Harry Potter Revisited

I was having trouble deciding what to read a few weeks ago and watched one of the Harry Potter movies at my parents' house and chose to revisit one of my favorite series of all time.  I first heard of Harry Potter my freshmen year in college.  It was the fall of 1999 and I was taking a YA children's literature course at Miami University.  Harry Potter was on the reading list.  I remember asking my mom, who is also a teacher, who Harry Potter was.  I'd never heard of the book.  She was shocked and proceeded to inform me that it was one of the highest grossing books and extremely popular with her students.

Needless to say, I loved it and was one of those crazy people who went to book store release parties at midnight and read the subsequent books in the days following their respective releases.  I still vividly remember the fifth book coming out in the summer while I was working as a swim instructor at Camp Wildbrook.  I had the book on it's release and spent every spare moment those first few days reading in the sun at Camp, trying to finish the book.  All the other lifeguards/swim instructors did this too - just picture six college students sitting at a table reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix poolside on their summer vacation.

J.K. Rowling is just as brilliant an author as I remember.  I've finished the first two books over Christmas break and just started Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Normally I don't like to reread books, especially series, but it's been long enough since I've read these that I don't remember everything.  It's kind of like looking back through photograph albums from my childhood - it's nostalgic and enjoyable all in one.  I'm hoping to finish the third book next week and work my way through the last four.  I can't wait until my own children are old enough to enjoy these. Have you read the Harry Potter series?  Any fans out there?