<p>We love Harry here! I am totally excited about the release of both the book and the movie. We plan on going to B&N on the release day, (sort of a tradition for us now). I am most distressed that the book is at an end. I hate even thinking about another well loved character’s demise. My ds is pumped up too, lol. :)</p>
<p>I don’t know the American CD version of HP , but my D bought me the Stephen Fry CDs for “Order of the Phoenix” for my last birthday and he is fabulous! I am convinced he really gets Harry Potter as Rowling intended it --down to every last syllable and intonation shift.</p>
<p>emeraldkity4–The series must have special meaning for you, given your D’s experience. How wonderful!</p>
<p>MaryTN–I can hear how valuable the books are to your memories of your years with your children. It’s hard to beat the importance of that. I wonder if some of that has to do with: a.) their publication history matching, almost year for year, these teens growing up, and the way that lines up with b.) the way Harry ages exactly 1 year in each book, like the children reading the books. So interesting.</p>
<p>garland–Interesting that it was younger readers who got the older readers interested in the instance you describe. So, it might not be just the younger readers who aged year for year with Harry (and started reading the series before the films came out) who are the most connected to the series. </p>
<p>The announcement this week of the new HP section at the Universal theme park in Florida has me thinking that the kids who “grew up” with HP will be taking their children there in a few years. Or that’s probably what the park developers are counting on, at least.</p>
<p>Both my boys, now 15 and 18, have read every book and most definitely will read the new one as soon as it comes out. S1’s choice of reading otherwise is certainly more sophisticated now but HP is something he got hooked on young and he is loyal to it and curious, of course. Both boys will see a HP movie, mostly because everyone does, but none of the movies have lived up to the books in their opinions. No dressing in character, though. I can just imagine the look I would get if I even suggested that.</p>
<p>My wife’s sister-in-law who had stayed in England for much of 1997 returned home talking about this new Harry Potter book and so my wife bought it – for Christmas I believe – that year. We took turns reading it to our son, then going on 5. Well, we actually were pretty cutthroat about who read it to him, since the other one would have to catch up between readings. Then there were times when we were busy and he would find the book and started reading it on his own.</p>
<p>We got the second book when it was released and the same thing happened, with us reading to him much of the time. I’m not even sure that when the second book was released that it had much widespread notice, but he made us get it the day it was released.</p>
<p>The third book I remember because we were vacationing in Chattanooga on the release day. He and I walked about 10 blocks to a bookstore, waited a few minutes for it to open (at 10 a.m.) and we were the only people in there. That was a surprise because for that third one there had been some press and other people we knew in larger cities did go to release parties and had to wait in line. But in that locally-owned shop in Chattanooga, the clerk who opened the shop wasn’t even aware that the next volume was being released and had to look for it in the back. I think they had one box. </p>
<p>The third one read entirely on his own. And then, to kill time until the fourth book came out – which I think was a couple years’ wait – he decided he’d read the three books again forwards and backwards. That’s when we decided we needed to hook him up with other books. To bide time, he read the Chronicles of Narnia series and Phillip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” (which I think he’d rate as more enjoyable than the Potter series, just not as long-lived).</p>
<p>And, frankly, while I managed to pick it up that third volume wherever he happened to leave it around the house and finish it shortly after he did, that was the last one that I read cover-to-cover. Perhaps it was the long hiatus until volume four. Perhaps it was that the novelty had worn off. But as much as I enjoyed the third book, that was the last one for me. Now I follow the series through the movies and cocktail conversation.</p>
<p>But we’ve always done the pre-orders and got all but the first one on the release date. This year is interesting, though. He’s going to be at a camp when the book is released and he hasn’t mentioned anything about it. He’s been a voracious reader, but he never got into things like wearing costumes to the release parties. He just gets the books, devours them, sees the movies (on opening weekend, not necessarily the first showing) and has the DVDs. No games, cards or other merchandising, no visits to mugglenet for spoilers or other ancillary interactive experiences.</p>
<p>As much as he’s enjoyed all the books and the continuing story line, I don’t think there will be any sadness or remorse as he’s got plenty of other things that he’s into and other story lines to follow in other books. But he definitely likes to find books that come in series and I’ve wondered from time to time how much Harry Potter has influenced that preference.</p>
<p>3 kids
Oldest 19 was one of those kids who went to the library and would come home with a stack of books head to her room and come out a few days later ready to go get more. She resisted reading the first HP book for some reason but one day she was home sick and had nothing else to read and read it in a day. She always wanted to get the books right when they came out and read it straight through but she is definitely not one who talks about the book and would never go to a HP party. Not her thing. She also had no interest in seeing the movies. She hates to ruin a book by seeing the movie.
