Welcome to the scariest fall in the history of forever. And by scariest I mean I barely got used to summer and now school started and I need a nap. I don’t have too much to show for summer, except my kids are alive and happy and I grew a lot of tomatoes. We had a big Summer Bucket List (Beach bonfire! Make a pie!) and almost none of it happened, yet we were busy every single minute of the summer. Sometimes the bucket list is just a way to get to other ideas.
We do like to have a Harry Potter Marathon in the summer. The goal is to watch a movie every night and cook some Harry Potter food for dinner. We started in late July, and we are still not finished because — well, I don’t know why. We went to the beach? Invited the neighbors over to drink rosé? We are still working through the movies, even though school’s back in session. I never get tired of Harry Potter.
I read the series to each of my kids when they were young, but my youngest is reading the series on his own now, and it’s cool to watch him lose his mind every time he comes across a clue or a foreshadowing of the end of the books. Ohhh my gosh, Mom, Hagrid brought Harry to the Dursley’s on Sirius’ motorcycle! Fun Fact: My eldest daughter read the entire series seven times in a row when she was in 2nd grade. She would literally close book seven, reach for book one, and start over again. It was looney but also like looking in a time machine mirror.
We have the set of the HP books in hardcover, but they are all trashed and shredded after years of re-reading. I had to replace book 4, because all the pages fell out. (Is Goblet of Fire the most popular one? Half Blood Prince is my favorite.) Do you get crazy when books are abused? I don’t mind at all – worn out books are a thing of beauty. But I’ve been collecting this illustrated series, and I’m much more precious with them, because they are so special.
OK so you’ve probably already guessed that I’m in a Harry Potter mood, and I’m going to hit you up with a bunch of related links. My kids have taken the Hogwart’s Express back to school and I’m busy stirring up potions in my cauldron. (None of that is true, I was just trying to be cute and continue on the theme of witchcraft.)
The darling and wonderful Emma Watson is a big reader, and this is a fun list of books she has recommended. My girls think she is the ultimate example of womanhood, and I have to say, based on her reading choices I sort of agree.
The Strauss Haus divides up pretty evenly: two Gryffindors, two Ravenclaws, and two Hufflepuffs. Why are people so rude about Hufflepuffs? My Hufflepuffs are by far the nicest people in our family. No Slytherins, but sometimes I catch my oldest kid giving me the side eye and I’m pretty sure he talks to snakes. I’m keeping an eye on him. Anyway, this is a great list of books to read based on your Hogwarts House. I put all of these books on my library list even though I’m a Ravenclaw (I mean. Duh.)
For the kiddos, this is a great list of books for younger readers who loved HP but are looking for something new. My kids have worked their way through several of the books mentioned here, and it’s nice to have this list when they are looking for something new.
And for the YA fans, here is a list of books released in 2017 that the HP fan might like. Harry Potter books are the gateway drug to hard literature.
The best cure for overworked exhaustion is always to invent travel itineraries. I am totally obsessed with this Harry Potter travel guide. Most of the sights on this list are in England, and I would not mind a trip right about now. I could visit the Royal Family! I’ve been to the Wizarding World at Universal Studios (hate the park. So. Many. People. But, love the Harry Potter stuff.) And I’m sorry to tell you that the delightful shop called Whimsic Alley in Los Angeles is now closed, which is a real shame, because that was where we brought all of our visiting nerd friends.
Do you have any Harry Potter links? Share them if you do! Enjoy the magic and I’ll catch ya soon,
OXO
JULIE
PS – Your weekend giggle:
