My favorite picture books

What were your favorite picture books when you were growing up? I recently had a conversation on this subject with Kristen at 2nd Gen Librarian. She just did a great post about her favorites and came up with five wonderful books.

I thought this was a fantastic idea and decided to make a list of my favorite five books from when I was little. I failed... it turned into a list of ten. I listed them in alphabetical order- because they're all so wonderful that I can't rank one above another. Here they are:

• Bears in the Night by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
• Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry
• Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham
• Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
• Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard, illustrated by James Marshall
• The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin
• Walter the Baker by Eric Carle
• What Do You Say, Dear? by Sesyle Joslin, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

What were your favorite picture books? I'm talking about the book that you read over and over until it fell apart. Or the book that if you saw it today, you would squeal "Oh! I loved that book!" Or the book you borrowed from the library every time you went? Or the book you could recite every word of, even though you haven't seen it for 20 years? Or the book you always give to a new baby because you want them to share the magic you experienced as a child?

You saw a book on this list that made you squeal, didn't you? =)

Update: I posted a round-up of other bloggers favorite picture books here.

The Great Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Controversy

I love seeing which Google searches cause people to click on my blog.

The two most popular searches that seem to keep reappearing are "knuffle bunny pronunciation" which I explain in this post, and "parsley grinder" which I briefly mentioned in this post about The Higher Power of Lucky.

And then there are questions I'd be happy to answer, but I find out about them after the person has already clicked away. For example, there was a search done for "the substance that burns Hermione when she opens her hate mail." The answer is Bubotuber pus, if anyone's looking for it. By the way, you haven't lived until you've heard Jim Dale say "bubotuber pus" in the American audio version of the 4th Harry Potter book.

My favorite search is the one that just showed up today: "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom controversy." There's a controversy about Chicka Chicka Boom Boom? The book or the rhyme? What on earth is it about? I'm dying to know. (I even googled it myself and came up empty).

The only thing that I can think of that should be controversial is the board book version of this fabulous title. It's titled Chicka Chicka ABC, and only 5 spreads are included (the hardcover book has 12 spreads.) Even my son (when he was one and a half) recognized that over half of the book was missing and asked for the rest of it. The poor alphabet falls down from the coconut tree but never gets back up. How depressing.

By the way, if you've never read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom with a child, I can't recommend the experience highly enough. It's a compulsively readable book about the alphabet. (You didn't know there was such a thing, did you?) It's got an addicting rhythm structure and is a surefire hit with the 1 to 3 year old crowd.

And if you know about the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom controversy (sure to be being debated in the great halls of academic learning at this very moment) please tell me what it could possibly be. Any theories?

UPDATE: I've now gotten 10 hits for "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom controversy" after I mentioned my curiosity about it on a listserv. There's no issue with the book that I know of. I didn't mean to create a controversy where there wasn't one!

Harry Potter 7: Discussion Question Three

Here's another discussion question. This one is about everyone's favorite greasy-haired black-robed professor.


Spoiler
space
if
you
haven't
finished
reading
Harry
Potter
and
the
Deathly
Hallows.


Question #3: Is Snape a hero? An anti-hero? A guy who doesn't like to use shampoo or go shopping for new clothes? All of the above? What do you think?

And, if it were not for Lily Potter, which side would he have been on? Did he ever care about Harry? Do you think he had to die? What did you think of the scene in the Shrieking Shack?

For those of you who have said he was your favorite character (before you read Book 7), why is he your favorite? Did you believe in Snape from the beginning? If not, at which point did you start trusting him?

Is there anything else you want to know about him? Discuss away!

Harry Potter 7: Shortest Review Ever

Want the plot of Harry Potter 7 in six sentences? Read this great kid review written by an 8 year old in the L.A. Times. But seriously- only read it if you've finished the book, because, well, it spoils the entire plot.

Also, don't click on the link if you haven't read the suspenseful Berenstain Bears by the Sea because there are spoilers for that book in the article as well. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Thanks to bookshelves of doom for the link.

Teaching through Harry Potter?

My blog is a teaching tool!

My friend Cate (who is a computer teacher) used Wizards Wireless as part of webquest she put together for her students.

And author Esme Raji Codell was kind enough to include Wizards Wireless on a post recommending teacher friendly websites.

What a compliment! Aw shucks. I'm blushing.

Poll early and often!

Here are the results of my recent poll about Harry Potter discussions.

Question: I've talked about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with:

• 57 %: Anyone who will talk to me about it.
• 28%: A few friends after I finished the book- but I don't really have anything else to say.
• 14%: My spouse/family. They're pretty sick of the subject.
• 9%: I'm not finished yet! I'm trying to avoid all Harry Potter related conversations.
• 4%: A book club/discussion group.
• 4%: People on listservs, websites and blogs.
• 4%: I'm not planning on reading it. I wish people would stop talking about it!

You may have figured out by now that I fall firmly into the "anyone who will talk to me about it" camp. What's been interesting is how many people seem to still want to talk about the book... even three months later. I've also been surprised by how many people are still reading the book (and I envy them) because I gulped it down it one weekend.

Speaking of polls: I said in the comments sections of this post that Snape was winning my "favorite Harry Potter character poll." Harry himself just nudged Snape out of the lead, so we'll see where it ends up. Hermione's in third place, Lupin's in fourth and Professor McGonagall and Sirius Black are tied for fifth. Also I was impressed to see that Bellatrix, Draco, Voldemort and Umbridge all got votes for favorite characters.

I also added a new poll question about what you thought of the Book 7 epilogue and have already gotten a fairly vocal response (almost no one liked it). I did, see this post for why.

Speaking of Mo Willems...

...one of my library school professors quoted him in class tonight. And it was a great quote, so I wanted to share. In an article from Scholastic's Parent and Child, Mo Willems said that "Books aren't temples; they're playgrounds. They're meant to be played."

I think that's a great concept. Check out the rest of the article: "Make Reading 'Mo' Fun." It's about fun and creative ways to read with kids, and well, it's by Mo Willems, so it's funny.

Don't let the pigeon wear this t-shirt!

Want a totebag or t-shirt of your favorite children's book character? Check out Wonder Shirts, which has fantastic original artwork by Mo Willems, Kevin Henkes, Tomie dePaola, Edward Gorey, Arnold Lobel, James Marshall, Susan Saltzman, Garth Williams, Will Hillenbrand, Leo and Diane Dillion and Betsy Lewin. All the images promote reading, such as this great Pigeon t-shirt with the slogan "Driven to Read."

Thanks to Tricia at the Miss Rumphius Effect for telling me about it.

Harry Potter 7: Why did I like the epilogue?