2nd child male 17 has never read a HP book but has listened to a few on tape while on vacation. He probably doesn’t have a clue HP is coming out with a new book.
Child 3 age 12. Loves Harry Potter and was JK Rowling at school when they had to dress up as an author. She is eagerly awaiting the book and wants to go get it at midnight. She has never been to the first showing of a movie but wants to dress up and go to the opening of the next HP movie.</p>
<p>Dr. Mom – no help for your theory here. Here’s the history of my family’s HP reception:</p>
<p>S got given the first book for his 11th birthday, in 5th grade, about six months after US publication, and just as it was beginning to get popular. He read it in about a week, and told everyone (me, my wife, his then-13 older sister) that it was a great book we had to read.</p>
<p>I was getting intrigued by all the buzz, so I read it next, also over the course of about a week. I made my wife read it. Our daughter, though, the family’s biggest (and snobbiest) reader, refused to read it – for boys, for kids.</p>
<p>Son and I, trading news stories, realized that we could get the second book already from the UK. So we did. He was so excited when he got it. He took it to school . . . and learned that over half the kids in his class had also already bought the book from Amazon UK. This was still about three months before it came out here.</p>
<p>Memorial Day weekend, it was muggy and hot, and my daughter was sitting around the house. She picked up book 1. She got up from the couch 20 hours later having read both books and a completely committed HP freak.</p>
<p>We pre-ordered book 3 before its UK publication (which coincided with the US publication of book 2). I read it in 24 hours, then sent it UPS to my son at camp. A week later (he and everyone in his bunk having read it) we picked it up from him on visitor’s day and delivered it to my daughter at her camp.</p>
<p>Since then, we have had to get multiple copies of each. My daughter, now 20, has been to every midnight release event (even when, for book 3, she had already read it). She has never made it past noon before finishing the book (and then she sits around impatiently waiting for her friends to finish so someone will talk to her about it). I know she and her brother have re-read the entire series in preparation for this summer. And they, I, and their friends have had hours of conversation about what we think will happen in the last book. (My wife, not so much, although she has read all six books.)</p>
<p>I discovered HP first on some AOL book boards when the first one came out. Mathson read it after me and enjoyed it very much. He’s read everyone since - including finishing the first fat one (Book 3?) in a 7 hour marathon reading. He’s never been a rabid fan though - he probably likes Tamora Pierce and sci fi authors like Lois McMasters Bujold better. fNobody here dresses up or gets books at midnight, but we’ve occassionally ordered them to arrive on the first day they are out. We’ll all read the new one. Mathson usually goes first since he reads so fast.</p>
<p>Mathson’s little brother is the one that HP had the most impact on. He struggled with reading in 1st grade and was still basically at Nate the Great level at the beginning of second grade. His best friend was reading HP and he wanted desparately to read it too. I was reading it to him as bedtime reading. About a quarter of the way through the book he is looking over his shoulder and says, “Mommy I can read it! I can read Harry Potter!” He ran downstairs and told everyone in the house “I can read Harry Potter! I can read Harry Potter!” The book went off to school with him the next day and he read it for DEAR time. After that there was no stopping him.</p>
<p>My 20 year old daughter and her HP friends also have and will attend every midnight release event. They all are in the process of rereading each of the previous books and will have them read before the new arrival. When the movies are released to the local IMAX, the girls are there for the first showing.</p>
<p>My 23 year old son has also read each book, but he is willing to wait until his sister has finished her copy. While he has seen the movies, I believe he has not viewed them in the theater, only on tv.</p>
<p>I am embarrassed to say that I have never read a HP book and only have seen bits and pieces of the movies! I love to read, but just haven’t picked up a copy yet; I might need to do that this summer.</p>
<p>Have you Harry Potter fans heard about the new Harry Potter theme park Universal Studios is planning?</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,276794,00.html[/url]”>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,276794,00.html</a></p>
<p>My third grade teacher used to read a little to us at the end of each school day and at the end of the year we still weren’t finished, so I took it out of the library. After that I began reading a lot more, though I’d always liked reading.
