Yes, This Will Be On the Test

Writing, Reading, Laughing

Monday, April 9, 2012

H is for Harry Potter


Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

I have yet to meet anyone in the wonderful world of children's literature who has not been profoundly touched by Harry Potter or JK Rowling's journey. For me it's not just the way the books shone a spotlight on the quality and viability of children's literature, nor the richness of the storytelling, it's the way JK Rowling put books into children's hands. And they read them. Oh, how they read them. 


My students craved these books in a way I'd never seen before. Even the most reluctant reader was swept away by the boy who lived. That is the true gift of Harry Potter. I still see the magic anew each year when one of my 5th graders picks up Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone for the first time and doesn't stop until they've finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The Harry Potter stories have had a special place in my family as well. My daughter, Melissa, was eleven when she picked up the first book. She grew up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. No one could wish for better friends.


How has Harry Potter woven his spells into your life?

Click on the Blogging From A to Z Challenge logo in the sidebar to access the links to all the superheroes participating in this blog hop.

17 comments:

  1. Oh how I love Harry! I was a little older (in high school) when they first came out, but they were perfect for reading aloud to my brother. We read the first three together (until I left for college) and they hold a special place in my heart for that reason :)

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  2. Loved the books, loved the movies. Both were a series of events woven over the past decade, something to look forward to, and I was never disappointed.

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  3. I read aloud a lot to my youngest (home schooled) daughter. Harry Potter came along and she took the book(s) away from me and read them all herself! I read them too.

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  4. Hi, stopping by from the A-Z challenge. I never read Harry Potter, so I can't comment. But I'm so happy to see a blogger who uses/lists her author name as opposed to a catchy blog name. Glad to meet you. :)

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  5. Those are such fantastic books! I need to re-read them someday when my TBR pile shrinks a little.

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  6. I LOVE the Harry Potter series! I'm looking at them all on my "favorite" bookshelf right now. :)

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  7. Of course! Why didn't I think of this for H day?? Severus Snape is one of the greatest literary characters of all time.

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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  8. I saw the same interest from reluctant readers. Some students told me that the only books they've read were HP.

    I read the first two books and recently I bought them all from Pottermore. I'd like to sit down one day (or for a whole week or month) and devote all my reading energy to them.

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  9. I haven't read Harry Potter (sacrilegious, I know)but I do agree about how great it was that so many children were reading.

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  10. Harry Potter has a special place in my heart because I watched the first movie with my husband before I even knew he had any romantic interest in me whatsoever. And the books are pretty amazing, too. JK Rowling really opened up the YA and children's genre for future authors.

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  11. Our family must be strange, because we've been noticeably unaffected by that series! It just isn't our thing. I tried and tried to get my boys to read them, but they had no interest. Maybe someday we'll all jump on the wagon!

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  12. I had to take my 12 year old stepdaughter to midnight release of The Half Blood Prince and I remember being tickled to death we were going to a bookstore, not a movie theater! I'm waiting impatiently for the magic to begin again with my 10 year old daughter when she starts reading them...

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  13. I love this book. OMG.

    do check out my letters at GAC a-z

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  14. Great choice! :) My kids are a little older, but the magic still works!

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  15. Your post gave me chills! Harry Potter changed my world when a 5th grade student convinced my co-author to read The Sorcerer's Stone and then Stephanie passed it on to me. We both devoured the first 3 books and it was just our luck that the 4th book was coming out that summer. That began our Barnes and Noble ritual- we went at midnight to get our books and it was something I looked forward to from the minute I closed the new book (which was usually the day after it came out). I still read and reread the books all the time. I listen to Jim Dale read the audio version every night before I fall asleep (he is amazing). I think it is awesome that your daughter got to grow up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione! (Sorry this is so long- but HP is one of my all time favorite things).

    ~Jess

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