The epilogue has gotten a fairly mixed reaction. I'd love to hear what you think about it... see the new poll in the sidebar and Discussion Question #2.

Here's my thoughts about why I liked it. Scroll down past the spoiler space.

Spoiler
space
if
you
haven't
finished
reading
Harry
Potter
and
the
Deathly
Hallows.

Why did I like the epilogue?

• Everything came full circle. We saw Harry catching his first train to Hogwarts, we saw Harry’s parents doing it, and now we see Harry’s children having the same experience. Another wonderful full circle was the fact that Ginny’s daughter Lily couldn’t wait until it was her own turn to go to Hogwarts.
  
• That Harry has a family now, and children and in-laws… everything that was missing from his life when he was growing up. And that he’s providing that sense of family to Teddy Tonks who is growing up without his parents.
• Albus Severus Potter. Okay, it’s a rough name for any kid to have (although I’d argue that Scorpius Malfoy is even worse.) But it really showed me that Harry had forgiven Snape and finally understood him. After very memorably calling Snape a coward at the end of Book 6, Harry is now referring to him as “the bravest man I ever knew.” I think that shows a lot of maturity on Harry’s part.
  
• The nod that Draco gave Harry. It showed me that they weren’t best friends forever, but that Draco acknowledged that Harry had saved his life in the Room of Requirement and the outright hatred had vanished. I thought this moment was one of the most important things about the epilogue.
• That Ron was able to make a joke about Harry’s fame. Ron was finally able to accept it, and was no longer jealous of Harry.
  
• That Percy was talking about broomstick regulations. Even though Percy had that wonderful reconciliation moment earlier in the book, this comment showed me that Percy was still the same person- and had reverted to his roots. Does Percy’s presence on the platform mean that he has children going to Hogwarts too?
• The way Harry missed his son when the train left, and that he felt like it was a “little bereavement.” I loved seeing Harry as an adult… although this last chapter was like a little bereavement for me too. Because it was the end of the series.

Cheryl Klein (one of the Scholastic editors of the book) posted some great comments about the epilogue (and the rest of Book 7) on her blog Brooklyn Arden here and here.

Harry Potter 7: Discussion Question Two

Discussion Question #1 hasn't gotten any reactions yet, so let me try something a little more meaty for Question #2.

Hint: it's about the epilogue.

Spoiler

space

if

you

haven't

finished

Book

Seven.

If

you

need

the

spoiler

space,

what

are

you

doing

reading

this

blog?

Go

read

Book

Seven!

I thought the epilogue of Book 7 was great, but based on my conversations with other people, I'm the only one who seems to feel this way!

So question #2 is: Did you like the epilogue? Did you think it was important enough to be included? Should there have been more information in it?

Frazz

I haven't done a comic strip profile in a while, so let me correct that and tell you about one of my new favorites: Frazz by Jef Mallett.

The title character is an elementary school janitor and he's (there's no other way to say it)... cool. He's fun and quirky; the kind of person you'd like to get to know. What makes Frazz great is that he clearly cares about the kids in the school, and channels that into challenging them and calling their bluffs. Mallett manages to do this in a humorous way without getting overly sentimental.

Not only does Frazz show positive images of being a janitor (not something you see a lot on the comics page), but he's also an avid bicyclist and triathlete. This is modeled after Mallett's interests, and the descriptions of training ring true. There's just enough information to give you the idea without too much jargon to bring the strip down.

Frazz premiered in 2001, and has been steadily been picking up a following. It's always great to see new talent and new strips, and I think is one of the better ones to debut recently.

Here's where to go for a daily fix of Frazz. If you're new to the strip, take a look at this fairly comprehensive Wikipedia article that introduces all the major characters. If you're interested in the creator, Jef Mallet, check out this interview from 2004 in VeloNews.

There are two book collections out so far: Live At Bryson Elementary (#1) and 99% Perspiration. (#2)

I highly recommend this strip. Give it a try!

Harry Potter 7: Discussion Question One

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy reading each Harry Potter book for the first time. There's a (dare I say it?) magic and delight to not knowing where the story is going to take you. But I enjoy discussing the books as much as I enjoy reading them. They can be read on so many levels and I find that every person I talk to has a unique perspective and adds something new to the conversation.


I'd love to hear what you think... so I'm going to start posing some questions I have about the series (and the 7th book in particular). These are ambiguous, fun kinds of questions with no right answers. Please jump in with your opinion and feel free to e-mail me with any questions you'd like to see asked.

For my first question......


drumroll please....


and
spoiler
space
in
case
you
haven't
finished
Book
Seven.


Question One: Since there's no password, can anyone get into the Ravenclaw common room? Doesn't that make it rather unsecure?

Harry Potter in Rudy Park

I love Harry Potter. I love comic strips. So whenever I stumble upon a comic strip about Harry Potter, you can be pretty sure what my reaction will be.

Warning: this particular strip has a major Harry Potter Book 7 spoiler, so don't click on the link until you've finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Okay? You've read the book? Check out this strip from Rudy Park.

Thanks to Confessions of a Bibliovore for the link.

More Blogs!

I've been spending the weekend at the fabulous 1st Annual Kidlitosphere Conference in Chicago. I've meet incredible people, all interested in children's literature. I also discovered their wonderful children's and young adult literature blogs and their fabulous book reviews. I've added a huge number of new blogs to the links list on the right hand side of this blog. Check them out!

The best part (besides meeting all the wonderful people, of course) was that just about EVERYONE had finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I could talk about it to my heart's content. And everyone was talking about children's books. And I even got a comic strip discussion going at one point. Pure bliss to talk with such wonderful people.

Also, I learned an incredible amount about the kidlit blogging community and the etiquette and ethics. And, since half the attendees were authors, I got to hear their perspective, which was terrific.

Update: For more about the Kidlitosphere Conference (which was awesome), check out any kidlit blog, because everyone has a post about it! For more specifics, there's a great round-up on Kelly Herold's blog Big A little a.

For Better or For Worse: Uh-oh

After several weeks of strips from the past, For Better or For Worse jumped back into the present tense today with a major cliffhanger.

Update: The resolution to the cliffhanger is in Thursday's strip.

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything

My son isn't obsessed with dinosaurs. He's three years old, so he's not quite there. Yet. But I'm sure he will be soon, and when that moment comes, I can't wait to read him When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach.

Imagine if you went to the barber shop or the doctor's office and instead of lollipops... they gave you a free DINOSAUR. Wouldn't that be great? (For a few minutes). And then what on earth would you do with all the dinosaurs?

