So last night we started something I’ve been looking forward to doing for years. It was Elizabeth’s idea, and it was one of those “Duh” moments for me — what was I waiting for? I think everyone was ready for it.
So…
I started reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Drew last night.
Drew ‘s only four and a half, so I’m not sure he was able to get all the details, and at first he’d keep interrupting me as his brain jumped around at the end of the day from various topics.By the end of the chapter, he was listening and not asking random questions. Either he was tired, or he was caught up in the spell of “the boy who lived.”
Drew thought it was pretty cool to be only reading one book — we usually read him three books before bed, but they’ve been picture books. I think he was ready to move up to a chapter book. He was also pumped up about the “surprise” at the start of each chapter — a new illustration! Good thing I started skimming out loud so we could get to the end of the first chapter before it got too late.
And I have to admit, the book starts out SLOW. You don’t meet Harry until the end of the chapter, and you spend WAY too much time with Mr. Dursley. And there’s a good bit of repetition and fluff in that chapter. Which is why I started just reading the dialog toward the end. But it was fun, and Drew enjoyed it. I had the most fun doing Hagrid’s voice.
I was a bit worried about all the talk about Harry’s parents dying in the battle against Voldemort. I’m curious to see if he asks to read chapter two tonight. I hope he does. I’ll be sure to do some more “condensing,” as needed…
Michael Jasper 
Yeah, I didn’t like it because it was so sluggish out of the gate.
I’m reading Art the Freddy the Pig books by Walter R. Brooks. They’re really fun chapter books, on about the same level of difficulty, I’d say, as Harry Potter:
http://www.amazon.com/Freddy-Detective-Walter-R-Brooks/dp/0141312343/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245346214&sr=8-1
We’re on our fourth volume.
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Freddy the Pig — sounds cool! We’ll add it to our Wish List. Thank you, sir.
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I love this entry! ^_^ I plan on reading Harry Potter to my kids, too!
The first chapter is definitely sluggish. Funny thing is I picked up the first book when I was 12 years old (my younger sister got the book for her birthday, and I kinda stole it from her… and sadly, I don’t think she’s read it yet!), and I was mesmerized from page 1! I don’t know what that says about me or the book, though. I mean, I had no idea how big the story was/was going to become, didn’t really know what the book would be about, etc. But I remember not thinking the first chapter was sluggish at all back when I read it for the first time!
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That’s pretty awesome — you’re one of those people I read about who were lucky enough to grow up with Harry! That had to be cool, reading the books and having him age right along with you. And have the books get darker and more dangerous. Too cool.
Drew passed on chapter 2 tonight, and I didn’t push him — not sure he’s ready. 🙂
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Yeah, growing up with Harry was WAY cool. I used to long for an owl to bring me mail and take me away to a magic school with no math classes!
I believe Chamber of Secrets was already out after I finished Sorcerer’s Stone, but I remember counting down to the release of Prisoner of Azkaban and all the books afterward. It was also awesome to theorize and try to guess what would happen next because no one EVER was able to guess what JKR would do in the next book. But people still had theories, and I totally named all of mine, lol!
Too bad Drew didn’t want to read chapter 2 tonight, but when he’s ready for it, I’m sure the problem will be getting him to find a stopping point every night! The books are sooo gooood. 😀 They’ll always have a special place in my heart because they were such a huge part of my childhood. They are largely the books that made me love to read and write. 🙂
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Oops. I just now realized your comments have little ‘reply’ buttons for threads and everything! And I totally replied in the wrong place. >:| My bad!
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Doh! Bad Journal etiquette! 😉
I think everyone wanted to go to magic school… Sigh.
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I never touched a Harry Potter book but just ordered one from the library … will give it a try for Max who is now over 6 yo. The closest I ever came to *magic* was “Bewitched” 🙂
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Hope he likes it! It’s even better than “Bewitched.” 🙂
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