Harry Potter, you're the Best!
1
What We Like (or Dislike) About the Books:
What's So Special About Them?
There are about as many reasons to like the Harry Potter books as there are readers of them. The books appeal to children of all ages from all over the world; the letters in this book were written by children six to nineteen years old, from wherever the English language is spoken, read, or studied. For a lot of kids, the Harry Potter books are a family affair, shared by siblings and parents. More and more children have become interested in writing themselves, thanks to these books. To them, J. K. Rowling is a real-life heroine, and they express their enthusiasm in the letters that follow.
Avery, Santa Ana, California
The reason I like Harry Potter's adventures is because there are so many surprises. The Dursleys are so mean to Harry, but I guess that there are those kinds of people in the world, and we have to live with it.
I wish that I could go to Hogwarts and learn magic. I guess that we have a kind of magic in the Muggle world, like growingplants, making fire, and things like that, so I guess no one is really a Muggle.
I would like to tell Harry to take more magic classes to get stronger so he can maybe defeat Voldemort. But he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to, because I know it's hard to have so much homework and stress.
Heather, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
I bet that Hogwarts would be extremely fun. I would hate summer vacation because you can't use magic (and the Dursleys are completely dumb)! Quidditch must be amazing. If I could play, I would be a Seeker just like Harry, because I like looking for things. I wish we could play it in the Muggle world, but that would be impossible!
Harry is lucky to have an owl! If I could have any pet, I would get a snowy owl like Hedwig and an orange cat like Hermione's cat, Crookshanks.
I wish that Harry Potter could write to me, but he would have to use Muggle post, because I don't think my parents would appreciate an owl flying through the house!
Bianca, Perth, Australia, 10½ years old
I love reading and I can't put the Harry Potter books down. Most of my friends have started to pick up the books from libraries. It is very good at our school because there are lots of copies. Lots of people pick up the books at reading time.
Although the people in the books are very different from us, the books show Harry's life as a kid in our world's point of view. I also found that everyone's thoughts were captured well.
I don't think that Harry's parents lived in the Muggle world, because they were great friends of Albus Dumbledore, and so I think they must have lived somewhere like the Weasleys.
Lindsey, Port Chester, New York, 9 years old
I like Harry Potter because he is sort of not alert when things are about to happen in real life.
I got my mom into reading the Harry Potter books. We miss reading them, now that we have read them all. I wonder what happened to You-Know-Who? Every time I say that to my mom she cracks up. One time she was rolling on the floor, she was giggling so hard.
When I walk past a window and see a little boy or girl reading a Harry Potter book, it makes me happy inside. I say in my mind, "Oh, she or he is going to have fun reading that book. It's going to take her inside her own world."
There should be a TV series called Harry Potter and Friends, with a chapter for one whole hour, and then it would say, "to be continued." It should actually be an Imax TV series cartoon.
Annamarie, Heap Bridge, Bury, England, 10 years old
I absolutely adore the Harry Potter books! If J. K. Rowling's wonderful effort hadn't been put into the whole four books, Idon't think any child or adult or grandma and granddad would've made the effort to read them. And I just want to tell her that she shouldn't stop there at her seventh book, no siree! She should carry on and carry on so the Harry Potter legend lives on!
I'd love to be in Harry's family, like his little brother or sister and go on all his adventures with him.
I've got two sisters, Susanne and Catherine (we're triplets!), and they would love to meet Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We would all help write the best books ever! We'll all use our imaginations. But, you know, it might just be true! You know what, I think it is true!
Brittany, Laredo, Texas, 10 years old
Harry Potter is a good book for just reading. When you go into a bookstore, the thing that goes through your mind is, "Why are we doing this?" After the purchase, you're saying, "It was worth it."
When you go into the bookstore and ask for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, for a few minutes you are tense. You think, "Will I like this book?" Your palms start to sweat. Your hair is damp. (Nerve-wrecking, isn't it?) Your feet go numb.
And, finally, they bring out the books. You grasp one and go to the counter. There's a lady in front if you. She has a camera, and she has a book bag. She asks to take your picture. You go red in the face. Your hands are shaking with excitement as you walk out with your book.
That's how I felt getting the fourth Harry Potter book.
Ashley, New Fairfield, Connecticut
I went to New York City and got J. K. Rowling's autograph. She looked very nice. It was sooo cold outside that my dad and I had to go into an Old Navy store and get another coat for me and some hot chocolate.
I have read all of the books eight times. I'm letting my teacher borrow my Harry Potter books, and she enjoys them a lot, too!
Joanna, Massapequa, New York, 11 years old
I have a special group of friends who are separate from my regular friends. They are fun to be with, but they are slightly different. They are wizards--Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. I have adventures and study at a wizarding school, just by reading four magnificent books.
These books are so lifelike that when I read them, I am a wizard. I fight the evil Voldemort, and I discover dragons, three-headed dogs, and other strange things. J. K. Rowling must have had these experiences. But wait, she couldn't have! It's her unique style of writing that captures children's and adults' imaginations.
When I read these books I laugh, cry, and smile at different parts. I talk about these books and characters with my regular friends. At one time, I even wished to meet them.
