Pottermore: A World of Magic and Imagination

Caption: Scholastic Kid Reporter Andrew Liang brews a potion on Pottermore

As a devoted Harry Potter fan and enthusiast, I was extremely excited about the announcement of the website Pottermore this past summer by author J.K. Rowling. She was finally going to reveal secrets we had wanted to know for so long and was going to lead us through an interactive experience like never before. The pages were going to come alive and tell their own stories about everything in the Harry Potter universe.

My first wish was to get exclusive entry onto Pottermore by entering the Magical Quill Challenge that was announced on the website before access was granted. The task was to look out for a question on the Pottermore website and to answer it as quickly as possible since only 1 million lucky readers would be granted early access. After answering the question, I was to find a Magical Quill (like the one that finds magical students in the book series) and sign up. I checked my email many times during the months of August and September, hoping that one day the confirmation would come to me.

And it did! I was confirmed to enter Pottermore early; now they had to set me up with a special time to enter Pottermore since the demand was so high that people all around the world with early access were already indulging themselves in the fantastic storyline of Pottermore. Finally, at the end of September, I was able to log on myself to have a first glimpse of the website. From the first moment I deeply enjoyed it, reading extras written by Rowling herself and explanations on just about anything, from the history of the Hogwarts Express to the types of wands.

I retraced Harry’s route from the Dursleys all the way to Diagon Alley, then started my own little adventure. There, in the wizarding community of Diagon Alley, I virtually entered Gringotts Bank, purchased necessary materials, bought myself an owl, and even visited Ollivander’s Wand Shop. A questionnaire helped the wand choose its master and now in my possession is a beautiful beech dragon core wand that is 13 inches long. Just as exhilarating was the ride to Hogwarts and the moment I was sorted by the Sorting Hat.

Another questionnaire was used to tell my true personality and I was very nervous — the house I would be sorted in today would be the house that I would keep for the rest of my journey through the seven books. The virtual Professor McGonagall warned the first year students to take it seriously and that “its decision would be final.”

In the questionnaire, I wished to be a trustworthy and kind person to others and someone who was not boastful of their own accomplishments. The hat quickly decided and announced that I was a... HUFFLEPUFF! I had always thought of Hufflepuff of being the weaker house, but my prefect seemed to have read my mind and my welcome letter from him said, “First of all, let’s deal with a perennial myth about the place, which is that we’re the least clever house. WRONG. Hufflepuff is certainly the least boastful house, but we’ve produced just as many brilliant witches and wizards as any other. Want proof? Look up Grogan Stump, one of the most popular Ministers for Magic of all time. He was a Hufflepuff – as were the successful Ministers Artemesia Lufkin and Dugald McPhail.”

Did you know that Newt Scamander was a Hufflepuff? See, there are loads of information you will love on Pottermore. Also, the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room has been so well concealed that in a thousand years of Hogwarts school history, no outsider has ever seen it!

I am still only on the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I’m having a blast exploring Hogwarts, visiting Hagrid, brewing potions for Professor Snape, and making new online friends. Whether you’re looking to collect chocolate frogs online or you would like learn more about how the Dursleys met each other, Pottermore is just right for you. I encourage you to sign up and with one swish and a flick you’ll be ready to begin your expedition through the mind of Harry Potter!

—Kid Reporter Andrew Liang

Growing Up With Harry Potter

I can literally say that I’ve grown up with Harry Potter. I was born the year it was published in the U.S. by Scholastic, 1998. I’ve grown up a fan of the series, immersing myself into the brilliant and fantastical world J.K. Rowling has created.

When I was 4 years old, my mom started reading books 1-5 to me every night before I went to bed (books 6 and 7 had not yet been published). This got me hooked, as well helped me get into reading at a young age. Every night I would be excited to hear more of the thrilling adventures of Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione. I can also remember myself anxiously waiting through the opening sequence of the films so I could finally watch the movies on the living room TV.

Ever since, I’ve been a fan of both the books and the movies. I waited in a ridiculously long line to watch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the day after it came out. (Even though my mom and I both bought our tickets in advance and got there two hours early, we still got bad seats.) I cried when Sirius Black died at the end of Order of the Phoenix. And the image of long lines of fans waiting to buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007 remains vivid in my mind.

