Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The Washington Post Go read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for the other main reason to love the series: their sheer comic exuberance even in the midst of high drama. Kids, of course, would mention this first. Jokes, gags and memorable put-downs pop up on nearly every page ? Sometimes it seems we adult critics are so quick to take Harry Potter seriously (whether we're looking to praise or censure) that we forget how cheerful Rowling has been throughout this whole amazing, death-haunted enterprise. ? Elizabeth Ward