I don't know how J. K. Rowling comes up with these beautifully written books, but they are definitely masterpieces.
Jo, Landsborough, Australia
I think the Harry Potter books are great! After morning tea our whole class reads it. We are up to the third book. Our class has been looking up Harry Potter on the Internet. I can't wait until the fifth book comes out and the movie comes out.
Allison, West Chicago, Illinois
The Harry Potter books are the best books on earth! I finished the fourth one over the summer. I could never guess what happenedat the end. Could you? The name of the last chapter, "The Beginning," really explains a lot.
I'm not a fan, I'm a fanatic!
Jude, Houma, Louisiana
I wish I had magic powers like Harry Potter. It must be cool to change people into toads or slugs.
Quidditch is awesome! I would like to play it, but I'm not a wizard. I wonder if now that Harry has his Firebolt maybe he could let me have his Nimbus Two Thousand?
It must be hard for a wizard to live with Muggles. A wizard could put a spell on them to make them fat and ugly, but it probably would not work because they are already as fat and ugly as they can be!
Courtney, Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, 11 years old
I really like the part in book one when Harry first figures out that he's a wizard. I bet he was jumping up and down when Hagrid told him he was going to leave the Dursleys and go to Hogwarts. My mom said that I'm going to get the whole Harry Potter series when they all come out! Yay! I have a few posters with Harry on them hanging in my room and the little book called We Love Harry Potter! I think that when Harry is an adult, he'll be the greatest wizard of all!
Amanda, St. Louis, Missouri, 18 years old
I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Amanda. A lot of people call me Mandy and that's okay with me. I will be turning nineteen soon.
I really like J. K. Rowling's books. I would love to be a writer,too, but my stories are always so dull. I found a biography of Ms. Rowling in the library at school. I love to read, also. Do you think I will ever become a writer? I guess I just need a good subject to write about, to make a good beginning like Ms. Rowling's first book.
Samantha, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
I have two best friends. One of them absolutely loves Harry Potter books and simply can't put them down. The other friend hates them and wouldn't be seen anywhere near a Harry Potter book. At first I agreed with the friend who hates them. The reason was, I had never tried one. My other best friend managed to persuade me to try one. I simply couldn't put it down! It took me two weeks to read books one to four. I was obsessed with them and I wouldn't stop talking about all the exciting adventures of Harry Potter. If I could have any wish, it would be to turn into a witch. Not an ugly witch, but one in J. K. Rowling's stories.
Morgan, Loveland, Colorado, 11 years old
I think the first Harry Potter book was the best, because that is when I first met Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I read it at my cousins' house. They wanted me to come and play Guns with them but I said, "Later."
Louise, Airdrie, Scotland, 13 years old
I live very near Edinburgh, where Joanne Rowling wrote her Harry Potter books. Her fantastic books seem just as popular over in the States as they are here! I am a huge fan of these books, even though I never expected to be, as I read the third book first. I am quite an advanced reader and I read it one day for fun. I didn'trealize I was about to read the best story ever put down on paper! I rushed straight out to my local bookshop and bought the first two. I waited on tenterhooks for the fourth book. I got it the day it came out, and finished it the next.
Joanne Rowling makes a completely ridiculous story line sound believable and interesting. I think she must be incredibly smart to write such wonderful books.
Kelly, Frederick, Maryland, 8 years old
I like all the books so far, especially in the third book at the end when Harry and Hermione go back in time. My mom reads them to me at night. I got my dad into them, and when I was asleep he took them to read.
Fred and George are funny. I liked what they said at Christmas, "Why do our sweaters have an F and G on them? We know our names are Gred and Forge."
I hope that the books keep linking together and being unpredictable.
Dougie, Columbus, Ohio, 9 years old
I love reading the Harry Potter stories with my mom. She really likes them, too. I wish I could make my potions as good as Hermione's. She must study really hard at Hogwarts to be so smart. I wonder if they have special birthday parties at Hogwarts?
Ashley, Indianola, Iowa
The Harry Potter books are great. They give you something to think about.
I would like to ask J. K. Rowling a few questions. I am going to try to guess her name. Is it Jennifer Kathrine Rowling or JackyKatie Rowling? Did she ever go on vacations as a kid? What state did she live in as a kid? Did she read a lot as a kid? What part does she think she would be good at in Quidditch? I think it would be fun to play Quidditch. I would be good at Seeker, because I am skinny and light.
Note: Author Rowling's name is Joanne Kathleen and her friends call her Jo. She grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, and she still lives there. She did read a lot as a kid, and she still does. She wrote her first story when she was six.
Grainne, County Galway, Ireland, 12 years old
J. K. Rowling is an inspiration to me as I too hope to be a great writer one day. I have already saved up for the third and fourth books. I would like to thank her for giving the children of the world the great gift of her imagination.
Jordan, Meriden, Connecticut, 8 years old
Before the Harry Potter books came out I was totally bored. But now, I love to read! If or when J. K. Rowling retires, her books will probably be the most popular books in these United States.