For a time, though, I had lost my Harry Potter obsession. It wasn’t that I stopped liking the series - I just found myself too busy to get very involved with its heavy fan-base. Yet that all changed upon seeing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at a screening on the Warner Brothers’ lot. 

The movie really hit a nerve to me for numerous reasons. I think the biggest would probably be Professor Dumbledore’s death at the very end. Not only did the moment come as a shock, since I had not yet read the book, but that scene connected to me on a more personal level. Only about a month before, my own 5th grade teacher had passed away of a heart-attack. Like Dumbledore was to Harry and to Hogwarts, Mr. Landaverde was like a second father to myself and to all of Melrose school, especially his last class of which I am proud to have been included in. There’s real magic in what the series was able to do in making Harry Potter feel so real and relatable. That whole scene was absolutely touching.

The moment I got home — and mom please forgive for this — I began to read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until I fell asleep at around midnight. It took me about 4 more days to finish it. Right after that, I read Deathly Hallows, the last book in the series. The book took me about a week to read. At the end of it, I found myself an obsessive Harry Potter fan once more.

Now, on July 15, the last movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2, will be released. For fans, this will be an exciting yet sad time. The journey we have so lovingly ventured is coming to an end. Waiting for the release of the film is nerve-racking. I’m assuming many of us will shed some tears at the end of it. The actors themselves even admitted that they all cried a bit on the last day of shooting.

Harry Potter fans are among the most dedicated of any franchise. We’re a bit stubborn and a bit weird, but we’re proud of it. Hopefully, this last film will be everything the fans wish them to be.

Did you grow up with Harry Potter? What are your memories of the books and movies? Let us know in the comments!

—Kid Reporter Miranda Rector

Photo: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy adventure Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2, a Warner Bros. Picturesrelease. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

Battle of the Books

Battle of the Books has been going on for years. It is a test with teams from each school who try to answer questions from a list of Iowa Children’s Choice Award books. Iowa Children’s Choice Award (ICCA) books are books that are popular children’s stories. Every year, kids from all over Iowa get to vote on a selection of books they like the best if they read at least two on the list.

There are three rounds. The first round is a school round. Teams are made up of 3 students, and each school can have as many teams as students that are interested. The teams from that school go against each other having a paper and pencil test. Only 5th and 6th graders are allowed to be on a team. The teacher or librarian then grades them and whoever gets the highest score moves on to the next round to represent their school.

The second round is a district round. The teams from the schools in the district are at a table. They ask a question to table 1, then 2 and so on. If one of the tables gets it wrong the next table can try and steal. If you get it wrong you do not lose points. The team that wins will represent the district and go against 3 other districts. The rules are the same as the district competition. The team that wins will get a trophy or medal. 

I was lucky to take part in this. I was on a team with two other students. I go to Mark Twain Elementary. I did a paper pencil test with nine other teams. My team and I scored the highest on the test, so we went up against other Bettendorf Schools, including the Bettendorf Middle School 6th graders. 

Going against the other Bettendorf schools in the district was an amazing experience. It was hard, though, because we went against the Bettendorf Middle School 6th graders. My team was winning and the Middle School students were in second place. So, my team and the Middle school team did a last and final round where it was only our teams with 10 questions each. We both had to start back down at zero. We were really close, but the Middle School team won. When they went on to the battle with other district winners they came in first. Now there is a trophy in the public library for the Middle School students.

Our teacher said we must have done a good job if we got close to winning against them. Our librarian awarded us with medals at the end of the year assembly, along with the second place team just from our school. It was a great experience. I can’t wait to do it again next year!

—Kid Reporter Alysa Goethe

Photo: Kid Reporter Alysa Goethe, along with Willow Miller and Malorie Garza, at the Battle of the Books. (Courtesy Alysa Goethe)

Pottermore is revealed!

On Thursday, June 23, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling held a press conference at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and announced that Harry’s wizarding adventures were going digital on a new, interactive, free-to-use website, Pottermore.com.

Pottermore is a place where Harry Potter fans can explore the entire famous series, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  Choose your magic user name, then navigate through the books, clicking on interactive illustrations called "moments” which bring the scenes to life.

