I have TWO giveaways going on right now!
OK, it's confession time. I have never read any of the Harry Potter books. Yes, I am a teen services librarian. Yes, I am an avid reader. Yes, I have a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. I knew without reading the books the impact they've had on the reading habits of millions of children and adults. I knew that most everyone thought they were awesome. I can count on one hand the number of people in my circle of fellow readers who have not read them. I have just never felt compelled to read the books. I've never been a fan of wizardry in the first place, and I don't know, sometimes I like to buck trends. In addition, I've only seen bits of the first movie.
I freely admit to my teens and co-workers that I haven't read them, and I've lived by the knowledge that I would probably have to read them "someday." In fact, I own the first four books--I'd purchased them in hardcover years ago, just to have them for that "someday."
Well, folks, it looks like someday is here. Daughter has been playing some kind of Harry Potter game at camp all summer (all the girls are characters--she gets to be Ginny Weasley. I hear she's a good character.) Still, I didn't push the issue. Can you keep a secret? I'm taking Daughter to Universal Studios at the end of the month (she doesn't know yet). Yes, Harry Potter is a huge component of US. Still, I figured we'd get by.
About two weeks ago, however, Daughter comes home from camp and tells me she wants to try reading the books. She'll be 9 tomorrow, the perfect age for the books. So we pulled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone off the bookshelf, dusted it off, and she started reading. She read to chapter five as of the writing of this post. In the meantime, I put myself on hold for a second copy at the library.
I just finished the first book. It's taken me a lot longer than I thought it would to finish it, but it wasn't horrible. If Daughter ever finishes the first one, I'll probably move on to book 2 with her. I have to say that my favorite parts of the book are when Harry and Hagrid were shopping for school supplies, and when Harry bought all the candy on the train to Hogwarts. What can I say--I'm a shopper at heart! I'm hoping Daughter finishes the book before we leave for US--actually, I told her I'd have a surprise for her if she finishes it, so fingers crossed. I'm kind of excited to see the Wizarding World now, and to
So, it's the end of a Harry-free era for me. Right when everyone else is finishing Harry Potter, Daughter and I are just getting started. Oh, well, I do like to buck trends every now and then...
Enjoy your reading!
Christi
I do hope you finish them! While I love book 1 for nostalgia's sake and because it is the true introduction into Harry's world, the stories started getting even better for me around the end of book 3. Every one after that I just adore. The characters grow a year in each book, so naturally the stories and plots grow with them. Mixed in this fantastical world there is also a lot of darkness and some might say misery to be found. Stick it out, read the rest! Enjoy Universal and have a buttebeer for me!
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