This book is terrific because it has an engaging story that keeps increasing the stakes. I think it's very creative how Broach shows the consequences of this fabulous idea. No matter how much you love dinosaurs, you might be a tad overwhelmed with actually taking care of them. My favorite part of the book is when the main character pleads with the nurse at the doctor's office to give him a shot instead of yet another free dinosaur. There's a funny twist at the end which made me laugh (and if you're a parent, it definitely makes you empathize with the mom).

The other fantastic thing about this book is that it's illustrated by Caldecott-winning artist David Small. Like all of Small's work, the pictures are big, bold, funny, nuanced and humorous.

For more information about author Elise Broach, there's a profile about her in the Easton Courier and how she got the idea for this book. Also, check out her website.

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything is meaty, funny and lovable. Just what a picture book should be. Also, it's filled with dinosaurs in all shapes and sizes. If you have someone in your life who loves dinosaurs, make sure to share this book with them.

The Cybils

Want to nominate your favorite children's books of 2007? There's a fantastic award in its 2nd year called the Cybils, which was created by children's literature bloggers. Last year's winners are here.... and include some of my favorite books from 2006 such as American Born Chinese, Scaredy Squirrel, Freedom Walkers and Amelia Rules!

This year's nominations are now open, and the public is free to nominate one book per category. For more information, see the press release at Kelly Herold's wonderful blog Big A little a. Go to the Cybils blog to start nominating your favorite books!

Favorite Harry Potter character?

Who's your favorite character in the Harry Potter series?

I had a Harry Potter discussion party at my house this weekend, and was impressed by how many people said that Snape was their favorite character (and had been for the whole series).

This surprised me, so I put up a new poll (see the right hand side of the blog) asking this question. This was harder than it looks because there are SO many major characters. I picked fifty and alphabetized them all by last name, just to keep them straight. I would never be able to choose just one character, so I set up the poll so you can vote for as many as you like.

I know I left a bunch of characters off the list (for sanity's sake). If you want a full list of every last person that appears in the books, the best place to check is this exhaustive list at the Harry Potter Lexicon.

Pronunciation Guides

Wondering how to pronounce the name of your favorite children's author?

There's a great article that Jon Scieszka wrote for the Horn Book about how to pronounce the last names of well known children's writers and illustrators. The article was written in 1996, and there have been some new additions to the ranks of children's literature since then... but it's a terrific starting place (and really, really funny).

Thanks to the child_lit listserv, I just found out about this fantastic resource on TeachingBooks.net. It has sound clips of children's authors pronouncing their own names (and if they don't know how to say it, who does?) with great stories about the origins of their names.
I highly recommended it.

If you're interested in how to pronounce character names and spells from the Harry Potter books, check out Scholastic's Harry Potter website. They have a great pronunciation guide for just about everything having to do with the boy wizard.

The one author's name missing from all the websites above is J.K. Rowling's. According to her biography on her official website, here's how you pronounce her last name: "'Rowling' (the first syllable of which is pronounced 'row' as in boat, rather than 'row' as in argument) lent itself to woeful jokes such as 'Rowling stone', 'Rowling pin' and so on."

By the way, if you're wondering how on earth to pronounce Jon Scieszka's last name- it rhymes with Fresca.

And if you want to know how to pronounce the name of the title character in Knuffle Bunny, see the bottom of this post.

The Baby Beebee Bird

It usually takes my son a while to adjust to a new book. He listens intently during the first reading, and by the third or fourth reading he falls in love with it.

But there's also the rare book that's an instant hit, that he likes immediately and can't ever get enough of. Books like Knuffle Bunny, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Bears in the Night fall into this category.

We found another amazing book last night that was an immediate success: The Baby Beebee Bird. My son shouted along with it from the very first page. What makes this book so great? It's funny, it has wonderful illustrations and a clever story, but most of all, it's incredibly interactive.

The plot is fairly simple... a baby beebee bird just moved into the zoo and he keeps all the other animals awake at night with his incessant singing of "Bee bee bobbi bobbi." The animals are, displeased, to say the least. By means of revenge, they sing "Bee bee bobbi bobbi" all during the day until the bird gets the message. The song is repeated on virtually every page, and is unbelievably fun for kids (and adults) to sing along with.

The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie was originally published in 1963. The version that I'm referring to is a re-make of the original and was published in 2000 with new pictures by the amazing Steven Kellogg.

This is an immediately addicting book... if you have a 2 to 5 year old, give it a try. It's also a great book to read to groups... the librarian who recommended it to me said it was one of her favorite books to use for preschool storytimes.

If you read more than one book right before bedtime (like we do), I'd make this the first book of the evening. It's more of a rile-you-up and get-out-all-your-excitement book then a calming last-book-before-bed.

Once you read it, though, get ready to hear "Bee bee bobbi bobbi" over and over and over. And over. And that's just from your spouse. Your kids will say it even more.

Calling Harry Potter theorists

Spoiler warning!


Don't
read
this
post
until
you've
finished
reading
the
7th
Harry
Potter
book.


Okay, so you've definitely finished?


Here's something you might find funny.


There was a website created between the publication of the 6th and 7th Harry Potter books called dumbledoreisnotdead.com. You can probably guess what it was about. Alas, the Dumbledore site doesn't exist today... but a parody HP conspiracy theory website has sprung up called hedwigisnotdead.com. I got quite a chuckle out of it. Thanks to Fuse #8 for the heads up.

Stone Soup: Now in Color!

I love the comic strip Stone Soup (read more about why in this post). I just got a copy of the recently published Desperate Households (the sixth Stone Soup collection so far) and found it as entertaining as the other five books.

But there was something unusual about this one. It's in color. No, not just the Sunday strips. ALL the strips in this book are in color. I've got a pretty good library of comic strip books, and this is the first time I've ever seen weekday strips colorized in a book. Sure, sometimes they're colorized online, but never in a book.

It looks great, though and the full color really makes this collection stand out. I was hoping it would have the strips about the new baby... but alas, that's too recent. I'll have to wait for the next collection.

For Better or For Worse: The hybrid begins

The new For Better or For Worse has arrived. Lynn Johsnton refers to it as a hybrid strip- because it's a combination of old and new material. There's more information about the strip's new format in this post and this one.

The best way to check out the hybrid is on the For Better or For Worse official site, starting with Monday, September 3rd. If you haven't visited the FBoFW website lately, it's well worth taking a look at Coffee Talk... a new blog featuring letters from readers.

Originally Lynn announced that the hybrid would take over completely in September 2007 but now it appears that the new content isn't ending for a few more months. Lynn just gave a very revealing new interview in Editor & Publisher: "End of Marriage Leads to New Content in Revamped Strip" where she discusses how changes in her personal life altered her original plan. There's also another article (with less detail) in the Kansas City Star.