Terri, Pontypool, Wales, 15 years old
I just finished the fourth book. A lot of my friends have never read Harry Potter, as it wasn't around when we were young enough to get into it, but now I own all the books! I just can't put them down. I dressed up as Harry during my work experience, and I read the first three books to children, to help advertise the fourth one.
I hope more people start reading the books! (You're never too young ... or old!)
Emily, Jupiter, Florida, 12 years old
I read We Love Harry Potter! and I thought it was a great idea to ask kids what they thought of Harry Potter. Not only does it inform Harry Potter readers about what other dedicated fans think but also it can persuade people to read the Harry Potter series.
I am one of those people who read naturally. Many of my friends do not read books on a daily basis but were thrilled by Harry Potter after they first started reading the books. Adults are picking up on the Harry Potter craze, too.
My favorite character is Hermione because she reminds me of my friend Lindsay Baker, smart and always at work.
The Harry books, I assure you, are not a passing fad. J. K. Rowling wrote a masterpiece. These books won't be forgotten soon.
Margaret, London, Ontario, Canada
Harry Potter books are the best. The characters are great (except for the ones Harry doesn't like). The books aren't like any other book because there are funny parts, scary parts, happy parts, and best of all--suspense!
Bo, Algonquin, Illinois, 9 years old
At first I thought Harry Potter sounded like a stupid kind of fantasy. Then my friend let me borrow the first Harry Potter book. I liked it so much I couldn't stop reading! I wonder why everybody is afraid of saying Voldemort's name? I don't mind it myself. Voldemort, Voldemort ... Well, that's enough of that.
I especially like the endings of the books. It was so exciting at the end of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!
When I finished the first book I said, "I can't believe I finishedit in three days!" Then my friend let me borrow the second one. The same thing happened to me with the second book. I couldn't stop reading. When my mom called me for dinner I said, "Let me just finish this page." After I finished I was so desperate to find out what happens next I just kept reading.
I finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in three days, too. When I found out that my friend didn't have the third book I was so disappointed. I told my dad, and two days later we went to Borders bookstore and ended up with all three books. Guess what happened to me on the third one, too? Yep, I couldn't stop.
The Harry Potter books are the best books I ever read.
Christopher, Woodbury, Minnesota, 12 years old
I have read the whole Harry Potter series five times. I was even Harry Potter for Halloween. The books are as good as a Popsicle on a hot day! I like to write stories, too.
I think the character of Harry Potter is a good role model for children because he knows the difference between good and evil. He is very brave and he treats his friends with respect.
When I read the books I can picture exactly what everyone looks like and what everyone is doing.
My mom has to pry the books out of my hands when I go to bed at night. (She has read all the books, too.) People say I even look a little like Harry Potter!
I am going to keep all the books and one day give them to my children to read.
Ewan, Wallington, Surrey, England
I myself am a Christian, and I do not understand why a Christian school banned the Harry Potter books; even my minister reads them! The school says they are un-Christian. Harry Potterbooks are like the Bible, though--good against evil--and to all the tiniest details. If I were in that school, I personally would disobey that rule to the full extent.
I noticed, well, my mum did, that Remus Lupin is a very interesting name indeed. It is Latin. Remus is taken from Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, who were in fact raised by wolves. "Moony" is Lupin's nickname, because he is a werewolf, and a werewolf changes at the full moon; also, lupus is Latin for "wolf." "Padfoot" is Sirius's nickname, because of dogs' feet, and Sirius is the Dog Star.
Quidditch could be played with rocket-powered broomsticks and rocket-powered balls, with a computer program telling the balls to do whatever.
Harry Potter brings parents and children together, and many children who didn't read much before are reading Harry Potter now.
My mum, my brother, and I squabbled about who should read the fourth book first. Now I've started it. I was a bit worried about it, because it said in the papers that J. K. Rowling's plot had broken down! But she managed to reach the ending okay. I'm so glad.
Andrea, Goddard, Kansas
I was in a bookstore, looking for a book to read on the way to Ireland. I just looked down, and there on the bottom shelf was the first Harry Potter book. I read the back cover and said, "This is the kind of book I've wanted to read my whole life." I have always known that I could write that kind of book, about magic and adventures.
The book interested me so much that everywhere we went on our trip--to Ireland, to see Big Ben [in London], and on the subways--I was reading the whole time. Nobody could stop me from finishing that book.
I love Harry Potter so much that I can't even express my feelings about it.
Tonya, Chandler, Arizona, 13 years old
I have a couple of questions after reading the first three Harry Potter books thoroughly.
I still do not understand:
1. Why do parents want Harry Potter books banned from school?
2. Where did Dumbledore get that scar that matches the London Underground?
3. Is it true that all seven Harry Potter books have already come out in England?
Notes
1. Some parents think that children should not be encouraged to read the Harry Potter books because they believe that magic is evil. Their belief is based on their feelings or, in some cases, on the teachings of their spiritual leaders. Two of the things that we learn from the Harry Potter books are that everyone should stand up for what he or she believes and that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. These principles apply to those of us who believe the books are wholesome and educational, as well as to those who don't!
