The Book Lady Blog

Unless you have been living on a deserted island for the last 12 years – you must have heard about “Harry Potter.” 

With the release of the latest movie, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”  I feel it is time to pay homage to the amazing author of this series of seven heart pounding, often harrowing tales of a young wizard and his friends battling the forces of evil.

J. K. Rowling, a once broke, out of work single mother, has dominated the literacy world for the last decade.  Over 400 million “Harry Potter” books have been sold around the world. 

The first five movies have grossed over 4 billion dollars.  Hard to believe that the book “Harry Potter’ was rejected by multiple publishers and it took over a year to find a publisher that would actually print it! 

All Muggles (you should know what that is) should tune in this evening at 8:00 on ABC to watch a TV special on the world of  J. K. Rowling. Learn more about this creative lady that gave us Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hogwarts School and Lord Voldemort. 

And cheers to the author that has inspired millions of children (and adults) to pick up her books and follow the adventures of Harry Potter. 

Happy Reading
The Book Lady

The other day I was strolling through a bookstore (favorite pastime) and I was stopped in my tracks when I saw the 40^th anniversary edition of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.  How in the world can this book be 40 years old?  It seems like just yesterday I was reading this book to my younger sister – then I realized she is now 34 so the math made sense. 

Am I the only baby boomer that feels like I am getting older but the books aren’t?  I looked up some of my favorite children’s books and found out their “real” ages: 

“Where the Wild Things Are” is 46 
“Good Night Moon” is 62 
“Pat the Bunny” is 69 
“Harold and the Purple Crayon” is 54 
“Corduroy” is 41 
“The Giving Tree” is 45 
“The Cat in the Hat” is 52 
“Little House on the Prairie” is 75 
And
“Winnie the Pooh” doesn’t look 83 years old – but he is! 

I was recently reading “Henry Huggins” out loud to a group of third graders.  Written in 1950 – the story holds up well except at the beginning.  Henry has 3 nickels – and uses one to buy an ice cream cone, one to use a pay phone to call his mother (and ask if he can bring home a stray dog he has found) and uses his last nickel to take the bus home. 

I guess some things do date a book….. 

Happy Reading!
The Book Lady