I realize that For Better or For Worse isn't autobiographical- but in some way I feel I have followed a chronicle of Lynn and Rod's marriage for two decades through reading the strip.... so the Editor & Publisher article was pretty heartbreaking to read. I have to admit, though, it explains a lot of what's been going on in the strip... particularly the storylines involving Paul and Anthony.

So, what do you think of the hybrid strip? See the new poll.

Even More Bookstores!

Thanks to the wonderful people on the CCBC-Net listserv, my list of bookstores has doubled! All bookstores listed are independent and are either children's bookstores or have great children's departments.

The list is now threatening to take over this blog, so I've moved it to the bottom of the links section. Read this post if you're curious why the list is so incredibly long.

Also, I have to mention the fabulous list of bookstores (and lots of other resources) at the Association of Booksellers for Children website.

Am I missing your favorite independent bookstore? Please let me know

Dear Wizards Wireless

"I haven't finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yet. Are your posts about the book safe to read or will it spoil the whole book for me?"
Sincerely, Harry Potter fan

Good question! I know there are lots of people who haven't finished the book yet.... because work or kids got in their way, or they are slow readers, or they're reading the other books in the series or... they're just not done. (Or they're planning on reading the book whenever they get around to it.) And I have to say that I admire all of you who have been able to slowly savor the book and not gulp it down in one weekend like I did. If you are in the "currently reading HP7" category, here's how I've organized the posts on this blog:

Posts labeled "Harry Potter" are general comments and news items about the Harry Potter series. They don't contain spoilers (or at least, I don't think they do). If they do, there is a spoiler warning at the top.

Posts labeled "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" are part of my chapter by chapter commentary about the seventh book. Yes, there are spoilers, but only for the specific chapter the post is about. For example, if you read the post about Harry Potter 7: Chapter Five... it would only include information about the book up until (and including) the fifth chapter. So, these posts are safe to read if you haven't finished the full book yet. Since I haven't finished the commentaries yet... there is currently no information past the tenth chapter.

For those of you looking to avoid Harry entirely, there are lots of other posts on this blog about children's books and comic strips. More to come!

Harry Potter: The Musical

Warning: There are no facts whatsoever in this post. This is a total rumor (i.e. not going to happen) but the idea intrigued me and I couldn't help writing about it.

There was a post on the Leaky Cauldron yesterday about a rumored musical version of Harry Potter. So what if it's completely untrue? Isn't that a great idea? In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit here that I'm a theater person... more specifically a musical theater person. The combination of two of my favorite things... Harry Potter and musicals.... well, that just sounds too good to be true. (Turns out it is.)

But while I'm thinking about it, here's some of what I'd love to see if Hogwarts ever decides to come to Broadway:

-A singing and dancing Voldemort

-A chorus of house elves

-A mechanical Buckbeak that flies off the stage.

-The set! Wouldn't the set be fabulous?

And the songs! What wonderful potential! How about....

Sorcerer's Stone: "You're a Wizard!" An upbeat patter song where Hagrid explains to Harry that he's a wizard and what really happened to his parents.

Chamber of Secrets: "The Secrets of Tom Riddle." In the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle tells Harry his history in the form of a melodic ballad.

Prisoner of Azkaban: "The Shrieking Shack Montage." A complicated overlapping Sondheimesque song (like "Someone in a Tree" from Pacific Overtures) with Sirius, Lupin, Pettigrew, Snape, Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Goblet of Fire: "The Hungarian Horntail." A creative and evocative ballet version of the First Task.

Order of the Phoenix: "Harry's Lament." Starts off slow and then builds to a crescendo as Harry insists that no one understands him. (Similar to "Rose's Turn" in Gypsy.)

Half Blood Prince: "The House of Gaunt." A slapstick comedy song (similar to "Master of the House" in Les Miserables) featuring Marvolo, Merope and Morfin Gaunt.

Deathly Hallows: "The Silent Song." In which everyone stands on stage and doesn't say anything for fear of ruining the plot.

What do you think? Got any ideas for this musical extravaganza?

Harry Potter 7: Chapter Ten

Spoiler

space

if

you

haven't

finished

reading

Chapter

Ten.

Chapter Ten: Kreacher’s Tale

Picture: I loved the photograph of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. At first glance, I thought Harry was in the picture, but then I noticed that it was James. It's a very subtle difference.

Most memorable:
The letter from Lily to Sirius. It was such a magical thing for an orphan like Harry to find.

-Harry, Ron and Hermione figuring out who R.A.B. was and the awful realization that they had thrown the locket in the trash.

-The images of Voldemort, Kreacher and Regulus in the cave. Before I read the book, I couldn’t imagine how on earth Regulus would have figured out about the cave, but the explanation Kreacher gave made perfect sense.

-The way Regulus sacrificed his own life to save Kreacher and stop Voldemort.

-Kreacher with tears in his eyes.

-Harry giving Regulus’ locket to Kreacher.

Worth pointing out:
-Petunia cares about Lily more than she lets on. In Lily’s letter to Sirius, it is mentioned that Petunia gave Lily a vase for Christmas (which Harry later smashed while tooling around on his broomstick). Although Petunia publicly acts as through she doesn’t have a sister… she still cares enough to send Christmas presents.

-Regulus Black is very similar to Draco Malfoy. They were both Slytherins, they were both Quidditch Seekers, they both became Death Eaters when they were 16, and they both got in over their head. Actually, they’re related too… I think they are second cousins.

Connection to previous books:
-If you have the Scholastic editions, compare R.A.B.’s letter (Half Blood Prince hardcover, pg. 609) to the note on Regulus door (Deathly Hallows, pg. 186). Both notes appear in the same handwriting font… which is a clue that Regulus is R.A.B. Thanks to Cheryl at Brooklyn Arden (who was one of the editors of the Scholastic edition) for pointing this out.
**Warning: don't read Cheryl's posts until you've finished the whole book.

-It’s interesting that Sirius gave Harry his first broomstick, because Sirius also gave Harry the Firebolt in Book 3.

Favorite quote:
Harry wanders into Sirius’ room while Ron and Hermione are still asleep. Hermione bursts into Sirius’ room and finds Harry.
“We woke up and didn’t know where you were!” she said breathlessly.
“Ron! I’ve found him!”
Ron’s annoyed voice echoed distantly from several floors below.
“Good! Tell him from me he’s a git!” (Scholastic hardcover, page 183)

Blog maintenance

I've added several new lists to the links section including:

-A hugely expanded list of independent children's bookstores. See this post for more about it.

-A much longer list of comic strips.

-A few of my favorite blogs.

