| Magical and non-magical folk
alike crowded into area bookstores Saturday to snatch up the
first copies of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”
Book retailers warmly welcomed them with Harry Potter-themed
events, beverages and even Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor
Beans – the jelly beans made in exotic flavors such
as black pepper, spinach, dirt and grass just like those read
about in the books.
At Books on First in Dixon, seven children arrived before
9:30 a.m. for a Harry Potter character look-a-like contest.
While the contestants waited patiently for Delight Pitman
to tabulate the winners of the contest, Claire Etchison, 9,
of Dixon, eagerly opened her copy of the book and began reading
chapter one.
“My most favorite book (in the series) is the second
one,” she said.
After reading the first four books two times each, she was
undaunted by the fact the fifth book in the series is 870
pages.
“I have to brag about her,” said her mother,
Kathy Etchison, who was sitting nearby. “she was the
top reader in the third grade at Lincoln School this year,
and her mother is just as obsessed about (the Potter books)
as she is.”
Since both mother and daughter were eager to discover what
happens to Potter and his friends during their fifth year
at Hogwarts, the[y] had to come to an understanding about
how to share the book.
|
“She gets to read it during
the day and I get to read at night,” said Kathy Etchison
with a laugh. “I’ll probably be up all night.”
The Etchisons weren’t the only family faced with the
decision of who will read the book first.
Thomas Terranova, 8, of Dixon hoped to go home and start
reading the book Saturday, but didn’t think he would
be able to.
“I will if my sister lets me,” he said.
While Samantha Shoemaker, 9, of Sterling was eager to buy
the new book with her family, she admits it will be awhile
before she can start reading it.
“I’m on the fourth one in the 14th chapter, but
we still got it,” she said.
In addition to getting the book, Shoemaker was thrilled Saturday
because her brother Tucker, 6, won third place in the costume
contest. Tucker cam dressed as Dobby the house elf.
His reaction to the new book was simply, “It’s
bigger than the green one,” in reference to the fourth
book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of
Fire.”
Books on First owner Larry Dunphy said there were some eager
customers waiting for him Saturday morning.
“We had some people come in before we opened up,”
he said. …
|
While J.K. Rowling may have written
the books for children, they’ve gained quite an adult
following as well.
“It’s about a 50-50 split,” Dunphy said.
“About half (the people buying the books) are adults
and the other half are kids. You don’t sell millions
of copies just selling books to kids.”
Dunphy’s wife, Carolyn Chin, said the basic theme of
the books is what gives them such broad appeal.
“It’s the classic tale of good versus evil and
children can imagine themselves to be the things they aren’t,”
she said.
“It’s the underdog versus the bully tale that
has enthralled the kids. It’s just great we’ve
come up with some new characters that are so endearing.”
Addendum:
Winners of the Harry Potter Character Look-a-Like Contest:
First prize: Thomas Terranova (as Harry)
Second prize: Melissa Sandford (as Hermoine)
Third prize: Tucker Shoemaker (as Dobby)
Honorable Mention: Clarence Novak (as Harry)
Judged by Lee-Ogle Regional School Superintendent Delight
Pitman
Presided over Professor Dumbledore (Larry), ably assisted
by Professor McGonagall (Brenda) |
