Forgotten Dog Star book, favourite childhood reading

[dfrankis at dial.pipex.com]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., Amber <reanna20 at y...> wrote:
> Actually, I've got a question related to this topic. There was a 
book
> that I read when I was a girl in which I can't remember the title or
> the author anymore. Maybe someone on the list might know? The books
> theme centers around the idea that the stars in the sky are real
> beings. Well, one star is murdered and all the evidence in the crime
> points to the Dog Star (but of course he was set up!). His 
punishment
> is to be sent to earth in the form of a *real* dog. Does this sound
> familiar to anyone? Can anyone help me out?
> 
> ~Amber

I think it's 'Dogsbody' by Diana Wynne Jones (I haven't checked 
Amazon).  She's written several books with magic in, covering some of 
the same ground about relationship between magic and non-magic people 
as HP.  When my wife read Witch Week she said 'That's where she got 
Harry Potter from' (I'm less sure).

Did anyone read the Jennings series of books by Anthony Buckeridge - 
HP reminds me more of this than any other boarding school stories: 
the sense of humour is similar, and the pupil's view of teachers is 
well done (or seemed so 30 years ago).  AB was an actual boarding 
school teacher.

David