In other blog news:
I'm working on the Harry Potter chapter-by-chapter posts and should have more up soon. I've been busy doing frivolous things like writing papers and studying for final exams.

Speaking of which, my fall semester of graduate school starts very soon, so blog posting may slack off a bit.

I've been experimenting with polls for the last month... although the poll feature has been acting very odd. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sorry about that.

Thanks for reading Wizards Wireless. I never knew blogging could be so much fun.

Independent Bookstores

You may have noticed that my list of independent bookstores on the right-hand side of this blog has grown quite a bit. I originally posted my favorite 10-or-so bookstores and wrote about how much I love to visit bookstores when I travel in this post.

Then, I recently posted a query on both the PUBYAC (public librarians serving children and young adult) and child_lit (scholarly discussion of children's literature) listservs. I wanted to know everyone's favorite (non-chain) bookstores that were either exclusively children's bookstores, or bookstores with excellent children's departments.

I was flooded with wonderful suggestions, and the result is that I now have a list of over 80 fabulous bookstores. I just added a link for each bookstore mentioned. They are listed alphabetically by state, city and then the name of the store.

A few other resources:

Booksense has a terrific directory of independent bookstores.

Author Kathleen Duey has a "wonderful bookstores" list which is well worth checking out.

Also, there is a new Internet-only children’s independent bookstore: Through the Magic Door .

I'm always interested in hearing about more wonderful bookstores. If your favorite isn't on my list, either e-mail me or put a note in the comments section of this post.

UPDATE: I now have 90 independent bookstores on my list! Help me reach 100... and let me know what your favorite is.

For better? or for worse?

So, here we are... a few short weeks until the end of For Better or For Worse as we know it. In September Lynn Johnston is starting the hybrid strip which will include scenes and characters from many years ago. See this post for more information about it.

There is an excellent interview with Lynn Johnston in the Patriot News that's worth reading because it's very current and mentions how Elizabeth's storyline will be continued. She also admits that it's been tough writing the small children and teenagers in the strip.

I have to say that I'm going to miss the strip when it's gone. I'm not sure yet if the hybrid will work for me.... I'm reserving judgement on that until I see it. Whatever else fans and critics have to say about it (and there's been a lot said recently) I think that For Better or For Worse has been unique on the comics page for many years and it's the one I'm the most curious about every morning. It's been the only comic strip where characters really change and develop (whether we like what they develop into is an entirely different matter). And I think the reason that there has been so much angst about the plot is that it's one of the few strips that has content that can really be discussed and analyzed.

My hope is that there's a new comic strip writer out there who is inspired to really explore their characters in the way Johnston has... and that there is a syndicate that is willing to sign them, newspapers that will take on a new strip, and readers that will give them a chance. Now, that's a strip I can't wait to read.

UPDATE: It seems that the published interview with Lynn Johnston was only a small portion of the entire interview. The journalist who did the interview has posted the entire thing on his blog. It's fantastic and much better than the shortened interview. To read the unabridged version, go to Chris Mautner's blog. Thank you, Pirate Ninja Mommy for the heads up!!

Mo Willems Sesame Street animation

I'm a big fan of Mo Willems. You may have already guessed that from my review of Knuffle Bunny.

Mo started out as an animator for Sesame Street. I watch a LOT of Sesame Street (well, my son does, and I watch it with him) and I've had many guesses about what Mo animated, but it's nice to have some actual titles and images to go along with my suspicions. Thanks to this mention by Fuse #8, I was able to find three examples of his early work on Youtube.

Check them out:

Tommy LePlaid

A spokesman talks about the letter L

I have a small octopus on my head

I loved watching these because they're so different, and yet so similar to his later work.

Check out Mo's blog.... he has a brief mention of the videos and a sneak peek at one of his upcoming books. I love seeing sketch by sketch versions of final images.

In defense of audiobooks

I was quite startled to see an article entitled "Your Cheatin' Listening Ways" in the New York Times on Thursday that slams the audiobook industry and implies that listening to a book is a form of cheating. It surprised me because audiobooks are extremely popular these days and the article felt like it could have been written ten years ago when books on tape (or CD or MP3) were far less in vogue.

Why are audiobooks so popular? One reason (as the article points out) is that people are busy and listen to audiobooks while they're doing another task, such as driving or laundry. While this is true, I think the article neglected an important point: that the quality of audiobooks has markedly improved over the years. Audiobooks have gone from dry atonal readings to full scale productions which include music and multiple narrators. Many people are auditory learners and simply absorb things better by hearing than by reading. And of course, people who are blind or dsylexic listen to audiobooks. I don't think this diminishes the experience of the book at all.

My favorite audiobook narrator is Jim Dale (see this post). I think he's absolutely wonderful. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was a particularly good audiobook and possibly the best of the whole series. As always, I think Jim Dale's narration enhanced the text and gave it an additional dimension.

I've recently been drawn in by Bruce Coville's company Full Cast Audio. As their name implies, Full Cast Audio has a different narrator for every character and I think this adds an incredible richness to each of their recordings. I had the pleasure of listening to their production of Kenneth Oppel's Airborn and it was just fantastic. I had thoroughly enjoyed the book when I read it, but I really feel in love with it when I listened to it. Matt Cruse was read by teenage actor David Kelly and this helped me get a much better sense of this character than I have before. I also thought that Bill Molesky, who read Captain Walken, was right on the money with his wonderful magisterial interpretation.

To my delight, there is a new award for children's audiobooks sponsored by the American Library Association. The Odyssey Award is in its first year, and I can't wait to hear the winner and honor books announced in January 2008.

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle: New and Improved?

Look! This post isn't about Harry Potter! Amazing, isn't it?

One of my very favorite children's book characters has always been Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. She's a wonderful (and unfortunately fictional) woman who lives in a very 1950ish neighborhood (not surprisingly since the books were published in the 1950's) who always knows exactly how to solve every possible child-rearing problem. Each book contains several short stories that are very loosely connected and they make great early chapter books. They're slightly difficult to read aloud because of the complicated sentences and long chapters, but well worth the effort. My personal favorites are the very first chapter "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Herself" in the first book (Mrs. Piggle Wiggle) and "The Waddle-I-Doers" which is the last chapter in the last book, (Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic).

My friend Cate likes the earlier books the best because Mrs. Piggle Wiggle comes up with creative (and vaguely believable) solutions like the Radish Cure.... whereas in the later books Mrs. Piggle Wiggle primarily uses magic, and well, that's a little harder for the average parent to do. Cate also wonders (and so do I every time I read the books) why the neighborhood mothers haven't learned that when they have a problem with their children they should immediately call Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (who will, of course, be able to solve it for them). Instead, they all seem to waste valuable time by calling several of their friends until one of them finally suggests asking Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (who then, of course, solves the problem.)

