My daughter and I just finished a Harry Potter movie marathon. I had recently re-read all of the books but had not seen all of the movies so Thanksgiving weekend seemed like a perfect time.
I had forgotten how wonderful the books and movies are. The Harry Potter series was one of the first big books that Hailey read on her own. I know several children who didn’t like reading until the Harry Potter series. This is a great series to read to your child, a chapter a night, before bed. J.K. Rowling does an excellent job of working back-story in the books without it getting boring and repetitious. These books are very entertaining and able to keep your attention, even when you are no longer a child.
As an adult I loved getting lost in Harry’s world. The imagination necessary to make the world of magic work is amazing and J.K. Rowling does it in a way that makes it totally believable. The dialogue and the intricate relationships between the characters keep these books alive and make you feel as if you really know these people.
Usually movies made from books disappoint me, that was not the case with these. My daughter was a little put out by some of the things that were left out of the movies but if they had included everything that was in the books they would have been over six hours long! There is so much detail and so many small little things that come in to play later in the series.
If you have not read these books I strongly suggest you do, and while you are at it, read them to your children. One chapter a night will not be enough, you will soon find yourself reading ahead to see what happens to Harry and his friends. After each book watch the corresponding movie, it’s a great way to get a conversation started about the differences and why things were left out and how they affect the story.
The Harry Potter series is something the whole family can enjoy, those types of books are few and far between.