2. Dumbledore's scar, which resembles a map of the London subway system, would come in handy if he ever got lost in London. Readers are left to guess whether he got the scar from a fight with another wizard, from a childhood fall, or from some other cause. Perhaps we will learn more about it in future J. K. Rowling books.
3. As of July 2000, Ms. Rowling had only published four Harry Potter books in the United Kingdom as well as in the United States.
Ariel and Ariana, Weston, Florida,
Dear other Harry Potter fans,
We are very curious. We would be glad to share our questions and ideas. What would happen if a Muggle picked up a wand and happened to say "Serpentia" or "Expelliarmus"?
Zoe, Plymouth, Devon, England, 10 years old
I really enjoy the Harry Potter books. I always read Harry Potter when I'm upset; somehow it makes me feel all bubbly and high in the sky!
My teacher, Mrs. Ward, also loves Harry Potter. I think if she has a baby boy she'll call it Harry.
Alexis, Landing, New Jersey, 9 years old
I like the Harry Potter books because sometimes at recess I feel lonely, and there's always the Harry Potter books if I do.
Steve, Jordan, and Brett,
Aurora, Colorado, 10, 8, and 5 years old
From Steve: My favorite kind of Every Flavor Beans would be barbecued ribs.
From Jordan: I would love to be a wizard. I like when the pictures move.
From Brett: I want to do spells so if someone is after me, I can put them to sleep. Then I could make a light saber by magic.
Carmelle, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, 9 years old
I've read the first two books and they are the best books in the world! I was shaking in my bed at the end of both of them!
Beverly Cleary used to be my favorite author, but now J. K. Rowling is! I want to be an author when I grow up, and I really want to be like her!
Melissa, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 9 years old
I wish I was a witch, and I wish I could go to Hogwarts (sigh). Oh, well, I do play witches with a friend, though.
I'd like to know when Harry Potter's birthday is and if he reads his own books.
I read the book We Love Harry Potter, and some of the kids and I think Harry should turn Dudley into a pig.
Note: We learn the date of Harry Potter's birthday on pages 141-142 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Carla, Kensington, Maryland, 11 years old
What is most interesting about the Harry Potter books is that you have to not just read but to understand. You have to read between the lines. If you do this you will learn more about Harry and his world.
I think the Harry Potter books are so popular because everyone expects witches and wizards to soar on brooms and brew potions, but no one expects them to go to school, belong to different school houses, play Quidditch, or visit Diagon Alley.
One reason why everyone enjoys reading the books is all the different characters. Some are different (crazy), some are nice, mean, funny, smart (Hermione), ditsy, and brave.
I don't understand why some parents will not allow their kids to read Harry Potter, because it inspires witchcraft. Witchcraft is not real, so how can it be inspired? To really understand Harry Potter, you need to be somewhat intelligent, and you need to know that a kid can't jump out a window and fly. If kids don't know this, it's the fault of their parents, not J. K. Rowling.
Arthur, Tracy, California, 13 years old
Lots of books I read are boring. I thought the Harry Potter books would be boring, too. I was wrong. I liked the last Harry Potter book I read because it was long. I also like it because you have to use your imagination. Once Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
Katherine, St. Louis, Missouri
When I read the Harry Potter books I truly feel I am in another world, a world of magic, wonder, excitement, and even danger. That world that I am in is real. I can leave all my other worries behind me. Few books can take me into such worlds as Harry Potter does.
At first, I was embarrassed being a teenager who enjoys "children's books." I have read each book several times, and once I start one of them, it becomes impossible for me to put it down. The suspense and mystery kill me, and I just have to read on. Some people say it's a shame to like such "children's fantasies," but I think the real shame and crime is not to like them.
Victoria, Bracknell, Berkshire, England, 13 years old
All four Harry Potter books are brilliant. The way they are written is enchanting and realistic. Although they are made up, it isquite easy to believe them, especially when you are young. But adults too enjoy reading them to their children and they thoroughly enjoy them themselves!
J. K. Rowling writes books like I have never read before. The twists and turns and never-ending adventures make the books fun to read and hard to put down. I think the characters should stay the way they are.
Stephanie, Sussex, Wisconsin
The reason that I and so many others like the Harry Potter books is because they take you away to a world that is filled with fun and suspense and so unlike ours. The books have a variety of genres, such as humor, suspense, scariness, and a happy ending that leaves you wanting to read the book that follows. There are characters who are lovable, hate-able, or just make you laugh. I don't like any character specifically because without one of them the story just wouldn't be complete. Such as Percy; many people want him gone, but I think that without Percy there would be no one for the twins to make fun of. Or without Percy there would be no one to dislike, which would make the stories too happy.
When you read the books it's as if you're actually there. You get a clear picture in your mind of how Hogwarts and its corridors look. But I think that the only person who knows truly what everything looks like is the person who is reading the book, because everyone has his or her own point of view about how things are in the books.
Amanda, Dos Palos, California, 13 years old
I really wish I could go to Hogwarts to learn to be a witch. But then again, I don't. The Bible tells us that God does not want us to use sorcery, witchcraft, divination, or anything that involves magic. God wants us to trust the fact that he will take care of us.But still, I wish we could use magic, just for fun! I do believe in magic, but I choose not to use it.