I’m 15 now, and I’m not obsessed with the series but I do love it and I preordered it and will be reading it straight through when I get it!
That is if I can convince my brother to let me. My case is that I read way faster than him and it’ll be done within 24 hours, haha.</p>
<p>S caled me from college the minute he heard the release date and asked me to preorder from Amazon.
He too will reread the last one right before, then when he receives the new one will retreat into his room and read straight through no matter how long it takes.He just finished his freshman year.
I remember carrying the first few up to summer camp for him like it was a pot of gold.The books honestly helped make him into a reader.
The row of HP books stand in a place of honor on his bookshelves.
He also can’t wait for the movie.</p>
<p>I’m loving these stories about kids getting turned on to reading through HP. And the family memories. Good stuff. Thanks for the posts! I’m beginning to wonder if my theory holds up only for my own family–ha. :)</p>
<p>Not just the Harry Potter books. Now my youngest kid gets into Harry Potter fanfiction website and reading non-stop. This kid is not an avid reader to start out but since Harry Potter books she turn to be one. In fact, I have to limit these so called “couch potato” activies because of the addiction.</p>
<p>The morning the fifth book came out, we had to fly to Puerto Rico. I was hoping we could find a bookstore in San Juan with the English version. At 5:30 am I went to buy the paper from a kiosk at LaGuardia airport, and there the book was, right next to the cash register! As I picked it up, the woman in line behind me said “I hope that isn’t the only one they have, or we’ll be fighting for it!” (There were more, so early morning airline passengers were spared the sight of two middle-aged women rolling around and pummeling each other on the terminal floor.) </p>
<p>Although S, a graduating HS senior this year, never dressed up like Harry Potter, he LOOKS like him and for a few years (about ages 11-13) had to endure being pointed at on the street. When H showed S’s picture while on a trip to Japan, to a person they all exclaimed “Harrrreee Potterrrrr!”.</p>
<p>So, uh, yes…we’re fans!</p>
<p>Son 17, daughter, 14- very into Harry Potter. Both are incensed when the movies take liberties with the written word. We share the new releases, each kid gets to read one chapter at a time. When reading the newly released ‘Order of the Phoenix’ on a transpacific flight, we had a huge fight- D. slept for five hours and S got way ahead of her…</p>
<p>I had to pre-order two copies: one for S and one for D. Otherwise they’d fight over who got to read it first. And if it’s anything like last time, they’ll each read the entire book in a day. They love books in general, but especially the Harry Potter books.</p>
<p>That’s hilarious, HeliMomNYC. My friends are such huge fans. /eyeroll 
In fact, we’re going to have two “parties” celebrating the release of the movie and book. I prefer LOTR.</p>
<p>so, anyone else hear about the HPotter theme park opening in 2 years?</p>
<p>my D SCREECHED when I told her, she wants to go there for her highschool graduation present</p>
<p>Calendar has been marked. We haven’t discussed getting the book yet. The rule of thumb is that son gets it first, meaning I have to wait a day for him to finish. One year we had planned to go up north, and ordered a copy to be delivered. Instead we went to Madison, and were at the Whaddya Know show (sp?) where some kids in the audience had already started on their copies- son couldn’t wait to return home for his copy- we resisted the temptation to buy a second copy that morning. One year I took him to B&N around midnight and stood in line a long time. The last time he and his HS buddies went to the B&N party. There were so many copies available I no longer worry about being able to get one. The books have matched son’s age closely each time they came out- it would seem strange to be able to read them all in quick succession, to read them to him or for the story to be about a much older boy.</p>