Harry Potter and the Joys of Reading to Kids
“Our aspirations are wrapped up in books
Our inclinations are hidden in looks…”
-Belle & Sebastien - “Wrapped Up in Books”
I, like millions of other people, am now the proud owner of the latest Harry Potter book. I’ve joined the ranks of people that turn up to work or school slightly bleary eyed from staying up later than usual to press onward in the final story of the boy wizard. Don’t worry, I don’t intend to reveal any of the plot to those who haven’t read it yet. I do find it strange that one of the top web searches this week is for Harry Potter spoilers, why would you want to know how it ends? The Harry Potter books have been a great cultural phenomena, a series of kid’s books that have managed to suck in adults as well. And just the fact that kids are reading, I think is outstanding, especially in our TV, video, computer game culture. With all the fanfare about the new books, and with 56 days to go on that damn counter to the right, it got me to thinking about kids and reading and reading to kids.
As long as I can remember I’ve been an avid reader. I remember my parents reading me the Dr. Seuss books and loving all those nearly nonsensical rhymes. My Dad and I read Richard Adams’ “Watership Down” together when I got a bit older and that’s still one of my favorite books today. When I got old enough to read on my own, I got hooked on my 
first series of books - the Encyclopedia Brown stories. The stories featured the young detective Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown, a boy detective who runs his agency out of a garage in Idaville, Florida. I loved these books and sucked them up like candy. This series led me into others including The Hardy Boys, C.S. Lewis’ “Narnia” books and Tolkien’s Ring series. All of which I devoured, there’s something really compelling about serial books - following a set of characters as you all age together. That’s one of the great things about the Potter books.
I spent as much time as I could reading, often preferring it to other activities. I was crap at most sports, so reading was my solace (maybe that’s why I’m an academic now?) My grandparents in Canada has a great library for their grandkids. My sister and cousins and I usually spent a couple of weeks up there every summer. They had tons of classics - “Treasure Island”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “The Three Musketeers”, “Tom Sawyer” and their ilk all in lovely hardcover. I always looked forward to rainy days when we were stranded indoors, I could get into that great library. One of the best things about it was that they have this rotating bookshelf, just like you see in mystery movies. There was never a secret room behind it, though….
Now with a kid of my own on the way one of the things I’m excited about is reading to him or her. I’ve had to refrain from going out and buying series of books for them to read. I realize that there’s a few years before my child is going to want to tuck up with a Beverly Cleary or a Roald Dahl, a few years before they’re going to want to sit on their dad’s lap and listen to “Watership Down”. I know that I have a few years of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” ad nauseum. But at least I’ll have the Harry Potter books ready.
Image credits:
Cartoon of boy and girl reading
Popularity: 14% [?]
I loved the very hungry caterpillar, each peach pear plum and brown bear when i was wee! And I had a giant richard scary book that was taller than me. mmm books
26 Jul 2007 at 4:30 am
It isn’t the “Goodnight Moon” and “Very Hungry Caterpillar” readings that get to me. It’s the “Elmo & Friends” (”Big Bird loves yellow! He likes how it looks. Look for some yellow in these pictures he took!”), etc., that make my brain melt.
I’ve had the “Little House” series for years. I asked for it for Christmas when I was 19 or 20, with the sole intention of having it to read to my children someday!
27 Jul 2007 at 6:26 am