Los Angeles Times Children’s Bestsellers

October 22, 2000

1 HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine Books: $17.95) Harry risks his life to solve a mystery at Hogwarts School. (Ages 9 to 12)

2 HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE by J.K. Rowling (Scholastic: $ 25.95) Harry, now 14, competes in the great Triwizard Tournament and is pursued by the sinister Lord Voldemort. (Ages 9 and up)

3 WHERE DO BALLOONS GO? by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell (HarperCollins: $16.95) When a little boy accidentally lets go of his balloon, he begins an imaginary adventure. (Ages 4 to 8)

4 OLIVIA by Ian Falconer (Atheneum: $16) The marvelous and mischievous, black, white and red adventures of a girl pig. (Ages 3 to 7)

5 IT’S PUMPKIN TIME! by Zoe Hall Siblings prepare for their favorite holiday by planting, watering and caring for a young pumpkin. (Ages 4 to 8)

6 HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine: $5.99 paper) Unhappy at home, a young boy discovers that he is a magician with great powers. (Ages 9 to 12)

7 A DINOSAUR NAMED SUE by Patricia Relf (Scholastic: $15.95) The Field Museum’s science team tells the story of their work with the world’s most complete T. Rex .(Ages 9 to 12)

8 FRANKLIN’S HALLOWEEN by Paulette Bourgeois (Econo-Clad Books: $11.10) Children follow Franklin to a Halloween party, complete with games, a parade and a haunted house. (Ages 4 to 8)

9 LORD BROCKTREE: A TALE FROM REDWALL by Brian Jacques (Philomel Books: $22.95) The 13th novel in the series about the fearsome badger-warrior. (Ages 9 to 12)

10 IT’S RAINING PIGS AND NOODLES by Jack Prelutsky and James Stevenson (Greenwillow: $17.95) Puns, jokes and wordplay coupled with sketches of pigs in kilts on stilts and other oddities. (Ages 4 to 8)

Rankings are based on a Times poll of Southland bookstores.