Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In which...

The plot thickens, the emotional implications deepen, and Harry makes a furry friend.

Highlights:

• Harry's sojourn at the Leaky Cauldron/in Diagon Alley
  
• the Marauder's Map
• Professor Lupin, best teacher ever
• Ron's plan for dealing with the boggart
• Animagi
  

Beginnings of the rest:

• dementors
• Harry's Patronus
• the makers of the Marauder's Map
• Voldemort's servant
• Trelawney's prediction
  

The movie:

• Pros: Alfonso Cuaron finally shows us the world of Harry Potter, not with twinkling music, mediocre effects and generic childlike wonder, but with realistic scenery, lighting, and styling. So cool. Everything's scarier and more beautiful and just cooler this way. And the kids look so real. The Weasleys! Also: Emma Thompson!
  
• Cons: Sidestepping the heartbreaking revelations that come at the end of the book. So Harry doesn't know the story of his dad, Lupin, Sirius and Pettigrew? He doesn't know why his Patronus takes the form of a stag? Come ON!

The book:

My enduring favorite, along with Book 7, of the series.