Note: The wizard magic in J. K. Rowling's books is like our school subjects, such as mathematics, languages, or chemistry, which help us to expand our minds and understand our universe. Such understanding is very powerful in the real world, just as wizard magic is in Harry Potter's world.
Meredith, Sydney, Australia, 11 years old
After reading We Love Harry Potter!, I see how many people all over the world love it. Nearly all my class loves it.
I love how Hagrid tries to raise the dragon. I wish there was a Hogwarts school in Sydney.
Lauren, Follansbee, West Virginia
When I read a Harry Potter book I feel like I'm inside the book, and I can't put it down. I loved the part in the third book about the Marauder's Map. The food sounds great. Butterbeer and Treacle Fudge were my favorites.
I would like to ask Hermione what it's like to be able to turn back time. I hope to see more of the Time-Turner in future books. I'm glad Hermione is really smart, because if she wasn't then the puzzles in the stories couldn't be solved.
Jennifer, Stonewall, Manitoba, Canada, 10 years old
I couldn't help noticing a couple of mistakes in the book, We Love Harry Potter! In the back of the book, it says, "Some of us think that Harry's parents weren't exactly killed." This can't be true because in the fourth book, we learn information confirmingthat they are, indeed, dead. Now don't get me wrong; I wish as much as the next person that Harry's parents were still alive, but I don't see any use in pretending that they are when they're not.
Also in the back of the book, it says, "After Harry's parents put a spell on him ..." This is not correct. Harry's parents did not put a spell on him. Harry didn't die when Voldemort attacked him becausehis mother died to save him. I strongly suggest that you read Harry's fourth book to find some facts you missed.
Note: Jennifer is perfectly correct about what we learn in the fourth book. However, if Jennifer had applied her detective talents just a little further, she might have noticed that We Love Harry Potter! was published in December 1999. (The publication date of a book appears on the second or fourth page.) Therefore, none of the children who contributed to that book had yet been able to read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which was published in July 2000.
Justine, Whitefield, Manchester, England
In We Love Harry Potter! you only really showed how the younger children like Harry Potter. I am in year 8 at school (second year, senior school) and still love Harry Potter. I plan to read all the others when they come out, even if I am in college! The feeling I get when I read the books is as if I am in the book, part of the story. It is a wonderful feeling.
I am an avid reader, just like my mum. When I started reading the books last year, my mum was constantly going on at me about how I should be reading classics, so I gave her a copy to read. She thought that it was brilliant, too! So brilliant that she bought me all the books.
I think that bringing out the new covers1 for the Harry Potter books so that parents can also read them is stupid. Adults should not be ashamed to read children's books.
Kevin, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, 11 years old
The Harry Potter books are the best ones I have ever read. I just can't stop reading them when it's time for bed. When I wasreading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I hated to read the last chapter because there wasn't going to be any more to read!
Andrew, Medford, New Jersey
My most favorite thing is the Every Flavor Beans. They are cool because it would be like having a bag of jelly beans that are really a bunch of computer chips or papers or tree branches or even blood! Whenever Quidditch is mentioned in the books I always get into it, for some reason. I love playing sports, but I don't think Quidditch is really a sport in the wizard world. It is a one-of-a-kind game that everyone just has to play to try to become the person with the most skills.
I wish that in our world we could have our own owls, and almost every day you would see them flying around with letters and maybe a package. Having magic in our world would mean we could become friends of Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
Katherine, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, 15 years old
The passion that comes through in the Harry Potter books and the emotion, are just unmeasurable. They have me in fits of giggles one minute and floods of tears the next.
When I first heard of Harry, I thought the books might be too young, but, as they say, never judge a book by its cover. It took me six hours to read the first one.
Harry finds his way into your heart. He becomes a friend. He is smart, brave, yet innocently young. He will never die, but live on as people keep reading the books. I have invested in my own copies so that when I leave home, they are going with me. If I ever have children, I want them to experience the magical world of Harry Potter.
J. K. Rowling has captured the hearts of the nation and even abroad! Her books have shown thousands the joy of reading.
Rebekah, Bucyrus, Ohio, 13½ years old
I really, really love the Harry Potter books. My little brother and I have read all four of them. I love the way that Rowling puts things in the beginning of the book that seem unimportant, then at the end of the book you realize that it was actually very important.
I love the way Rowling makes everything seem so real. It's wonderful that she gives Harry problems and dilemmas like those every child goes through.
If anyone has a negative attitude about these books, he or she is ignorant of the fact that kids are actually reading more as a result of them. For example, almost everyone in my class of twenty-one has read the books. We even did a play based on them. They have also inspired many in my class to write, and not just little paragraphs or an extra letter to Aunt Betty, either, but books as long as 246 pages or twenty-five chapters. My teachers see nothing wrong with the fact that because kids are reading due to these books, their writing skills are advancing and their vocabularies and imaginations are soaring to new heights.
Elaine, Sydney, Australia, 11 years old
Out of every single book I've ever read, the Harry Potter books are the best of them all! I don't know what I would have done without them. Ever day I try to picture what the next book will be about, what it will look like.
