The final Harry Potter movie opens this Friday and I’m planning on seeing it as soon as possible. I have mixed feelings about this because, while I’m excited about it, I’m also sad about it as it’s the last one. It got me thinking, though, about all the great things in the Harry Potter books and that was my inspiration for this week’s Ten on Tuesday topic: 10 Awesome Things About the Harry Potter Books.
Dale will always be my favorite wizard.
- Hogwarts. I mean, really, don’t you want to go there? I know I do! The moving staircases, the talking paintings, the ghosts – it’s the ultimate fantasy.
- Diagon Alley. There’s wizards and ice cream, wand shops and a bank guarded by goblins. So cool.
- Honeydukes Sweetshop. The toffee alone would entice me but all the other stuff is fascinating, too.
- Dumbledore. Sure, he can be scary and he is flawed but he is good and I want to know him.
- Platform 9 and 3/4. Don’t we all have a fantasy about a pretend passage way? This one is the ultimate and you get to ride on the Hogwarts Express.
- Room of Requirement. I know I could use one of these. It would be filled with all the yarn I love and I’d never run out for a project. I’d always have just the right size knitting needles and the perfect buttons. Ahhh.
- The food. It appears as if by magic, it is prepared by house-elves, and it never runs out.
- Magic. I almost didn’t include it because it’s so obvious but really, it’s the concept behind the entire series and I am astounded at the spells and potions J.K. Rowling created in these books.
- Sirius Black. He’s dark and twisty and misunderstood. He’s the reason Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite.
- Minerva McGonagall. Tough but fair, and she gets to turn into a cat.
Writing this list was so much fun and I’m tempted to go back and re-read all the books again. What a wonderful gift we all got when J.K. Rowling wrote these.
I’m considering a re-read as well! I had only been teaching 6th grade a couple of years when the first book came out and made reluctant readers so excited! Great to see them sneaking the book out from their desks to read!
Totally made me smile. And made me want to re-read the books too.
I head a YA on the news last night refer to the books as his generations gate-way drug to reading. How right he is! How about Molley Weasley as the utlimate knitter!
I love all these things too. I also loved the twin Weasley brothers. As a librarian, you probably know that she got a lot of her ideas from the books of Diana Wynne Jones, whose work is worth reading.
BTW, Dale looks great in that outfit.
Kelly is very emotional about the last movie. I think she’s going to start a support group!
What a great list! My boys started reading HP and I resisted … when I finally gave in, I was hooked within pages. JK Rowling transports you to a wonderful world. My 8yo is in the midst of the 4th book, she’s read 1 – 3 since Christmas!! I love being able to share these books with her, it’s fun to sit and talk about the different characters. Sometimes I get a new perspective from her and I have to go back and re-read some chapters 🙂
I know you listed all my favorites.
I have mixed feelings about seeing this last movie – it has so little of those 10 in it, I suspect.
I am taking my kids to the midnight showing Thursday night!
oh your list definitely makes me want to re-read the books!!!
p.s. Dale is an awesome wizard!!
Never made it through the last book, but I enjoyed my Harry Potter journey.
I love these books, not only as a reader, but as a teacher. It is fantastic to be able to reference them and have most of my students understand the point I want to make. What a fun list!
Harry Potter caught me by surprise. I was lucky a local bookselling foisted it on me years ago when I was reluctant to purchase a hardbound copy. I finished it in one (long) sitting and said aloud, “I’ve just read a classic.” Great list, Carole. I love Rowling’s word play and the intricacies of how well she wove her story through (most) of the books.
We’ve been re-reading (just #7 because it’s confusing) and avidly watching the London premiere broadcast and everything else we can find.(Mugglenet has a bunch of movie clips.) Here’s a nice piece of gossip — Neville and Luna get together in the last movie! Although not in the books or in Rowling’s after-books commentaries. She has apparently OK’d this bit of fan demand and, really, it only makes sense. Do you think that Lavender Brown, as she lies wounded, gets bitten by the werewolf or is he fended off in the nick of time? We can’t wait to see McGonagle leading the charge in her nightgown, and Molly duelling Bellatrix. “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU *****!” I love how, in the book, she turns back her sleeves first, just like the nuns in my grammar school did before they whacked someone with a book.
I reread the books each time a new movie comes out. Because we are not seeing the movie for at least another week (probably more like 2), I have time to get through them all!
I’m driving 850 miles tomorrow to see the midnight showing with my best friends. It’s gonna be totally worth it. And I’m also planning a re-read of all the books after I see the movie.
What about the Burrow?! I would love a house like that! My family can’t wait for the last movie. We have read, reread, listened and watched all the books and movies many times. They are part of the make up of our family. Enjoy!
Love your list! I would add:
11. The time-turner. Haven’t we all had days when we could use one of those?
12. Fawkes. Who wouldn’t love a beautiful bird that cries healing tears?
Kyra reread he whole series since mid-June, and Patti is rereading 7 now. I wanted to reread 7, but I’ve run out of time. We won’t get to see the movie until Saturday. I can’t wait, but I also have mixed feelings! JK gave us a wonderful gift.
Number 11: The Marauder’s Map. Wouldn’t every parent of teenagers like one of these: so we can ‘manage the mischief’ of our teens.P
PS Dale is an awesome Dumbledore.
Dale should dress up to see the movie!!!
We all read all of the books and we own all the DVDs, too! I saw the final movie last week and was just wishing today I could see it again. We have been entertained by these books & movies for many, many years!