This is our second oldest child, whom we'll call "Wizard." Wizard's favorite things in the whole world are Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Pokemon. Harry Potter is the newest addition to this list of favorites, but it is also probably the biggest on that list. Why? Because one day Wizard discovered that books can actually be enjoyable! (*gasp!*)
For the longest time, Wizard considered reading to be something akin to enduring hot pokers while stretched out on a rack. That all changed when we read The Indian in the Cupboard as a family. Wizard was captivated, and started reading ahead of the rest of us. He loved it, and we thought he had surely changed his opinion about reading. Wrong! Apparently, The Indian in the Cupboard was the lone exception to the medieval torture called reading.
Then Wizard learned that his cousin in Kansas, who is his all time favorite person in the world, was not only reading the Harry Potter books, but actually enjoying them! All his cousin ever wanted to talk about was the books, and Wizard soon learned that his knowledge of wizards and muggles gleaned from the movies was woefully inadequate compared to the wealth of knowledge his cousin possessed. That got Wizard thinking that perhaps there might be something to books after all, and so he decided to try reading the first Harry Potter book.
Suddenly we were facing situations we had never confronted with Wizard. The following is a word for word example from when Sherrie went to check on the boys one night after they had been in bed for a couple of hours:
Sherrie: You'll never guess what I just saw.
Jay: What's that?
Sherrie: Wizard is still awake.
Jay: That's not too unusual.
Sherrie: Yeah, but he has a flashlight in bed, and he's...reading!
Jay:...*plunk* (That was the sound of Jay hitting the floor after he passed out from shock.)
We have now gotten very accustomed to the sight of Wizard with his nose in a book at all hours of the day. He has read all seven Harry Potter books, and wants to buy the Tales of Beedle the Bard. We're so used to it now, that Jay doesn't even feel the slightest bit woozy at the sight.
And so, Wizard is obsessed with Harry Potter now. One of the most common activities in our house is to see the kids running around with sticks, spoons, or anything else remotely resembling a wand as they shout things such as, "Stupefy!", "Protego!", and, yes, even "Avada Kedavra!" Actually, that last one is by far the most common. Do you suppose we should ban the use of killing curses in the house?
Having finished the entire Harry Potter series, we were excited to see which books Wizard would try next. He eagerly picked up the first Fablehaven book, read the opening line, "Kendra stared out the side window of the SUV, watching foliage blur past" and promptly screamed, "AAAAGH! I'M STRETCHED ON A RACK AND BEING BURNED BY HOT POKERS!!!!"
Well, at least he likes some reading, right?