Alas, author Betty MacDonald passed away in 1958, and so only four Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books were ever published. The original books are in the process of being re-released with new covers. I think it's great to have these books in print, in any form, though it's hard to improve on the classic illustrations by Hilary Knight and Maurice Sendak.

Recently, Betty MacDonald's daughter Anne MacDonald Canham found an unpublished manuscript of a Mrs. Piggle Wiggle story. The first new Mrs. Piggle Wiggle book in fifty years will be be published in October 2007, it's titled Happy Birthday Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and features the unpublished story along with several new stories written by her daughter. Several more Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books by Anne MacDonald Canham are currently in the works. I have mixed feelings about this... on the one hand, I love the character, in any form... and on the other hand I think it's hard to improve on the originals. But since it's written by MacDonald's daughter, it's being done with a huge amount of love and respect... so I'll reserve my opinion until I read the new book. What do you think about it?

Harry Potter 7: Chapters Eight and Nine

Spoiler

space

if

you

haven't

finished

reading

Chapter

Nine.



Chapter Eight: The Wedding

Picture: There were some great images in this chapter and so I found it an odd choice that the illustration was of the last sentence in the chapter. Is Harry the one on the far right?

General comment: A wedding is a wedding is a wedding. No matter if it’s magical or in the midst of a war… there are still difficult relatives, quirky neighbors and of course, jealous former boyfriends.

Most memorable:
-Xenophilius Lovegood. What a great name! It can’t be easy for him to fill out forms.

-That Luna was instantly knew who Harry was, even though he was disguised.

-There’s only one minister in the wizarding world?

-Auntie Muriel is a wonderful character. I love her comment that Xenophilius looks like an omelet.

-Ron and Hermione’s reactions to seeing Viktor Krum.

-It was fantastic the way the wedding ceremony changed seamlessly into the reception. I could have used that during my wedding.

-The power of gossip and rumor and how Auntie Muriel’s words cause deep doubt in Harry. Also, the helplessness of Elphias Doge at the mention of the scandals in Dumbledore’s youth.

-Scrimgeour's death. I felt like I was just getting to know him and this caught me by surprise.

Funny:
-Fred’s description of how Uncle Bilius used to behave at weddings.

-The fact that champagne bottles floated unsupported through the crowd, refilling glasses when needed.


Connection to previous books:
We now see why the brief mention of Gregorovitch the wandmaker in Book Four was important.

Also, Bathilda Bagshot- who to this point has only been mentioned once in Book One- and that was as the author of a book on Harry’s booklist.

In Book Four, Viktor Krum and Hermione were dancing at the Yule Ball and Ron was jealous and sitting next to Harry. When she was done dancing, Hermione was exhausted and sat down next to Harry while Viktor went to get more butterbeer.

In Book Seven, Ron and Hermione were dancing and Viktor was jealous and sitting next to Harry. When she was done dancing, Hermione was exhausted and sat down next to Harry while Ron went to get more butterbeer.


Favorite quote:
Viktor Krum casts an admiring look at Ginny during the reception.
Harry gets suddenly irritated and says: “She’s seeing someone. Jealous type. Big bloke. You wouldn’t want to cross him.”
Krum’s response: “Vot is the point of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken?” (Scholastic hardcover, page 150).



Chapter Nine: A Place to Hide
Picture: Hermione’s dress. Wow. I had no idea it was that elaborate.

Most memorable:
-The image of Lupin and Tonks standing united together and putting up a solid defense.

-The incredibly quick mood change from the wedding reception to Tottenham Court Road.

-Harry, Ron and Hermione's great cover-up of the battle in the diner.

-The image of the corpse of Albus Dumbledore. That was incredibly creepy.

-The image of Draco Malfoy torturing a Death Eater- and the fact that Harry felt sorry for him.

Funny:
-Hermione’s small beaded purse that rattles like a cargo hold. This is probably one of my very favorite things in the whole book.

Favorite quote:
“Ron struggled for a moment before managing to extract his wand from his pocket.
‘It’s no wonder I can’t get it out, Hermione, you packed my old jeans, they’re tight.’
‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ hissed Hermione, and as she dragged the waitress out of sight of the windows, Harry heard her mutter a suggestion as to where Ron could stick his wand instead.” (Scholastic hardcover, page 167.)

J.K. Rowling Interviews

J.K. Rowling is currently doing a FANTASTIC webchat on Bloomsbury.com. Read the transcript here.... it's amazing.... she's answering every question fully and a lot of wonderful questions are being asked.

UPDATE: The chat is now over and definitely worth reading. It's refreshing to see so many questions answered and wonderful that she's not holding anything back any more.


I posted a short excerpt of J.K. Rowling's interview on The Today show... but now the entire interview is online. If you enjoyed the excerpt, you'll love the rest of interview.... there's tons of interesting information in it. Several of J.K. Rowling's comments in this interview have already been twisted and taken out of context.... so it's refreshing to read the complete transcript.

Pssssst..... don't read either of these interviews until you've finished the book.

Harry Potter 7: Chapters Six and Seven

Spoilers



about




Chapter Six




and Chapter Seven




This post is safe to read if you've finished Chapter 7.




Chapter Six: The Ghoul in Pajamas

Most memorable:
-Harry noticing that Mrs. Weasley’s eyes are the exact same color as Ginny’s eyes.
-Mrs. Weasley’s frantic obsession to keep Harry, Ron and Hermione apart.
-The things Ron and Hermione have done to protect their families.

Funny: Mr. Weasley keeping Sirius’ motorbike in the chicken coop.

Connection to previous books: The books that Hermione sorts in Ron’s bedroom are all ones that have been mentioned previously. I love that she has pores indecisively over Break with a Banshee (because of her crush on Gilderoy Lockhart) and that she tosses Defensive Magical Theory (the book from Umbridge’s class) into the trash without hesitation.

Favorite quote: Mrs. Weasley asks Ron to clean out his bedroom… and Ron demands why it needs to be cleaned. Mrs. Weasley: “We are holding your brother’s wedding here in a few days’ time, young man-”
“And are they getting married in my bedroom?” asked Ron furiously. “No! So why in the name of Merlin’s saggy left-” (Scholastic hardcover, page 92)




Chapter Seven: The Will of Albus Dumbledore

Picture: Is it just me, or does Harry look incredibly tall in this picture? Or is Ginny just short?

