#HarryPotterAtHome for everyone

As the library's foremost Harry Potter fan, I try to create Harry Potter-themed events whenever possible, especially for adults who often get overlooked as fans of this beloved world. In this unusual and difficult time of social distancing, self-isolation and worry, I am happy to note that there are several new access points to Harry Potter material and lore for fans of all ages.

1. J. K. Rowling and WizardingWorld.com have announced the release of the new online Harry Potter hub: Harry Potter at Home. It has info, quizzes, crafts, lore and all sorts of fun Harry Potter resources for parents, teachers, carers, students and adult fans too. Don't forget to get sorted into your house!

2. J. K. Rowling has announced that she has granted open licenses for teachers and now allows them to make and share videos of themselves reading her books for students online.

3. As a part of the #HarryPotterAtHome release, Overdrive has issued free access to the first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It is accessible through the end of April and available to everyone who has access to Overdrive as a City of Dubuque C-SPL card holder, or Bridges Overdrive, through the Dubuque County Library. What's really cool about this is these are available in many languages and in ebook or downloadable audio formats. May I humbly recommend you try the audio version, as Jim Dale is *amazing* as the narrator of the entire Harry Potter series and is a joy to listen to.

4. Speaking of the joy of audio books, Audible.com is also offering free streaming of the digital audio book version of the first book (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) under their "Audible Stories" section.  But here is the kicker - they are offering the British version of the audio book, which was narrated by actor and comedian Stephen Fry! As a die-hard Harry Potter fan, I have been aching to get my hands (and ears) on this audio version! While I am committed to Jim Dale forever as the Best. Narrator. Ever...I still wanted to hear a new take by a different narrator. You never know what new details or nuance you might pick up with a new voice.

5. Lastly, how about a Harry Potter themed online escape room? Sounds awesome, right? Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA created this Hogwarts Digital Escape Room for Harry Potter fans who are stuck at home. Thank you, Sydney!

If you have never read the Harry Potter series, I challenge you to do so now. The options for access and Harry Potter fun are wide open. Who couldn't use a little escape to Hogwarts right about now?

~Angie, Adult Services Librarian and Gryffindor For Life

Staff Review: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by Rowling, Thorne and Tiffany

Where do I begin? To review something that you have undying affection for is harder than you might think. I suspect I need to delve a bit deeper than: I ♥ Harry Potter ♥ always.

As most of you know, the Harry Potter stories were published in seven books and through these
books, we see the whole story arc of wizard Harry's teen years (the glorious triumphs and far too many tragedies) and the ultimate fight of good versus evil, love versus hate. The last book came out in July 2007. Nine years ago! For those of us who are super-fans, that is eons. My love for Harry Potter knows no bounds and I was beyond thrilled when I realized that there was to be "the eighth Harry Potter story" coming out.

What surprised so many people was that this eighth story is a written as a play. It is being performed this summer in London. So many of us will never get the chance to see this play across the pond, but we do get the script for it.

I knew it was going to be a play script. I knew it would be different. But what I didn't expect was how quickly the story jumps right into the action. But that makes sense, I realized, because a play is all dialogue. All the words need to count and they need to propel the action forward.

I can only hope that someday the play will come to Iowa. I'd even be happy with a DVD of the stage production in London. I think that there must be so much visual storytelling here that we miss a lot of the drama of the words in the script: all the meaningful looks, pregnant pauses, no-doubt gorgeous and magical set pieces. I miss J.K.'s ability to bring you into the story by her fantastic descriptions of magical locations, also the peeks into the minds of the characters and how they are feeling. All of these things are burned in my memory, but for someone who hasn't read these books *cough* so many times, they might not get it at all.

...Angie, may I hijack your review for a moment? This is Amy.  I'm also a huge Harry Potter fan, but nowhere near as obsessed as Angie.  Though I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I feel cheated.  I feel cheated because J.K. Rowling is a masterful story teller and I really want to return to the world of Harry Potter and see Hogwarts as it is now.  With Harry, Hermione, Ron and yes, even Malfoy's children attending school, learning spells, getting into shenanigans and forging their own path in the world.  But alas I don't think that will ever happen. So curse you J.K. Rowling for dangling this carrot and then just taking it away.  Okay, selfish rant over.  You may return to Angie's review now...

Thanks, Amy, for that insight. I will say that I always hold out hope that there will be more written about the wizarding world of J.K. Rowling. This seems to be the case on her website "Pottermore" After the heaviness of what happened in the last few books, however, I don't think we will be able to get our innocence back. Sigh. That doesn't mean I won't keep reading them however. These books are like family to us super-fans.

