It's true. I have never read Harry Potter. I admitted this here on our blog over a decade ago and have still not read the series. I started the first book 10 times and never got past page 63. It wasn't that I didn't like the book. It just wasn't a priority for me when it first came out. And then all of a sudden there were 7 books--each one longer than the last, and reading the whole series seemed like an overwhelming endeavor. And there are so many new books I am dying to read, taking the time to read Harry Potter has not been a priority. until now.
Last year, I attended two of the Scholastic Reading Summits. (The Summit is always one of my favorite days of summer, BTW.). Scholastic was celebrating 20 years of Harry Potter and the new paperback editions of the book were available. And after the summits, Scholastic sent me this fabulous boxed set! Thank you Scholastic! I took this gift as a bit of a sign that maybe it was time to read the books!I don't keep it a secret that I haven't read the Harry Potter books but sitting in that room at the Scholastic Reading Summit in Chicago, I realized how many of the references I just don't get. I was sad that I wasn't part of this conversation around books that so many people in my world have experienced.
Also, this summer, we are taking a trip to Disney and may spend a day at Universal's Harry Potter World. My family is obsessed with Harry Potter. All of them read the books more than once and one of the movies seems to be on quite often at our house. I walk into the family room and my husband and daughter are often on the couch rewatching one of their favorites. They are all abuzz about the things we'll do and they keep making references to the story and characters that I just don't understand.
So I decided it was time to read the books. For many reasons. I teach 5th grade and the first few books are perfect for 5th graders. I have huge Harry Potter fans in my classroom each year and it seems crazy that I haven't read them. And how can I miss out on experiencing Harry Potter world as someone who read and loved the books?
In my post from 2007, I said, " If I read it later, which I very well may do, I will know so much from the talk, the media, just by being part of the world. I won't come at it as everyone else did. " I get the jokes in the world enough to know they are Harry Potter references but I don't really understand them. I told my family last week, before starting the first book, "I kind of know all the characters and what happens from just living in the world." They both looked at each other and rolled their eyes. And really, I know better than that. Hearing about a book and a set of characters does not compare to experiencing the story. Of all the things I know in the world to be true, I do know this.
Last week, I read book one of Harry Potter. I enjoyed it. Totally enjoyed it. And I have started on Book 2. I am not sure I will read all 7 in a row but I think you can say I am hooked and I am confident I will finish the series in the near future. I am so happy to be reading them. And I am hoping to watch the movies after I read each book, when I can.
I share this babbling story of my Harry Potter reading for several reasons:
1. We all have these "book gaps"--books that is seems everyone has read but books that we've missed somehow. It seems to be a point of shame for readers who pride ourselves on keeping up and that's silly so I wanted to make this book gap public. It is never too late to enjoy a good book.
2. Sometimes we forget about the great books that aren't brand new. I have spent the last several years reading books as they are published, keeping up on the best and newest books that I sometimes forget about the fabulous books I've missed in my reading life. For my students, I am worried that I have focused too much on the new books and have forgotten to highlight all the great books from past years. Lesson to self.
3. Hearing about a book, walking through a room where the movie is playing does not compare to reading the actual book. Just a reminder.
4. The thought of reading the Harry Potter series has been overwhelming to me. Most of my family and friends read the books one per year as they were published. That seemed doable. But now that there are seven (and some are very long), it seems to overwhelming. I wonder if our kids feel that way about some of our series and classics?
5. I imagine there are other teachers out there who have not read Harry Potter. If anyone wants to read it for the first time with me this summer, would love to have a little support group as I think I might be the only reading teacher who has never read it.
I'll keep you posted!