I like the first book because it starts to lead everything off, and the story begins, and the author unveils all her clever ideas like the funny words, Hogwarts, and of course, Harry!
I enjoyed the second book because the plot and the story line are the best I've ever seen.
The third book is full of surprises, and I think that it provesthat things aren't always what they seem to be. The third book is my favorite.
If I had created a book, I would have created it exactly the same as J. K. Rowling did.
Mark, Sprotbrough, Doncaster, England, 13 years old
I would like to congratulate J. K. Rowling on the success and, more important, the quality of her books. The twists are always unexpected, the workings of the exciting parts are ingenious, and the details of the "world" are equal to that of Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I say that a good comic fantasy author adds a touch of magic to our world, but a great one adds a touch of our world to a magic one. I have read each of the Harry Potter books twice and intend to read them many times more. It is good that the author is unafraid to sacrifice some characters.
I am hoping to become an author myself and have started a book.
Dane, Birmingham, Michigan
How could I get an owl? Also, I would like a copy of a spell that makes lizards turn different colors.
Alicja, Ontario, Canada, 8 years old
I think Harry Potter books are good for children of all ages. I'm trying to learn how to be a wizard! It's hard work. In the first book, I like the part where Harry is in the maze and they had to solve all the puzzles.
Samuel, Rome, Georgia
If you don't like Harry Potter, I've got a lot of reasons why you should. Harry goes on adventures and does things we can't do, but maybe one day we can do those things.
Matilda, London, England
I am an English schoolgirl. I am from London and I live near J. K. Rowling. I wish I was Hermione and I always imagine I am her. The reasons I like Harry Potter are, one, it's a very long book, and two, you never know what's going to happen, do you?
Note: Matilda certainly lives nearer than we Americans do to J. K. Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Ashleigh, Anaheim, California, 13 years old
I have read every book J. K. Rowling has made so far. I don't have a favorite book because every one is my favorite.
I think that these are more teenager/adult books, because there are puzzles to solve, and the vocabulary is up there in middle and high school. Also, my dad has read the first three and he loves them. He has recommended Harry Potter books to his friends to read.
Before I read the Harry Potter books I really disliked reading. My parents used to tell me to read, and I would make a big fuss about it. But now when my parents tell me to read, there is no problem, but now they don't even need to tell me to read. Every night I am caught up late reading Harry Potter, and I don't get to sleep until about 12 o'clock.
Ginger, Moweaqua, Illinois
A friend and I have a question. Is it true that there was a Larry Potter? We heard there was a big controversy about him that postponed the publishing of the fourth Harry Potter book. My friend and I were the ones who started reading the books at school. Now almost everyone at school has read them. I hope I can find out more about the big controversy.
Note: The controversy about "Larry Potter" was not a big one, and did not delay the publication of the fourth Harry Potter book.
Lauren and Sorcha, London, England
We're writing to discuss your book, We Love Harry Potter! We appreciate your writing a book for all the Harry Potter fans out there. However, we are not so pleased about your comments about where the story is based.
Harry makes it perfectly clear he loves the food at Hogwarts, yet a few of your letters suggest that if he were to live in America he wouldn't have to eat the terrible English food.
One of the letters even said that if Harry went to live in America he would get to see better magical creatures than in England. I found this quite insulting towards England.
Also, in the chapter about Harry's parents, we didn't really understand why you were trying to guess what magic Lily and James lived under, when the third book tells us. You might have started your book before the third book came out, but that is very unlikely.
We are certainly disappointed. After all, we were expecting a nice read but in the end we were quite offended.
Note: Of the seventy children who contributed to We Love Harry Potter! only three said they did not like the food. One was a vegetarian, who doesn't like to eat meat. Only one of these mentioned the fact that the food was English, and only one child suggested that theremight be more magical animals in the United States because our country is larger and has more woods.
A great many other children said in the book that they thought the Hogwarts food sounded very good.
One of the things we learn from the Harry Potter books is that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. A differing opinion is not the same as a deliberate insult. Sharing our opinions is a good way to learn more about the world.
Lauren and Sorcha are correct in assuming that the children who guessed about Harry's parents' magical past had not yet read the third book.
Erica, Dyersville, Iowa, 11 years old
I'm in the fifth grade. My teacher is Mrs. Wickham. She read the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, to us in class. It got me interested in the Harry Potter books.
The books really inspire me to read. I think kids are reading more because of the Harry Potter books.
Scott, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England
Most newspapers comment that J. K. Rowling has captured that "rare thing" in her books, but I think she's captured much, much more.
I have only one thought buzzing around in my head right now ... will Dumbledore be able to stop Voldemort before it's too late?
Lana, Sydney, Australia, 10½ years old
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Harry Potter books. Today when I went to Dymock's booksellers I bought The Diary of HarryPotter, and I asked the manager when the fourth Harry Potter book will be coming out. He said he wasn't sure, but when it does he'll definitely be reading it. So he must have read the first three books, too.
Meghan, Wilmington, Ohio, 11 years old
I really like the Harry Potter books, because of the suspense and thrill. I find it rather shocking that students spend seven years at Hogwarts and no one ever gets a bit homesick.