As you make your way through the books, you can read exclusive new writing from Rowling, and even join Hogwarts, just like Harry!  You can visit all the cool places mentioned in the books, mix potions with Professor Snape, and learn to cast spells along with Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Pottermore will also reveal for the first time the questions asked by the Sorting Hat.

"I want to give something back to the fans that have followed Harry so devotedly over the years and to bring the stories to a new digital generation," Rowling stated at her press conference. "I hope fans and those new to Harry will have as much fun helping to shape Pottermore as I have. Just as I have contributed to the website, everyone will be able to join in by submitting their own comments, drawings, and other content in a safe and friendly environment.”

Pottermore will be fully open in October 2011. But fans who tried to register their email addresses at the site today in anticipation of the opening had a long wait because the site was swamped by would-be visitors. Including me!

In the meantime, check out the Pottermore website to watch Rowling’s Pottermore announcement and you’ll see beautiful paper pop-up creations come alive from the pages of her books.

As a long-time Harry Potter fan, I love the very idea of Pottermore.  I think it’s a true Harry Potter revolution. 

—Kid Reporter Grace McManus

Photo: A screenshot from the Pottermore experience available starting in October. (Pottermore.com)

Best Assignment Ever — Interview Taylor Swift!

When I first got the call to do a new assignment, I was so excited. I was going to interview Taylor Swift, my favorite singer of all time! She was taking part in a webcast hosted by Scholastic, Read Now with Taylor Swift, focusing on how amazingly important reading is in life. It's not every day you get to meet your idol. It was a dream come true. 

But then suddenly, I was afraid I would mess up. Sneeze in her face. Do something I wasn't supposed to do. Taylor Swift is huge. She makes headlines every day, it seems. She's a real star. 

So there I went, skipping school for the day and on my way to the Scholastic offices in New York. I was completely oblivious to everything other than meeting Taylor Swift. When I got to Scholastic, I was basically bouncing off the walls. "Stay calm." I told myself. "You're on the job, not a fan just stumbling in here and saying 'Oh, I think I'll see Taylor Swift. Yeah, okay.'"

I went to the Scholastic Auditorium where the webcast would take place and waited for the event to begin. I got a front row seat! Soon, the webcast started. Nick Cannon, the host, started the by saying how important reading is, which I agree with. "WHERE'S TAYLOR?" I thought.  

"Now let me introduce you to the wonderful Taylor Swift!" Nick finally said. The crowd roared. And screamed. At the top of their lungs. It was deafening. Once everyone got over the excitement of seeing Taylor Swift walk 20 paces to her chair on stage, Nick asked her a couple questions that had been submitted by kids in advance. 

One of the questions that really struck me was, "Did you always know that you wanted to perform music and write poetry, and those types of things?" Taylor answered that she fell in love in second grade — with poetry! Her answer really surprised me because I also fell in love with poetry in second grade. Taylor and I had a connection I never knew about. It was really cool. 

After the webcast, I got to meet Taylor and ask her a question for my Scholastic report. I asked her what she hoped her fans would learn from the webcast. I loved the way she answered — thoughtful, kind, and yes, poetic. 

As I was leaving Scholastic, I thought, "This is by far the most AMAZING day I will ever have as a kid reporter." 

                                                                                                              —Kid Reporter Grace McManus

Kid Reporter Grace McManus talks with Taylor Swift after her Read Now with Taylor Swift webcast at Scholastic headquarters in New York. (Photo: Dante A. Ciampaglia)

Summer Reads: Scorpions

A book so well done you'll forget you're reading!

Scorpions

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Publisher/Date: Harper and Row, 1988/Amistad, 1990

Number of Pages: 216

Recommended age of readers: 12 and up

It's not a classic—yet—but Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers sure reads like one. The book has already been named a Newbery Honor Award book and author Myers has received the Coretta Scott King Award five times. He has also won the Margaret A. Edwards Book Award. After reading the book this summer, I can see why. I got so lost in the story, I would forget I was reading.

The setting is the urban jungle of Harlem, New York. Jamal is a normal 12-year-old boy, whose brother Randy is in jail for armed robbery and murder. Randy needs $2,000 for his court appeal, but Mama just doesn't have the money.

