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[CCBC-Net] Harry Potter as a New Kind of Story
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From: Monica Edinger <monicaedinger>
Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 09:21:40 -0400
My last few weeks with Harry have been wonderful. It has been quite unlike anything else I've experienced --- a story that has truly gone beyond the pages of the book in innumerable of ways. A new kind of story for me. What follows isn't specifically about the final book as much as it is my reflecting on this idea --- of this unique experience many of us are having with this particular story.
I began preparing before the book's release with a series of blog posts
(under the Remembering Harry tag at www.medinger.wordpress.com) looking back at my own experiences with Harry Potter. Feeling I did not have time to reread the earlier books, I listened to the penultimate one on my daily run, finishing the same day I began reading the final one. On the evening of July 20th I saw the Order of the Phoenix movie and had a blast at some release events. Within a couple of days I had finished Deathly Hallows and immediately jumped into a bunch of exciting online and in-person conversations that all extended the book for me. I thought that would be it, but then came Rowling herself expanding beyond the final book in her interviews. And it still isn't over for me --- I hadn't intended to (and really haven't the time to do it, but I don't care:), but I've just reread the first book and am onto the second. It is absolutely amazing to see the threads go in reverse, to see just how carefully Rowling plotted this story over seven volumes (and beyond as is evident in her epilogue and interviews). And now I'm sure it will go on for a while; I don't go back to school till after Labor Day where I'll have loads of students eager to tell me their thoughts!
On child_lit someone noted how extraordinary it was to be part of a world of readers that Saturday, July 21. To be aware that millions all over the world were all reading the same book you were. Incredible. The stories of the release night from all over the world were amazing too. My experience in NYC was wonderful (photos are at my blog for anyone interested), but I loved reading about the other parties too. Whole towns, communities, bookstores, libraries, streets, blocks, museums, and many other places big and small all turned into this imaginary world of Rowling's. Amazing and wonderful, I thought.
And so I am now fascinated by the way I (and many others) are experiencing this particular story. We often read and then extend our readings by talking about a particular book. Sometimes we see a movie of it too. And sometimes we may also read or see interviews with the author about the book. Hear them talk about their books and read from them. But I feel this is somehow different (or maybe just more). To have the story of Harry Potter heightened by Jim Dale, Rupert, Emma, and Daniel; by the online conversations, the release parties, Rowling's interviews --- all of this is turning it into a very interesting new kind of story I think. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just getting carried away?
Monica
Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 09:21:40 -0400
My last few weeks with Harry have been wonderful. It has been quite unlike anything else I've experienced --- a story that has truly gone beyond the pages of the book in innumerable of ways. A new kind of story for me. What follows isn't specifically about the final book as much as it is my reflecting on this idea --- of this unique experience many of us are having with this particular story.
I began preparing before the book's release with a series of blog posts
(under the Remembering Harry tag at www.medinger.wordpress.com) looking back at my own experiences with Harry Potter. Feeling I did not have time to reread the earlier books, I listened to the penultimate one on my daily run, finishing the same day I began reading the final one. On the evening of July 20th I saw the Order of the Phoenix movie and had a blast at some release events. Within a couple of days I had finished Deathly Hallows and immediately jumped into a bunch of exciting online and in-person conversations that all extended the book for me. I thought that would be it, but then came Rowling herself expanding beyond the final book in her interviews. And it still isn't over for me --- I hadn't intended to (and really haven't the time to do it, but I don't care:), but I've just reread the first book and am onto the second. It is absolutely amazing to see the threads go in reverse, to see just how carefully Rowling plotted this story over seven volumes (and beyond as is evident in her epilogue and interviews). And now I'm sure it will go on for a while; I don't go back to school till after Labor Day where I'll have loads of students eager to tell me their thoughts!
On child_lit someone noted how extraordinary it was to be part of a world of readers that Saturday, July 21. To be aware that millions all over the world were all reading the same book you were. Incredible. The stories of the release night from all over the world were amazing too. My experience in NYC was wonderful (photos are at my blog for anyone interested), but I loved reading about the other parties too. Whole towns, communities, bookstores, libraries, streets, blocks, museums, and many other places big and small all turned into this imaginary world of Rowling's. Amazing and wonderful, I thought.
And so I am now fascinated by the way I (and many others) are experiencing this particular story. We often read and then extend our readings by talking about a particular book. Sometimes we see a movie of it too. And sometimes we may also read or see interviews with the author about the book. Hear them talk about their books and read from them. But I feel this is somehow different (or maybe just more). To have the story of Harry Potter heightened by Jim Dale, Rupert, Emma, and Daniel; by the online conversations, the release parties, Rowling's interviews --- all of this is turning it into a very interesting new kind of story I think. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just getting carried away?
Monica
-- Monica Edinger Newbery 2008 Chair Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts 2007 The Dalton School New York NY edinger at dalton.org monicaedinger at gmail.com my blog educating alice is at http://medinger.wordpress.comReceived on Sun 05 Aug 2007 08:21:40 AM CDT