Most memorable:
-Harry reveling in turning of age and finally being able to do magic outside of Hogwarts
-Ginny’s birthday present for Harry
-Harry’s vision of Ginny marrying a faceless stranger
-The warning that came from Mr. Weasley’s Patronus. Although we know that the Order of the Phoenix communicates via Patronus and we’ve seen Dumbledore send one before… this was the first time we really saw the communication in action.
-Rufus Scrimgeour, who was much more openly hostile than the last time we met him.
-The wonderful puzzle in the objects that Dumbledore left to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Clearly they would be very important and I couldn't wait to find out how.
-Ron knowing more about a book than Hermione .

Funny: Norberta the Norwegian Ridgeback was very funny and I loved Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches.

Connection to previous books: That in his first ever Quidditch match (in Book One) Harry nearly swallowed the Snitch. I’ve always thought that was incredibly random and was glad to finally know that Rowling wrote it in deliberately.

Favorite quote: Hermione comments that she, Harry and Ron should get some sleep because it’s late and they wouldn’t want to oversleep Bill and Fleur’s wedding.
Ron agrees and says “A brutal triple murder by the bridegroom’s mother might put a bit of a damper on the wedding.” (Scholastic hardcover, page 136)

All Harry, All The Time?

If you've just tuned into Wizards Wireless, you might have the impression that the only topic on this blog is Harry Potter. Not really... just for the last week or so. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows seems to have dominated my posts lately and I'm currently discussing the book chapter by chapter. That's been taking a while, so there will be some more non-stop Harry Pottering while I work my way through discussing the book.

If you're more of a big picture person, my overall impression of the book is here.

I have no Internet connection this weekend (sigh) but should be able to post several more chapter discussions by Monday. Please comment... I'd love to hear what your impressions are about each chapter.

If you're not a Harry Potter fan, the children's book reviews section of this blog will be back soon. And if you are a Harry Potter fan.... enjoy! There's so much to talk about!

Fantastic J.K. Rowling interview

Want more information than what was in the epilogue?

Check out this interview with J.K. Rowling on the Today show... this was very satisfying to read. It filled in a lot of holes for me.

DON'T read the interview or the comments on this post until you've finished the book.


UPDATE: the complete interview is now online. See this post for the link.

Harry Potter 7: Chapters Four and Five

Spoilers and lots of them!






This is safe to read if you've finished reading Chapters Four and Five... but please don't read this if you haven't. They are both such wonderful chapters and I'd hate to ruin them for you.







Chapter Four: The Seven Potters

General comment: Rowling doesn't mess around. It's only chapter four and she already has a major battle scene featuring Voldemort. Talk about hitting the ground running (or flying, as it were.)

Most memorable:
-Hedwig dying so quickly and unexpectedly.
-A solid brick wall appearing out of nowhere in midair.
-The helplessness that Harry experienced being with Hagrid who was the least talented wizard.
-The sidecar falling to earth.
-Shock that the Death Eaters figured out who the real Harry was.
-The terror of Voldemort catching up with Harry so soon.

Funny: The reactions of the characters who changed into Harry, and the image of each of them lining up to take a rucksack and an owl cage. I particularly liked Harry's comment that the doubles were being rather immodest with his body.

Connection to previous books: Hagrid does have Sirius' bike! I knew it! I'm glad Rowling brought it back. Also, Fred's comments about Mad Eye not being able to tell the twins apart is a mirror of Fred's conversation with Mrs. Weasley in Book 1 in the train station (Sorcerer's Stone, Scholastic hardcover, pg. 92).

Favorite quote: There were so many funny lines in the beginning of this chapter that it's hard to chose. I thought everything Fred and George said was hysterical. But if I had to pick just one, it would be after everyone has drunk the Polyjuice potion:
"Fred and George turned to each other and said together, 'Wow- we're identical!'
'I dunno, though, I think I'm still better looking,' said Fred." (Scholastic hardcover, pg. 51)



Chapter Five: Fallen Warrior

General comment: This was a fantastic and suspenseful chapter. It really kept me on the edge of my seat. Since it was the last book, I felt that really anyone could die... that no one was safe. I thought it was wonderful the way Rowling staggered the arrival times at the Burrow to leave the reader in suspense as long as possible.

Most memorable:
-The psych-out that Hagrid was dead. That was gut-wrenching.
-Harry's reaction to Andromeda Tonks.
-Lupin telling Harry that the time to disarm was past, now was the time to kill.
-Mr. Weasley's angry insistence to see his injured son.
-Mad Eye's death, because I always saw him as such a tough character.
-Bill's salute to Mad Eye which was done so quickly out of necessity.
-Fleur's allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix... it's the first time I really saw that.
-Harry trying to be an adult and proclaiming that he trusts everyone in the room.

Funny: Fred and George again, of course. I loved that George had a sense of humor even in light of a significant injury. I also liked the sight gag of Hagrid continually getting stuck in doorways.

Favorite quote: Fred's comment after George says that he's holey.
"Pathetic," he told George. "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humor before you, you go for holey?" (Scholastic hardcover, pg. 75)

Change of topic

Enough about Harry Potter, you say! No problem. How about I talk about comic strips?

Sounds good.

Here's the last two days of Unshelved... Monday's is here and Tuesday's is here.

P.S. They're about Harry Potter. Couldn't resist, sorry.

P.P.S. For more about Unshelved, read this post.

UPDATE: Wednesday's is here and Thursday's is here.

Harry Potter 7: Chapters Two and Three

Spoilers coming!!!!




It's safe to read this post if you've finished Chapters Two and Three of the Deathly Hallows... but do NOT read it if you haven't finished reading the Half Blood Prince.





As I move on to chapter two, I think I better start talking about them in outline form, otherwise it might take me longer to go through all the chapters than it did for J.K. Rowling to write the book. So here goes the (hopefully) streamlined discussion of the next few chapters.




Chapter Two: In Memoriam
Most memorable: When I read Dumbledore's obituary, I felt like I was mourning someone I knew personally. This was the first time my eyes watered while reading this book.

Funny: The Rita Skeeter interview was absolutely hysterical.

Worth pointing out: Aha! He found the mirror that Sirius gave him. I knew that would be important. The fact that Harry saw a blue eye in it made me think he was summoning Professor Dumbledore back from the dead, but I wasn't sure how. I kept thinking that the fragment would break apart once it was in his backpack.

Connection to previous books: Elphias Doge (the writer of Dumbledore's obituary) was one of the members of the Order of the Phoenix who escorted Harry to Grimmauld Place in Book 5.

Favorite quote: "The idea of a teenage Dumbledore was simply odd, like trying to imagine a stupid Hermione or a friendly Blast-Ended Skrewt." (Scholastic hardcover, pg. 21)



Chapter Three: The Dursleys Departing
Picture: I understand that Dudley has more muscle mass than in the past, but is it just me or does it look like he has balloons up his sleeves and has turned into a hunchback?

