I Love These Books

I received probably the best gift for Christmas this year. I got the complete series of Harry Potter by JK Rowlings. I looooooove this series. Adore it. In fact, I can't believe how much I like them seeing as I resisted a really long time before even reading the first one. I must say, if it weren't for my 7th grade first period class in 2001, I would have never cracked open the spine of the first one.

Let me explain. I have no issues with the main characters being witches and wizards and practicing magic. It is integral to the book and the book is a work of fiction. So, no religious or other issues with reading it. I just got completely hung up on the fact that so many people were "ga-ga" over the Harry Potter book, that I decided it was all hype and the book/books would never live up to the hype.

So, in 2001, our school started a new initiative to get kids reading more: DEAR (Drop Everything And Read). Problem was, my students just twiddled their thumbs instead of read. They wanted nothing to do with it. Few ever had books and seeing as #1 I teach French and had no English books on my and #2 I was a "travelling" teacher (aka: I had no classroom to call home so I went from class to class each period), there was no way I could carry enough books/novels for my students to take advantage of the time. So, as a way to stop nagging them to bring books, get angry at them for not bringing them and getting frustrated because they were wasting a wonderful opportunity; I decided that I would read to them!

I told them what I was going to do and they looked a little horror-struck. A teacher was going to read to them! Big, seventh-grade adolescents who were way past the stage where being read to was cool. Yep. I told them to get over it. I was going to be reading. Now, we had to decide what I was going to read. I had them come up with suggestions and told them we'd vote on the book I'd read first. To my disbelief and horror, they chose Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Great. Wonderful. I grumbled internally about this while hoping the school library's copy was signed out. I was not so lucky.

And so began my reluctant entry into the Wizarding World. And wow! Was it ever interesting and spectacular! I was so pulled into the story, it immediately became one of my most favorite books, next to the Little House on the Prairie books which I love because I remember exactly when I learned to read...the day I picked up Little House in the Big Woods and realized that I could actually decipher all those crazy letters on the page and that the words created a story that I instantly fell in love with.

Harry Potter has a special place in my heart. I just love his heroism, his bravery in the face of major adversity. I love how friendship, partnership and team work are highlighted as the path to success--whether it be against the evil Lord Voldemort or whether it be to knock Draco Malfoy off his pedestal, if even for a little bit. It is this love and friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione (whose name I had the worst time pronouncing all through the first book!) that get them through the rough spots during their years at Hogwarts.

So, when I opened my gift at Christmas, I squealed delightedly. I don't think even a gift of the most magnificent jewlery could have made me so happy! I sat down to indulge in the gift of reading and just drank up the stories another time. While reading through them consecutively this time, instead of waiting a year or more for the next installment to come out, I was much better able to recall who was who with the minor/secondary characters, and better able to feel a part of the story that I had not felt as well when reading them with long periods of time between each book.

I finished the seventh book on Thursday night. As I had the last time I read it over the summer, I cried the whole last 150 pages of the book. Ah...Harry survives. He defeats Voldemort and has finally the "normal" life he'd craved his entire youth. I only wish I could read about what happens from the defeat of Voldemort to the Epilogue where Harry and Ginny accompany their children to the Hogwart's Express. I wish JK Rowlings would write another, but she's already said she won't. ~sigh~

Well, perhaps she'll publish an encyclopedia of all the backstories of all the characters. I've heard of rumors this might happen and I'd be first in line to buy it if she did. What a wonderful addition to the novels this would make. I find her characters so interesting that the smidge of information we get in the novels doesn't satisfy me. I'd love to learn more about Hermione's youth before Hogwarts. I'd love to know about Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape! What was James like? And Lily? How about Sirius and Lupin? Yes, we get some vague ideas in the novels, but I crave to know more. Maybe one day.

Until then, I search for another book to hold my attention. Any interesting ones you've read that you'd like to recommend? I like all kinds of books. The only genre I'm not so thrilled with are Science Fiction/Fantasy (yes, I know that Harry Potter is considered Fantasy but it's...different somehow!) and I am so not a fan of Horror. Anything else, I'd love to hear recommendations for. So, what do you like to read?