A few weeks ago was the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone or Philosopher’s Stone as it is called in some countries. I saw so many postings on Facebook and articles about the series unlike any I’ve seen before. This anniversary brings back so many memories. I grew up with the Harry Potter series or Harry, Ron, and Hermoine as did most of my friends.
A friend of mine in 7th grade first introduced me to Harry Potter. By then the first three books had already been published. I started reading the books and was instantly hooked. I loved how J.K. Rowling transported you to this other very much real world. If I didn’t know any better I would actually think this world exists. The writing made it tangible. And the characters were so well written that they could exist as real people in the same world that I lived in. What I love about the series is that the writing is absolutely magnificent. The characters so real. The details and intricacies of the storyline brilliant. But what I find appealing is that J.K. Rowling created a world that tugged at everyone’s imagination. And of course the battle of good vs. evil, love vs. hate, was relatable to all.
I remember lining up at my local Barnes and Noble before midnight for the pre-release party and midnight release of the books. My friends and I dressed up in school uniforms mirroring those worn by Hogwarts students. I remember wearing a blue skirt, white shirt, and my dad’s blue tie. These days I wouldn’t be caught dead dressing up unless it was for Halloween and even then I’d feel like a fool, but I loved how excited and innocent we were. These are the defining moments of my childhood that I will always carry with me.
The best part was buying the books at midnight was staying up all night to read. The books always came out in the summer so I would stay up through out the night reading, get some sleep the next day and then continue reading. The best spot in the house was the sunroom. I would sit in the wicker rocking chair with my feet propped up on the center table, the fan blasting on high speed cooling the room in the middle of summer and read for hours.
J.K. Rowling also unknowingly unified the world or at least kids with this series. There’s a unifying force thats binds those of us who have read the book. When you meet another Harry Potter book lover, you feel a kinship. A muggle version of the game Quidditch was born from the magical one. Disney has a whole Harry Potter theme park! (I can’t wait to visit). Can you say this of any other book or series? It’s nothing short of amazing. And all because words on a page that were strung together to create a sentence, a paragraph, a page, a book that kids fell in love with.
If you haven’t read the books, I’m crying on the inside for you. It’s never too late to start reading. While you might not share the same childhood experiences that I did, I guarantee you’ll be pulled into the magical world of Harry Potter!