Update: Rumors are flying that some film producers want to make this play into one, or some say even three movies. Who knows if this is true, but we can always dream.

~Angie (and Amy), Adult Services

Staff Review: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by Rowling, Thorne and Tiffany

Where do I begin? To review something that you have undying affection for is harder than you might think. I suspect I need to delve a bit deeper than: I ♥ Harry Potter ♥ always.

As most of you know, the Harry Potter stories were published in seven books and through these
books, we see the whole story arc of wizard Harry's teen years (the glorious triumphs and far too many tragedies) and the ultimate fight of good versus evil, love versus hate. The last book came out in July 2007. Nine years ago! For those of us who are super-fans, that is eons. My love for Harry Potter knows no bounds and I was beyond thrilled when I realized that there was to be "the eighth Harry Potter story" coming out.

What surprised so many people was that this eighth story is a written as a play. It is being performed this summer in London. So many of us will never get the chance to see this play across the pond, but we do get the script for it.

I knew it was going to be a play script. I knew it would be different. But what I didn't expect was how quickly the story jumps right into the action. But that makes sense, I realized, because a play is all dialogue. All the words need to count and they need to propel the action forward.

I can only hope that someday the play will come to Iowa. I'd even be happy with a DVD of the stage production in London. I think that there must be so much visual storytelling here that we miss a lot of the drama of the words in the script: all the meaningful looks, pregnant pauses, no-doubt gorgeous and magical set pieces. I miss J.K.'s ability to bring you into the story by her fantastic descriptions of magical locations, also the peeks into the minds of the characters and how they are feeling. All of these things are burned in my memory, but for someone who hasn't read these books *cough* so many times, they might not get it at all.

...Angie, may I hijack your review for a moment? This is Amy.  I'm also a huge Harry Potter fan, but nowhere near as obsessed as Angie.  Though I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I feel cheated.  I feel cheated because J.K. Rowling is a masterful story teller and I really want to return to the world of Harry Potter and see Hogwarts as it is now.  With Harry, Hermione, Ron and yes, even Malfoy's children attending school, learning spells, getting into shenanigans and forging their own path in the world.  But alas I don't think that will ever happen. So curse you J.K. Rowling for dangling this carrot and then just taking it away.  Okay, selfish rant over.  You may return to Angie's review now...

Thanks, Amy, for that insight. I will say that I always hold out hope that there will be more written about the wizarding world of J.K. Rowling. This seems to be the case on her website "Pottermore" After the heaviness of what happened in the last few books, however, I don't think we will be able to get our innocence back. Sigh. That doesn't mean I won't keep reading them however. These books are like family to us super-fans.

Update: Rumors are flying that some film producers want to make this play into one, or some say even three movies. Who knows if this is true, but we can always dream.

~Angie (and Amy), Adult Services

A Prophecy, A Quest and A Fatal Flaw: One Adult's Case for Reading Kid Lit

  

 
If you haven’t been reading kids' books, you are missing out. The drama, complexity and humor of many juvenile fiction books make for great reads, no matter your age. As a die-hard Harry Potter fan, and one who was well into adulthood when they were first published, I learned that a good story can simply be a good story. It is said that J.K. Rowling did not write Harry Potter as a kids' book on purpose; she was just telling the story of a boy wizard. The characters mature in her seven-book series, and we often see that similar arc in other juvenile fiction series. These stories grow in depth and maturity the further we get. 

Once I had read all the HP books, I was in search of more – the same magic, drama and sincerity that I found reading Rowling’s work. There are tons of great books to explore, many of which, I've found, share these compelling characteristics:

• It seems like most of the time, good wins over evil -- mostly. But we do see sadness, we even see death. Such is real life. But still, most of these tales are full of heart and hope. 
• They are real page-turners. They are written to keep you engrossed in the story. There are prophecies and quests and characters learning about their strengths and their fatal flaws.
• You might even learn something! Riordan’s Percy Jackson books are full of mythological characters that – though tweaked for these stories -- are actually based on the myths we were supposed to read in high school and college.
• You won’t get much swearing or any R-rated stuff here. These books are squeaky clean. 
• You want adventure? You got it! These are some crazy stories and will keep you on the edge of   your seat.
• If you are feeling generous, you can totally share these with the kids in your life. Listening to audio books of kids' lit is a near-daily activity in my household. Better yet, check out the book too and listen as you read along. It’s a very good way to help see how challenging words are spelled – especially in the Percy Jackson/mythology books.
• Stop by the Kids Desk or the Recommendations Desk to learn more about the many great tales of adventure.