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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third novel of J. K. Rowling’s seven book series and introduces the character Sirius Black. As Harry returns to Hogwarts for his third year, there is a new threat presented by the evil murderer, Black, who has recently escaped from Azkaban Prison, making him the first to ever do so. It seems that Black has murder on his mind once more and Hogwarts is forced to endure under the watch of Azkaban’s wraith guards, the Dementors. But circumstances aren’t always what they seem and Harry and his friends find themselves in the middle of adventure and danger once again.

Prisoner of Azkaban is really the first novel of the series that seems to be focused on the long term. The stories of the first to novels are pretty well wrapped up by their endings. However, Prisoner of Azkaban leaves us with the feeling that this is a lot more to come when the novel ends.

One of the greatest aspects of Rowling’s writing is her ability to capture each character’s development as the series progresses. Harry, Ron and Hermoine are all teenagers now. You can tell that they are starting to mature, but they are also entering an awkward stage of their lives and Rowling depicts that perfectly.

The blooming maturity of the characters also adds a level of maturity to the novels. As the characters grow up, so do the novels. Things are becoming darker at Hogwarts; the Dementors, who are there to protect, pose a level of threat themselves, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor keeps a dangerous secret, and an evil murderer lurks unseen in their midst.

Prisoner of Azkaban is a great read for children and adults alike. If you thought the Harry Potter novels were for kids, this novel (and all that come afterwards) will quickly disprove that belief.