The only way to get the money is for Jamal to become the leader of Randy's gang, The Scorpions. Randy's friend Mack gives Jamal a pistol and tells him to think about it. Jamal is confused and under even mor pressure because another boy is bulling him at school. Jamal's best friend Tito adds to the stress when he tells Jamal he isn't too sure about the whole Scorpions thing.

The way Myers puts his words together makes me feel like I'm in the story, and it's a great feeling. As you follow the story, you go through a variety of feelings—from happy, to sad, to confused, to excited. I even felt some of these feelings at the same time as I was reading Scorpions.

Scorpions is a great book and I highly recommend it.

—Andre Baker-Harris

PHOTO: Book Cover Courtesy Harper Collins/Amistad

NOTE: What books have you read this summer? Use the blue comment link below to make your own book recommendations or add your thoughts about Scorpions.

All the Lovely Bad Ones

To all the little children: This is one scary book!

All The Lovely Bad Ones

Author: Mary Downing Hahn

Publisher/Release Date: Sandpiper/Reprint edition August 17, 2009

No. of pages: 192

Reading level: 9-12 years

When I was scanning the shelves at my school’s spring book fair, I saw the name, All The Lovely Bad Ones. I wondered what it could possibly be about, so I read the information on the back.

It sounded creepy, and as soon as I saw the words "ghost story," I knew I just had to read it! Nothing interests me more than a good book about mysteries and ghosts, and this book was no disappointment in that category.

I really enjoyed this book because introduces you to the characters so well that it makes you feel as though you know them. The suspense also builds and builds, keeping you turning the pages.

The main characters are Travis, 12, and his younger sister, Corey. The are spending the summer at their grandmother’s farm in Vermont, which is reportedly haunted. When they decided to pull some pranks, they unintentionally stir up the real ghosts of young children who were killed on the farm by the evil Ms. Ada. Now Travis and Corey have to find a way to release the children's tortured spirits.

Author Mary Downing Hahn provides just enough detail—yet leaves just enough out—for your imagination to go wild filling in the blanks. From learning about the ghastly “lovely bad ones” to almost feeling evil Ms. Ada grab you with her stone cold bone hands, the story provides entertainment and an educational experience.

It’s a good ghost story and an opportunity to learn about poor houses in the 1800s. You also learn about poet James Whitcomb Riley, whose inscription to his famous “Little Orphant Annie” poem is the basis for the book’s title and the inspiration for the story:

To all the little children: -- The happy ones; and sad ones; The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones; The good ones -- Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones.

—Kiera Fobb

PHOTO: Book Cover Courtesy Sandpiper

Fever Crumb: Dessert for Your Brain

Fever Crumb

Author: Philip Reeve

Publisher/Release Date: Scholastic Press/April 1, 2010

No. of Pages: 336

Reading Level: Grades 5-7

Reading the book Fever Crumb is like opening presents at a birthday party: there is one surprise to look forward to after another.

In the book by Philip Reeve, Fever is a 14-year-old girl who is told that she is an orphan and has been adopted by a man known as Dr. Crumb.

The story takes place in the future in London at a time when cities are mobile and able to move into different territories. Archaeologists dig to discover ancient technology, because they live in a low tech, post-apocalyptic world.

Fever is the only female member of the Order of Engineers and is very mature for her age. She is extremely intelligent and tries to avoid all things that serve no practical function. For example, she shaves her head every other day because she believes that growing hair is “irrational. ” Hair attracts lice, fleas, and other parasites, she says!

Despite her peculiar behavior, Fever seems like she really has her act together. She never really shows much emotion and strives to be a strong person.

However, Fever’s life is about to change. She is sent to assist Kit Solent, another member of the order, when strange things begin to happen. For some reason, people are out to get her and she doesn’t know why. And she keeps having memories of events that never occurred during her lifetime.

Why is she having these memories? And why do people think she belongs to an alternative species of humans known as the Scriven? Is she a human or does she actually belong to the mutated Scriven? Is her life nothing but a lie?

You will have to read the book to find out what happens. I would recommend Fever Crumb to kids who enjoy a good mystery and/or science fiction/action/adventure novels. Read this and you’ll experience many shocking surprises and unexpected twists that will keep you turning the pages for more. This interesting novel is dessert for your brain.

