Do you feel that the Harry Potter Series has gotten more people reading?
By LillianPearl
@LillianPearl (101)
United States
August 27, 2011 9:02pm CST
In 1999, right out of college, on of the veterinarians I worked with told me about the Harry Potter books. We worked third shift together. She got me interested.
Later that week I found the first four in hardcover at TJ Maxx.
I finished them in 5 days.
When we worked together the following weekend, I told her I'd bought them. She was so thrilled that I'd read them all!
Her sister is a teacher and had gotten her hooked . . . citing that the author had engaged children & adults alike.
A few years later, I met my now husband, while his son was 1 1/2.
Fast forward, to summer 2006. My stepson was about to start kindergarten and we were doing his assigned summer reading project. We had to read 5 books. I read Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, and the rest were library books.
It was already his favorite movie. The book didn't catch his 5 year old, ADHD attention span. However, by this past summer . . . he demanded that he have his own copy of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. He had read half of it during his Fourth grade testing.
We went to a double feature of Part I (Started at 9p) and Part II (At 12:01a) . . . it was great to see the variety of people at the theatre.
I was just wondering if anyone else had similar experiences.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@surfer222 (1714)
• Indonesia
28 Aug 11
My friends like reading novel books but i don't enjoy it so much. I rather watch the movie than reading a novel. I've tried to read novel but i always got to sleep after view pages. Maybe someday i'll enjoy reading novel but for now i rather watch a movie than reading a novel.
@LillianPearl (101)
• United States
28 Aug 11
Have you ever thought of audio books? The reason I mention this is, my husband it the same way.
However, on long trips, or during his daily commute, he will listen to an audio book. He actually listened to the first three HP books on CD while we were traveling.
@doryvien (2284)
• United States
30 Aug 11
Hi Lilian,
I only got interested in Harry Potter when I've seen the last film, the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and I did watch it only because most of my office mates were talking about it. I watched it with my kids (age 12 and 8). Then, I realized I missed something really good so I embarked on watching all the films (from 1 to 7) and also I started reading the books. My kids are now solid HP fans, and so am I. To answer your question, I'm not so keen on reading books now as compared to when I was back in school (which was a long time ago), I prefer to read magazines and newspapers, I'm more interested in the current events than fiction and adventure. But the HP series has actually brought me back to my first love, reading books (novels, pocketbooks). And my kids? They so love the books!
@LillianPearl (101)
• United States
31 Aug 11
I am so happy to hear that you have been reunited with an old flame! :)
I adore reading. I am a full time student, so lately, reading for pleasure is a treasured moment!
I could get lost in books. Much to my husband's chagrin!
Things have been tight financially, so reading takes me on vacation in my own living room!!!
I hope you continue to read, anything and EVERYTHING!!!!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
14 Apr 12
It is gotten people who are more interested in witchraft interested in reading. I am not a Harry Potter fan, more of a Lord of the Rings, but those series of books are harder to read then te Harry Potter ones. And I have always been interested in fantasy and alternate universes, but since I was already interested in historical, mystery, and suspense plus some romantic novels, I did not miss the witchcraft alternate universe where you could wish for something bad to happen and mud would engulf your teacher or you could fly ala broomstick because there were all those stories to read.
But for someone who is tired of just seeing shows where people can fly and you can make things disappear by singing Alakazas --dippity do dah, the Harry Potter novels have gotten them to read.
@MomofLucas (50)
• United States
28 Aug 11
I've always been a big reader, so it was no surprise that once I found the Harry Potter series I had to read them all, and re-read them. But I agree that the books have gotten people reading, especially kids. I know I have personally bought the books for three of my nephews, who I never see reading but requested the Harry Potter books. They were on one of my nephews school reading list for points. He would read a couple of chapters then call me to talk about them. I loved it. My son is 3 and he already loves the first movie (I won't let him watch the rest of the movies yet because of his age and the scare factor), I told him they were based on books and he asked me when he would be old enough to read them.
@LillianPearl (101)
• United States
28 Aug 11
I agree 100%!
My little man is 10 and has now seen all of them and read them too.
He is a "super reader" according to his school librarian. I keep feeding him books.
Another thing that helped my guy with reading, was subtitles. He hears the word and sees it written!
So glad your nephews found something that grabbed them into the reading world!!!
@shuuen (39)
• Japan
18 Sep 11
My very first favorite author was J.K. Rowling because she opened up an entire new world for me when I was in grade school. My imagination went rampant because of her work, and I even actually believed in magic! I was actually disappointed upon seeing the first movie because the Hogwarts in my head seemed bigger and better. But in general, books allow us an escape from reality and help develop our minds. I think people who don't really enjoy reading don't have much imaginative power to begin with, that's why they don't like it =P
@doroffee (4222)
• Hungary
16 Apr 12
Yes, I do. I know from experience-I was a reader, but lots of my classmates weren't when Harry Potter came in. I think we needed a good book (or good books) which is about kids our age, for kids our age and in our time (not too archaic in language and in cultural references) and something for boys too. And there's still a thing: that it was thought-provoking and told us a lot of valuable things about friendship and self-concsience and knowing who you are and what you're supposed to do, without being too direct and cheesy.
