Recently, Co-Consul and I started reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to 6yo. We figured we would read one book from the series every year until he’s ready to read them himself (hopefully some time next year).

The excitement levels in our house at bedtime have markedly increased.

6yo is SUPER excited every night when bedtime rolls around (unless he’s misbehaved and isn’t allowed to have a story) and myself and Co-Consul are almost fighting over who gets to read it to him because we’re both loving the return to Privet Drive, Platform 9 ¾ and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The other night I was reading to 6yo the scene when Harry first met Ron and Hermione. I couldn’t help getting the biggest smile on my face as I experienced again their introductions with the knowledge of how much these characters will experience together as the series goes on. Even now, I’m getting chills just thinking about it. 6yo asked what was wrong (because I was grinning like a loony as I was reading) and I just said that these characters were important to Harry. I tried not to give too much away, but it is hard to explain your own reactions. Not answering his 20 questions after each session is also difficult because, for the most part, we have the answer, we just want him to experience the books the way we did as they were released and not spoil them for him.

The Harry Potter books are just SUCH fun books and appeal to so many different ages it makes me wonder how people can claim that young adult fiction is a waste of adult time. In my opinion, if a book is good, it’s a good book and you should read it. If a book is drivel, stop reading it and move on to something decent. It shouldn’t matter if it’s young adult fiction, adult fiction, childrens’ fiction, non-fiction or fiction about erotic tacos*, everybody should enjoy as many good books as they can (and perhaps a few hundred pages of drivel, just to keep you on your toes).

— IEK

* That’s for you, @CantrellJason