Harry Potter Mania

It seems like it was only yesterday that my 8 year old daughter wanted to read this book about a wizard.  It was becoming quite the rage, but there was all kinds of uproar about it-it was evil, it was fantastic, you shouldn't let your kids read them because they were satanic, it was amazing.  I decided to read the book, before I let my young and impressionable 8 year old venture into it.  So, I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone being very skeptical about it's contents, and figuring it would be a kid's book that I would just have to muddle through.  I didn't have to read very many pages before I was hooked.  Now I am an avid reader, and I love all genres, but this book was so entertaining.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt that all the uproar was nonsense.  I think the first two were already out at this point and I read them both, and so did my daughter.  After that when each one would come out, I always said I had to read them first to make sure they were ok. :)  Really though, I just wanted to read them first!  I realize that not everyone likes the book, but I for one am grateful for them. They may not go down in history as great literature, but they have taken some of my non reader children, and made them readers.  My oldest three have read them multiple times, our copies are literally falling apart, and my youngest two have read the first four so far.  My oldest could probably be considered obsessed...she has read them more times than I can count, no exaggeration.  She is Ginny Weasley and is looking for her Harry Potter, (maybe it's her red hair).  We keep reminding her that Harry Potter isn't real, but...

The movies have been fun, too.  Which is why I am writing this post.  The last movie is now out, no more Harry Potter to look forward to.  I have enjoyed the movies, thought they were cast amazingly well, although it has forever ruined Alan Rickman as the love interest in Sense and Sensiblity-who would be interested in Snape? It has been fun to see some great characters brought to life, even if they probably aren't the greatest movies ever.  I for one have thoroughly enjoyed the ride through JK Rowling's vivid imagination into Harry Potter world, and have always found "magic" in the written word.

All ready to go to the midnight showing with their cousins.