Proud Parent of a Potterhead

Hi, my name is Andrea and I am the proud parent of a Potterhead. For those that are not familiar with the term, it is used to refer to individuals who are super fans of the Harry Potter series. Some of you reading this may already be acquainted with my daughter. She had her 5 minutes of fame on the MCL YouTube channel a few years back when she helped me make videos during the library’s temporary shutdown and I wrote a blog post almost exactly 7 years ago about how much she loved books. Well, sadly that love of books did not last…until she found the Harry Potter series this school year.

My daughter’s road to becoming a Potterhead was not a straight path. We went through a period of time when she struggled with reading. Her teachers said she was a good reader and her test scores were showing her reading level was well above that of students her age, but I could not get her to read at home for enjoyment and her assigned 20 minutes of reading per night was turning into a nightly battle. She told me, “Mommy, just because I am good at reading, doesn’t mean that I like it.” That just about broke my “mombrarian” heart. It was not for lack of trying either! I brought home countless books of different types, genres and subject matter, but nothing resonated with her. I never wanted reading to be a fight or punishment. I was worried that if I forced it too much, it would turn her off all together and we would never recover.

In my 19 years as a youth services librarian, I have dealt with many frustrated parents whose children did not enjoy reading. I always embraced the challenge and was determined to find them the books that would flip that switch. I never imagined I would be dealing with this issue with my own child! I thought a love of reading was in her blood. If this sounds like your child, fear not, there is hope! First, I would suggest talking to your local youth services librarian. We love helping young readers connect with books. Second, be patient. Sometimes, a young reader just needs time to find the books that interest them and then it just clicks! 

And this is where my daughter’s story picks up. She started third grade this year and one of her best friends was quite the bookworm. This has had such a wonderfully positive impact on my daughter and her friendship with this other young lady. They started reading together and even had some friendly reading competitions. First it was the Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell, then the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, then the series that changed it all…Harry Potter. These two girls became instantaneous fans! They devoured the first three books and are both currently reading book four; carrying around the 734-page book like a badge of honor. They started a Harry Potter club that meets during their recess. They have watched the first three movies, collected Harry Potter merchandise - including their own wands, and wear Harry Potter themed clothing. They have taken the quizzes and have been sorted into their respected houses (this Gryffindor Mama has a little Hufflepuff) and I am even planning a Harry Potter birthday party for my Potterhead in the spring. 

One of my daughter’s new year’s resolutions is to finish the series this year. She now reads without being asked. She’s excited to find to out what happens next and enjoys discussing the storylines with me and her friends. It’s everything I ever wanted for her as a reader and this Mama Potterhead is so proud of her! Perhaps Harry Potter really is magic after all…

If your children are ready to try the Harry Potter series, I have a couple pieces of advice: 1) do not start the series unless you feel your children are ready for the whole thing (the later books have some dark magic and more intense plotlines) and 2) ALWAYS read the books first before watching the movies. Although the movies are well done, they cannot hold a candle to books. Mercer County Library System owns the entire Harry Potter series in book format (regular, illustrated, large print and even Braille) as well as eBook and audiobook formats (books on cd, Playaways and through Libby and Hoopla). We also own all the movies on DVD and Blu-ray. You can check our catalog for all your Harry Potter needs.

-Miss Andrea, Hickory Corner Branch