Harry Potter mania is still alive and going, even 16 years after the first movie was released. This was a movie I wasn’t particularly interested in seeing, if I’m honest. I was in teaching in Toyama, Japan at the time, and Chieko and her mother were able to get a couple of extra tickets for Cari and I to go along to see the film. It was the first time a film was released in Japan on the same date as the USA, so it was a bit of a big deal. I hadn’t been to a movie yet as they were quite expensive at an average of 1200 yen a ticket (Wednesdays were often ladies day and a reduced ticket price of 1,000 applied). But I wanted to be sociable and see what the Japanese movie experience was like, so I went.
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I cannot tell a lie: I was hooked by the magic of Harry Potter! I loved the movie, and the next time I was at the international library (my favourite place to go on Thursdays), I borrowed the first book. It was read and exchanged for the second book on my next visit. And over time I eventually read each book as they were released.
Harry Potter has international appeal and many of my pre-teen and teen students were also reading it. Most of them were reading in Japanese, but we could still chat about our favourite things in English class. A couple of my more advanced and dedicated students were actually reading Harry in English! One thing I like about the series is JK Rowling doesn’t simplify her language; she uses ‘big’ words, and although this meant that the students will have had a more challenging time reading it, it exposed them to vocabulary that they will not have heard in English classes.
This same language is what makes the Harry Potter series a good choice for children to read; particularly if they aren’t keen on reading. If they like the adventures of Harry and fall under his spell, they will be more inclined to stretch their literary brain and give novels a chance.
Phil and I were thinking that it might be time for Tristan to experience the world of Harry Potter, and coincidentally, just after we had talked about it, the kids and I were at the library and were packing up to go home when I spotted out of the corner of my eye, a big, illustrated version of Harry Potter! Almost the size of an encyclopedia volume, it was big and heavy, but the illustrations were big and colourful. I asked Tristan if he’d be interested in it, and he vigorously nodded his head.
Tristan checked the book out and took it to bed with him for some light reading before falling asleep. He was enchanted and had the book finished in less than a week. So the whole family had a Harry Potter movie night together. Kallista also loved the movie!
So now we have two Harry Potter fans in the house (four, if you count the adults).
Tristan has spent the summer reading Harry Potter. He’s just about to finish the fourth, or is it the fifth book, now? He could have been reading smaller novels to achieve more stamps towards the library’s summer reading challenge, but he’s content to have fewer stamps in his ‘passport’ and more time with Harry.
After he completes each book, we all watch the corresponding movie together. It’s great fun, I love family movie night!
The kids have gone a little Harry Potter mad, though. Tristan is wearing his grey hooded housecoat almost non-stop (though he’d prefer this one), pretending it’s a Hogwart’s cloak, and the kids are using their magic wands (Kallista would love this Hermione Granger wand) and hollering ‘expelliramus’ more than I can stand in a day. They act out the scenes; trees during our walks are notable for looking like a whomping willow, and blankets become invisibility cloaks.
There are so many books out there that are not good reads, that, as my six-year-old daughter has pointed out, “don’t use good grammar”, not to mention the language and disrespect that many characters have. Harry Potter is well-written, and is a great read for both children and adults around the world.
I know that Harry Potter isn’t for everyone for some reasons, but that’s okay, no book is all-encompassing.
Kallista is a bit concerned that the movies will be a little scary for her, and I agree that they do become more dark a the series progresses, so we may wait a little while before Tristan finishes the series.
In the meantime, the children can continue their own adventures with our Harry Potter essentials….
What are these, you ask?
You will have to wait until the next chapter…..

Susan says
Harry Potter was a huge hit with each of my three children (although, I never got into myself. I know – gasp!). Thought you might enjoy these edible Harry Potter spell books I created.
Crystal McClean says
Those are amazing, Susan! Sshh…I think my daughter would love to make those for her brother’s birthday! Thanks so much for sharing!
Mia White says
So fun! Love these <3
Mother of 3 says
This sounds a lot like our house! I got into the book series when I was teaching, dragged my husband along to the first movie where he got hooked, and then as our boys got older I read all the books aloud and we watched all the movies. My middle son re-read the entire series to himself and my youngest son is currently reading the illustrated editions. We are HUGE fans and my boys often play Harry Potter; they even had me print off a multi- page list of ALL the Harry Potter spells from Wikipedia.
Crystal McClean says
Thanks for the tip! I’m going to check out Wiki for the spell; the kids would love that!
Our next project is finding a branch that’s blown off during the storms this week so the kids can make wands.
And let’s not mention that Tristan has thought about what he already owns and has come up with a way to make a dementor’s costume for Halloween. I’m not such a fan of the dementors, but I’m happy he’s thought about what he can do with what he has 😉
Growth of imagination without electronics is a wonderful thing!
Mia White says
Love this Crystal! We had such a blast when we read through the series– it’s an immersive experience! My kids even dressed the parts of Hermione, Harry, & Luna Lovegood last year for Halloween. Have you considered a visit to the Wizarding World in Universal Studios? https://untoadoption.org/potterheaded-muggles/
Mia White says
Here’s my blogpost of our time at the Wizarding World… it was incredible! https://untoadoption.org/wizards-for-a-day/
Crystal McClean says
Fabulous!
Crystal McClean says
That looks like a load of fun!
Did you see this article about a family that was rescued in Scotland by the actual Harry Potter train this month?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/14/hogwarts-express-rescues-stranded-family/
Crystal McClean says
Unfortunately we’re over the Pond, so we can’t visit Universal 🙁 But I’m hoping at some point we can visit Edinburgh so the kids can see the buildings that inspired JK Rowling and maybe even visit one of the new Harry Potter shops that have opened there this year. Edinburgh is such a mysterious and interesting city that I’m sure we could easily spend a week there (I’ve done this twice in the past, and would love to return with the family).
L. E. Mastilock says
We love Harry Potter! Only read the first two books and watched those movies so far with my kids. The others are too dark for them for now. I hear a lot of “expelliarmus” and “wingardium leviosa” around here, too!
Crystal McClean says
T just made his magic wand light up tonight with an led light and button battery….
Now if only I could find a spell for getting them to sleep!