HP prequel of awesomeness

I've never read the prequel to Harry Potter even though I've read most of the books and seen almost all the movies. It has a feel of rebellious teenagers mixed with fantasy into one exciting package. It's basically a detail of two important characters, James Potter and Sirius Black escaping from police using magic as an aid. They portray what most people would believe to be delinquent teens going through life with cocky attitudes and smart-ass dialogue. While it's a coming of age story like the rest of the Harry Potter series, it depicts it in a rather short humorous tone. It's not necessary to read the prequel to understand the whole Harry Potter series but it's nice and enjoyable if you feel the need for a good laugh.