Some parts I don't understand. Like, why is it that the first year is the only year they sang the school song?
I think it would be difficult to get on a Quidditch team, so they should have other physical fitness activities for people who aren't on a Quidditch team.
Note: With each new Harry Potter book, we learn answers to questions that have puzzled us. That's one of the reasons we keep on reading the books!
Kristine, St. Croix, Nova Scotia, Canada
I think the Harry Potter books are not only good to read, but good for your brain as well. They give half the story to your brain to imagine the rest.
Sabeena, Auckland, New Zealand, 10 years old
I have really enjoyed reading all the Harry Potter books. They are my very favorite books in the world.
Something that really surprised me was that my birthday is actually the same as Harry Potter's. But Harry is bigger than me!
Ann-Kathrin, Birkenfeld, Germany, 13 years old
I read Harry's adventures again and again. I think it's funny, interesting, and exciting to read about normal people who suddenly can do fantastic things. When I read the books, I think I'm in another world full of magic and wizards.
Caitlin, Omaha, Nebraska
When my mom first got me the first book in the Harry Potter series I thought it would be boring. Surprise! It wasn't! At first Hagrid scared me, but he turned into this really nice giant. It wasn't like the magic tales in which all the giants are mean and nasty.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid--I love them all! In We Love Harry Potter! all the kids wrote about their favorite parts. But to me, the characters are the most important!
Ted, Visalia, California, 11 years old
I don't read much, but when I pick up a Harry Potter book my imagination really comes alive. I think the books are a little boring at the beginning. Then, when Harry goes off to school, they get exciting.
I think that if I read the Harry Potter books I'll be a better reader, and I can write more creatively.
In future books, I think that Harry's parents should come back as ghosts.
Aidan, Pontypool, Wales, 8 years old
I really loved Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! I can't believe Vol ... sorry, You-Know-Who has returned! It was really scarywhen Wormtail put that ugly snake-baby thing in the cauldron. But of course that made it more exciting. So, I would like to ask J. K. Rowling to please, please write the fifth book, or I'll turn myself into a frog or a toad.
Amanda, Hoyleton, Illinois, 11 years old
I savored everything about the astonishing Harry Potter books. I enjoy reading a lot, and I've never read a superior series. I think it is interesting how Harry lives with Muggles, who think he's nothing, but he really is famous.
I'd adore to go to wizard school and play Quidditch. I've figured out how to play Quidditch. I would be a Seeker.
My favorite animals are the owls and hippogriffs. They are kind and very helpful.
Hannah, Parklands, Northampton, England, 9 years old
Fantasy and adventures are my favorite kind of reading, so you can probably tell I enjoy reading Harry Potter. I think the ideas are very creative, especially the names of the characters.
I like the sound of Every Flavor Beans, but I would hate to get a toilet-water-flavored2 one, though.
Why is Quidditch called Quidditch?3
I would find it hard to play Quidditch, as it is rather a complicated game. I would probably get the balls and the goals mixed up so I would score for the opposite team (if I ever did score, that is).
Allie, Ulster, Pennsylvania
I wonder how many books about Harry Potter J. K. Rowling is going to write? Maybe after she is done writing Harry Potter she should write mystery books.
Note: Ms. Rowling has said she plans to write seven Harry Potter books, one for each year Harry spends at Hogwarts. Many children, and adults, hope that she will write even more.
Michael, Princeton, Minnesota
I am pretending I am a wizard and I would like to ask Dumbledore for some ideas. This is what I want to know: What are the ingredients for a sleeping potion? I want a map of wizard land. I need a map of Hogwarts, too.
Carleen, Van Cleave, Mississippi
I finished the fourth Harry Potter book last summer and can't wait for the fifth book. I love the way J. K. Rowling uses foreshadowing in her books. It gives a big clue about who's going to die later on in her books. I think it's Professor Snape whose death is foretold in the fourth book, on page 651, last paragraph.
I never thought many people liked the books until the fourth book came out and almost every bookstore had midnight parties. I watched them on the news.
Karen, Dublin, Ireland
I have blond hair, blue eyes, and I love reading J. K. Rowling's books. I can't wait till the next one comes out. My dad buys them for me. He reads them, too, only he reads them in two days. He'squicker than me, although I'm not that slow at reading. I can read one of the books in a week if I read it every day. The fact that the new book was bigger made it even more enjoyable.
Reading these books makes me wish things were really like that, and my dreams are even more exciting now, so I hope J. K. Rowling keeps writing.
Drew, Woodbury, Minnesota, 12 years old
At first I disliked reading. Then my mom gave me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and I thought it was the most exciting book I have ever read!
A lot of kids at my school have read all the books and I need to catch up. I have started Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and I also love that book. If I were Uncle Vernon, I would not lock Harry up because anything can happen (wink, wink).
Jason, Orton Brimbles, Peterborough, England, 10 years old
Harry Potter is brilliant! I love Quidditch, even though I've never played it. I once had a dream that I was in Hogwarts and I was playing Quidditch. When I woke up I was really disappointed that it was a dream.
