Siteseeing column by Jan Perry

Somehow it seems fitting that the American opening of ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' should fall at the end of Children's Literature Week. What other story can you name that has kids and adults alike so eager to read a 700-plus-page novel and bookstores open at midnight to accommodate them?

• harrypotter.warnerbros.com: Unless you have a broadband connection, it will take a few minutes for the Hogwarts Express to make a successful stop at Station 93/4. Then it will take a few more as the homepage loads -- but perhaps patience is part of the Hogwarts admissions test.

• new.topsitelists.com/be stsites/Kara226b/topsites.html: I started looking for some of the best HP sites to list -- but there are literally thousands of them now -- and dozens, if not hundreds, are worth a mention if you happen to be dotty over Potter. So, I am simply going to give you the address where you'll find more than 200 elaborate links. Each has art and a brief description to help you choose. (By the way, if you thought the official site took too long to open, you might want to get out your wand and perfect a spell or two while this one is loading.

• www.darkmark.com/topsites/topsites.html: This is another list site. If you want to narrow the sizable field a bit more, this one might be more to your liking. And to be sure of the quality, check out the ''only award site for HP Webmasters'' at:

• snitchawards.hpwizardnet.com: This is where HP sites are judged (and you get to peek at the winners).

• www.nanana.com/kidsbooks.html: While the biggest news has to be about Hogwarts, other favorite reading materials have kids all hopped up about Hobbits, Elves, Pirates, Poohs, Piglets, cats, rats and rabbits that have made it from books to the big screen.

• www.lordoftherings.net: Another book that ha s transported readers of all ages into a whole new world -- J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Have fun exploring the official site for the movie due out later this year.

• home.rica.net/CaptainNemo/link/ozwizard. htm: Time tested and just as amazing -- these wizard stories come from the land of Oz. You'll find actual texts for L. Frank Baum's books as well as a number of sites with monkeys, Munchkins and a whole world you never saw in the MGM Classic.

Jan Perry is a wizard wannabe. Write to her at SiteSeer2K@aol.com with your questions or comments.