Joanne “Jo” Rowling is known around the world as J.K. Rowling, a British author who created a magical world and brilliant characters that has touched everyone’s hearts. She has won multiple awards for the Harry Potter series which has sold well over 400 million copies of the books.
She has created a world that although it is full of fantasy, it seems so realistic that many of us wish we were a part of it. It’s so real that it feels it could really be happening all around us, and maybe us “muggles” have just been put under a memory charm. Perhaps there are witches and wizards flying over our heads as we live our lives completely oblivious to the magic that surrounds us.
Harry Potter goes through the same turmoil that any teenager goes through, but with a bit of magic thrown in and the exception of the Dark Lord who attempts multiple times to rise back in his power to take on The Boy Who Lived. Other than that minor annoyance, Harry faces the everyday life of a teen, including love interests, quarrels with friends, family drama, disliked teachers, and piled on top of all this is quite a bit of homework!
And we go along for the ride as Harry Potter confronts his fears, and battles He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on more than one occasion. Each battle with the Dark Lord (and even against Draco “Ferretface” Malfoy) he triumphs with his friends by his side, and they find the strength and skill to get by with their lives intact. And whether their actions are wrong or right at the time, they still come out on top with reasons to celebrate! So they light up some of Dr. Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks and snag some snacks from the Hogwart’s house elves and drink some butterbeer pilfered from The Three Broomsticks and throw a party in the Gryffindor Common Room.
J.K. Rowling is an amazing writer, full of creativity and a wonderful imagination that led us on a journey from an awkward teenage Harry Potter to a brave and heroic young man that gave his life for his friends, but wouldn’t die so easy while the Dark Lord still stands. It’s an extraordinary adventure from start to finish!
Her full Harry Potter works:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (known in the UK as Philosopher’s Stone)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter, the Prequel (which you can find online only, written by JK herself)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Quidditch Through the Ages
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
The last three books listed are mentioned in the series as books Harry and his friends are reading in the story, which is a great idea to let us readers get even closer to this magical world. I love this entire series, and have read them at least twice each, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be the Prisoner of Azkaban. In this book my favorite professor (Lupin) makes his first appearance, and we find out that Harry has family that actually cares dearly for him, his godfather! That’s a big step up from the Dursleys! He is so close to having the life he could only dream of, but unfortunately, nothing ever comes easy for our hero.
I’m sure there are plenty out there that will agree with me that we’re sad it had to end, but this story isn’t going away anytime soon. It’ll be one of those unforgettable that will keep on lasting and will continue coming back for more attention and we won’t ever tire of it.