No other book has made me keep reading as long as Harry Potter, and that's really saying something, because if I don't like a book I put it down.
Alexa, East Amherst, New York, 8 years old
J. K. Rowling is probably the most creative person I've ever heard of or read about. Her stories are so good that we just have to keep our eyes glued to the book. She is my inspiration because she is the most amazing person!
Hagrid is one of my favorite characters because there would be no Harry Potter without him!
Kirsty, Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, England, 12 years old
At the turn of the century, I didn't even know who Harry Potter was, let along his wonderful schooling at Hogwarts. I heard about Harry's adventures at school, when one boy based his leaflet [school report] upon Harry Potter.
I read the first book after discovering the paperback in my school library. I was hypnotized, and after a week I took out the second book. Then along came the third, which I borrowed off a friend. Then I bought the fourth book, which is my most favorite book as it was a lot longer than the other three and I got to enjoy the ways of Hogwarts for over three hundred more pages.
I would like to thank Ms. Rowling for changing my life forever. She has brought on a new era of enjoyable fantasy books for children across the world.
Owen, Victoria, Australia, 10 years old
My mum and dad like the Harry Potter books, too. I am skinny, about 4'10" with brown hair. My friend Timothy says I look like Harry because I have a scar on my forehead from having a swing hit me accidentally. Besides J. K. Rowling, my favorite authors are C. Day Lewis, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, and Duncan Ball.
Lindsay, De Kalb, Illinois, 17 years old
What I like about the Harry Potter books is that they have a plot, very detailed, and you can tell what the characters might look like by using your imagination.
My grandma Ann had the first and third books for herself andfor me. She said they were really good. Soon I had read all four books and became a Harry Potter freak!
Then I got two good books about J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter, We Love Harry Potter! by Sharon Moore, and An Unauthorized Biography of J. K. Rowling by Marc Shapiro. The biography book tells about her life and how she came up with the idea about the books.
I'm a senior in high school. My goal in life is to be a herpetologist (a person who studies reptiles and amphibians). My favorite animal is the alligator.
A family from Lakewood, Ohio:
Miriam (Mitzi), 12 years old; Sarai, 4 years old; Yosef and Rivka, 8 years old; and Chana and Chaya, 10 years old
Mitzi: We are all Harry Potter fans. Each of my sisters and my brother has each written down something about the Harry Potter books. Since I am the oldest and have the neatest handwriting, everyone dictated his or her comments to me.
My friend Helen Patrice (initials are a coincidence) says it doesn't make sense for Hogwarts to celebrate Christmas, if it isn't a Christian school. She also says Harry can't have a godfather, since he wasn't baptized.
Sarai: I think Neville is the funniest of all the Harry Potter characters. I did not understand why Professor McGonagall was so furious with him for writing down a week's worth of passwords. I always do things like that.
Yosef: I am sorry Sirius Black played that trick on Professor Snape and he ended up indebted to the Potters. I didn't think it was one bit funny, and I would have hated Mr. Lupin, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Black forever. I understand why they don't like Harry Potter.
Rivka: I understand why Dudley bullied Harry. I treat my sisterSarai the same way and I give her dumb presents. I think if I was living with Harry Potter, the way Dudley does, I would want to kill him.
Chana: I would hate to be in the Harry Potter stories. For one thing, I'm a Jew, and all the holidays Hogwarts ever celebrates are Christian. No Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Chanukah, or Purim. For another thing, I wouldn't like to have magic powers I'm not allowed to use. And also, I like being normal, outside and inside.
Chaya: I thought the Quidditch chapter in the We Love Harry Potter! book was exceedingly unhelpful. The recipe chapter was pretty good, though.
Claire, Plymouth, Devon, England
I go to boarding school in Somerset and am in the senior year there, so I rarely have time to read, which is a hobby. So when I first started to read Harry Potter, I couldn't put the book down. Even some of the teachers said I was quieter than usual. I read every spare moment I had, but when I got to a really good part and then went to lessons, I usually read during the lesson and then got detention for not listening!
I read the first two books in a week because I usually read after lights-out. Then I read the third one over the weekend. I recently read them again because I didn't have anything else to read. I really enjoyed reading Harry Potter and can't wait until more are published.
Jennifer, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, 9 years old
I can't wait for the next book [the fourth one]. It will be so fun. I hear it has the scariest ending of all the books so far.
I don't think there should be movies for any of the books. They're good the way they are right now. The books are more interesting than a movie about them would be.
Stephanie, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, 9 years old
I really like the Harry Potter books. The third book is very funny, especially when the fortune-telling teacher said, "No, do not ask me, I will not say another word" or something like that.
Grace, Charleroi, Victoria, Australia, 10 years old
My favorite Harry Potter book so far is the first book because it didn't freak me out. My sister Elle and I love the books. I wish I were Harry. I work like Hermione, though; I do like doing lots of [school] work at home, so I'm the best at all my subjects. I'm the best at math and art in my class. My family is very artistic. Mum makes pots, which we're not allowed near, so we often have to have breakfast, lunch, or tea4 somewhere away from her pots.
Copyright © 2001 by Lamppost Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
