missing pieces of Harry's family history are dramatically pieced together, making this book a true turning point in the Harry Potter series.  Sirius Black is revealed not to be a murderer or a betrayer.  Instead, he is Harry's godfather.  Not only is Black Harry's godfather, but he was also close friends with Harry's father James, and Harry is allowed to take solace in Sirius Black being part of his "family" if only for a short time.