Most memorable: Harry standing up to the Dursleys, so completely unafraid of them... and actually protecting them. And of course, the fact that Dudley redeemed himself.

Funny: Dedalus Diggle. This is the first time we've really gotten a chance to see him say more than a a sentence or two, and he cracked me up. I loved when he asked Uncle Vernon if he knew how to drive. And his pocket watch is great. I could use one of those.

Connection to previous books: The image of Vernon Dursley packing and unpacking and repacking was reminiscent of his madness in Book One in The Letters From No One chapter.

Favorite quote:
Dedalus Diggle to Harry: "The hopes of the Wizarding world rest upon your shoulders."
"Oh," said Harry, "right." (Scholastic hardcover, pg. 41)

Harry Potter 7: Introduction and Chapter One

Look out, spoilers coming!






No, really, I mean it.






BIG spoilers.





Last chance to stop reading.






Okay. You asked for it.






Can you believe that the giant squid was a horcrux?





That was just a test to see if you really stopped reading this post.





Now for the real stuff...



I've got to start with the cover. Not the artwork... that was released weeks ago and it's been pored over minutely. It's the jacket flaps that are intriguing. There's no plot summary on the front one (just a one sentence introduction) and the back flap is completely blank. Totally intriguing and classy... and I've never seen it before. It heightened the sense of drama.

And next, the dedication. (Wow, this series of posts is going to be long, isn't it?) I love that it's split seven ways... to her husband (Neil), her children (Jessica, David and Mackenzie), sister (Diane) and mother (Anne)... and the readers. It thought it set the right tone to have the fans be included on the dedication and this the first book she's done it. It also felt like it made a full circle with the first book, which was dedicated to Jessica, Diane and Anne. (Neil, David and Mackenzie and the fans weren't in her life at the time). It's also the first time she's included quotations and I thought they were well chosen and also heightened the tension. Clearly, this book is going to talk about death. It's in the title. It's in the preface. There's no escaping it.

Just a quick note about the audiobook here. (I simultaneously listened to the audiobook and read the book.) All the Harry Potter audio books (the Random House Listening Library versions) begin the same way... a very short piece of music (the same music for every book), the title, the author's name, the narator's name and then Chapter One. For Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the music was very different from the quick jaunty theme of the other books. It was much longer, more intense and more poignant. That coupled with the quotations made it a far lengthier introduction than usual... and I thought it was well done and very effective.

Chapter One: The Dark Lord Ascending
Raise your hand if at first you thought this was the same night that Snape fled Hogwarts. I certainly did. I've got to hand it to Rowling for an excellent psych-out. This was the first time we saw a Death Eater meeting, and it was intense. I didn't know whether or not to believe Snape's information but I liked that Draco was scared. I was surprised that Lucius was at the table, and thought the way Voldemort took his wand was a wonderful sucker punch. The words Charity Burbage used to plead for her life were an exact replica of Dumbledore's last words: "Severus... please." And the image of the snake slithering onto the table was suitably creepy.

The Plot That Must Not be Named

(This is the last spoiler free post).

So, as mentioned in the previous post, I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but haven't yet said much about it yet. Here goes....

I have to say that I don't know where to start. There was just so much in the book... and there's so much to talk about. The only way I can think of to do this is to go chapter by chapter (lumping several chapters into each post so that it isn't too tedious to read.) I'll put the chapter numbers in the headline of each post- so you'll know what is safe to read if you haven't finished the book.

As a whole, I thought the book was extraordinary. The plot just wasn't guessable and I loved that. I experienced the whole range of emotions while reading... sadness, joy, shock, surprise. Mostly I was amazed at how many clues and double and triple meanings had been buried in the other books and what a complex tapestry the whole thing is. Congratulations to Jo Rowling for writing such a fantastic story and for keeping a secret for seventeen years. It was worth the wait.

Be warned.... from here on, the posts contain spoilers.

So I finished the book and....

Wow.



Wow.



Wow.

Tonight, Tonight

A few final pre-release thoughts about Harry Potter. (The Harry Potter posts will stop dominating this blog soon.... I promise.) I made some predictions in this post... but why miss a chance to embarrass myself and make a few more? =)

So here goes (and try not to laugh too much if you're reading this post after you've finished reading the book).

Ginny will do something amazing... and it will involve cats. I'm not sure if she's an animagus.... but she seems to have a special affinity with cats, particularly Crookshanks. Also, adjectives and descriptions of her frequently are cat-like. If I'm right about this... it will make the following line from book two absolutely brilliant: "Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover." (Chamber of Secrets, Scholastic paperback, pg. 146). That would mean that line not only works when re-reading Book 2, but is actually an important detail for the whole series.

We will FINALLY find out about why it is important that Harry has his mother's eyes.... and why Lily had a good wand for charm work. (Every time I read that Harry has his mother's eyes, I think of a rejoinder from the Mrs. Doubtfire movie ... "not unless he fills out a donor card.")

Aberforth Dumbledore (see this post for more about him) will be important because he's been an incredibly minor character until now.

There's been a lot of speculation about will Harry live or die. My friends and family (who all know that I'm an obsessed Harry Potter fan) keep asking me what my prediction about this is. My answer is that I don't think it will be that simple. It's hard to guess anything at this point (without looking like a complete idiot tomorrow).... but I feel sure that there's more to it than just living or dying.

So enjoy reading.... and don't forget to savor the book as you tear through it. My first step (while exiting the parking lot at the bookstore) is to pore over the table of contents. These may feel like extra pages that are in your way of getting to the first chapter, but I found that in Book 6, Rowling did some fantastic psych-outs with the chapter titles and I'm looking forward to seeing if she does it again.

Have fun at the Harry Potter release parties. If you're debating whether or not to go at midnight (it's just a book after all).... just go. It's the last book, the last party... it'll be worth staying awake for. If you haven't found a party in your area, check out the extensive listings at Potter Parties.

As for me... I'm retreating to a cave (well, figuratively- see the new poll on the right side of the page) until I've finished the book. I'll post lots about it when I'm done.... with gigantic spoiler warnings. I always finish the books very quickly and can't find anyone to talk to about it. I would LOVE to hear your opinions about the book... e-mail me at wizardwireless@gmail.com or post to the comments section, but please put Spoiler in the heading.

And then, I promise, I'll get back to writing about something other than Harry Potter.

Enjoy the book!!!!!

Update: Check out the acknowledgements on J.K. Rowling's official site. Click on the pink eraser on the desk. The Room of Requirement will open for you.... there's no secret code for getting past the door this time.