The Harry Potter series may be coming to a close after over a decade of enchanting fans of all ages, but the effects J.K. Rowling’s universe had on society are long-lasting.
Fifty-nine percent of children believe that Harry Potter increased their reading skills, and forty-eight percent admitted to wanting to read more because of the Harry Potter series, according to a survey done by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups in 2005.
In contrast, a study done by the National Endowment for the Arts, titled “Reading at Risk” showed that reading rates among adults dropped ten percent in the past decade. Half of the young people surveyed didn’t read a single book in 2002.
“I was kind of a reader before [reading Harry Potter], too, but I was more of one after. I definitely think [the Harry Potter books] improve reading skills because it’s a full-length book, it’s a lot of chapters. It prepares you for reading longer books with chapters,” Hailey Kuehl, sophomore and self-proclaimed Harry Potter fanatic, said. Kuehl started reading the series when she was seven years old. “I loved [the books] so much that I wanted to find more awesome books.”
Becca Marshalla, sophomore and fan of the books since age 8, was an avid reader beforehand.
“My dad always made me read, so I wouldn’t say I read more because of Harry Potter, but it came out at a good age for me and made me want to read more challenging books,” Marshalla said.
The fans’ love for the series shows in Rowling’s record-breaking sales.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold 11.6 million copies in the first 24 hours in the U.S. and U.K. markets, and the previous novel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, shattered the world record for fastest selling book with 6.9 million copies sold in the first day across U.S. and U.K. markets.
On top of breaking records and encouraging literacy, a traveling museum exhibit was created to celebrate the success of Rowling’s series. “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” was in Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry from April 30, 2009 to September 27, 2009. The exhibit showcased more than 200 props and costumes from the Harry Potter films, allowing fans to see first-hand the magic that went into the movies.
“[The exhibit] was amazing. I loved the movies, I loved the books, and it felt like I was in the world of Harry Potter,” Marshalla said. “You could go inside Hagrid’s hut, and he was like my favorite character. It was really cool.”
The exhibit also visited Boston and Ontario, and will be making its final stop in the United States in Seattle from October 23, 2010 to January 30, 2011.
Because the exhibit is running during the release date for part one of the final movie, exclusive IMAX tickets are being sold alongside the exhibit.
“It sounds awesome. Being at the Harry Potter exhibit, you feel like you’re in the Harry Potter world, so getting tickets there makes it even better,” Marshalla said. “It would have been nice if it was here longer. I’d love to revisit it and see what I missed.”
Rowling’s universe combined fantasy and education in a way that captivated readers young and old, ensuring that Potter and his friends won’t be forgotten anytime soon.