—Mariam El Hasan

PHOTO: (TOP) Cover Courtesy Scholastic Press (BOTTOM) Kid Reporter Mariam El Hasan takes her summer reading on a boat trip. Ahhhh, Summer! (Photo Courtesy Mariam El Hasan)

NOTE: What did you read this summer? Use the blue comment link below to send in your recommendations!

Find Finkle for a Fun Read

 Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out

Author: Meg Cabot

Publisher/Release Date: Scholastic Press; 1 edition/March 16, 2010

Number of Pages: 240

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out by Meg Cabot is a fun and enjoyable book that all girls can relate to. This book is filled with drama on every page—you won’t want to stop reading it.

Allie and her friends are back in the fifth book in the series on a new adventure that takes Allie on a journey to find who her true friends are.

Allie’s mom is the movie reviewer on a local news show called Good News! The mother of Allie’s ex-friend Brittney calls her mom to talk about the show. She also invites Allie to Brittney’s birthday and Allie wants to go. The problem is, her friend Erica’s sister is in a baton twirling competition on the same day at the same time and it is important for her to be there.

Allie has a big decision to make: she could either tell Brittney she can't make it or come up with a big lie to tell her friends about why she couldn’t come to the baton twirling competition.

I really enjoyed this part because it made me think about what I would do if I were in Allie’s situation. Her mom told her a little about what the party was going to be like—they were going to ride in a limo! Allie didn’t want to miss out on the fun, but she didn’t want to lie to her friends either.

I really enjoyed all of the different personalities in this book. Along with Allie (who tries to stick to her book of rules), you’ll meet her friend, Erica (who is always trying to look at the positive side of things), and Brittney (who is always bossy), and many more!

I wanted to read this book because I’ve read the other books in series and really enjoyed them. I can always relate to Allie and her situations. When I read any book in the series, I feel like I’m Allie’s best friend. I can relate her relationships with her friends to my relationships with my friends.

As I came closer to the end of the book, I wished I hadn’t been reading so fast. I would recommend Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out as a great book for anyone who loves a fun book and a relatable story.

—By Alexis Wiseman

PHOTOS: (TOP) Cover Courtesy Scholastic (BOTTOM) Kid Reporter Alexis Wiseman in her favorite reading chair. (Photo Courtesy Alexis Wiseman)

"Rules" Rules as a Rad Read

Rules

Author: Cynthia Lord

Publisher/Date: Scholastic Paperbacks/Reprint edition, September 1, 2008

No. of Pages: 224

Reading level: Ages 9-12

The book I am reading this summer is Rules by Cynthia Lord. The book is about a 12-year-old girl named Catherine and her 8-year-old brother David, who has autism.

David likes to go to the video store, walk down the rows, and read the back of the movie cases. He then shouts out the movies’ ratings really loud.

“RATED PG-13!” he’ll yell.

He is given specific rules he has to follow. One of them is about cellar doors. When a cellar door is open, he is supposed to shut it. When David goes to the home of one of Catherine’s friends, he runs all over the place looking for a cellar door. However, the friend’s house is a mobile home, so there is no cellar door.

Catherine feels humiliated having him around when she goes places. But she likes to make rules and David loves to follow them, so she tries to come up with rules for David to follow so she does not get embarrassed.

Kristi, who is also 12, moves next door to Catherine and David. When the siblings are on the porch waiting for their dad, David starts crying because their father is late. Kristi comes over to ask Catherine if her brother is OK.

Catherine is mad at David for embarrassing her in front of someone she was trying to impress and gain as a friend. But David doesn’t realize what Catherine is feeling.

One day on the way to occupational therapy for David, Catherine meets a kid named Jason who can’t walk or talk. The only way he can communicate is through a special book of words. After two weeks of going to OT with David, Catherine becomes friends with Jason and makes him new words to use for his book.

Through this experience, Catherine learns that David can’t help being different and that David’s problem is nothing compared to Jason’s. By the end of the book, you can see Catherine’s feelings for David change from embarrassed to understanding.

Read the book to find out if Catherine becomes friends with Kristi and if her friendship with Jason will last. I really like this book and highly recommend it for a great read.

—Liam Childers

PHOTO: Book Cover Courtesy Scholastic Paperbacks

NOTE: What did you read that you loved this summer? Use the blue comment link below to let us know!