Narnia or Hogwarts?

When I was in fourth grade, we went to a local college to watch their production of 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe'. I thought it was so awesome! When I found out there was a book, I was all on top of that! My teacher had a copy in the classroom library, and I read it with gusto. When the teacher saw how quickly I went through the book, she showed me there are 6 other books in the series; it was part of a much bigger story line by C.S. Lewis.

SIX MORE BOOKS JUST LIKE THIS ONE?!?! I was so excited: I convinced my parents to buy the set from the Scholastic BookOrder. The books were in there all the time, but I had no idea that 'Chronicles of Narnia' was what I should have been looking for.

I made it tradition for myself to read all 7 books every summer vacation, which I did until I left college.


Not to shabby-I kept pretty good care of this box 'o' paperbacks, considering how many moves it's been through! 'The Horse and His Boy' had to have the cover taped back on after an incident I no longer remember, but they are all there. I used to get lost in these stories, from Digory and Polly's discoveries all the way through Reepicheep's "Further up and further in!"

When the Harry Potter books came out, I have a friend who tried really hard to get me into them. She bought me the first book for christmas in 2002. I tried, but maybe I tried too hard? Or just felt like I was going against a world of stories that had been there for me growing up to discover a new, magical world. Either way, I never finished the book. This same friend took me to 3 or 4 of the movies (lol how sad, I don't remember... I think it was 3 though) and I just couldn't get into them.

I had no issues enjoying the Lord of the Rings trilogy, though... they're kind of on the same level, but...not really. LOTR is all fantasy. Harry Potter and Narnia are magical journeys involving regular, everyday, unsuspecting kids.

As a mother, I couldn't wait to let my kids read my Narnia books, or have me read them the stories.

Now that the Potter books are done, I have given great consideration of finally putting the effort in and reading the books- give them a chance. Thanks to the internet, I know how the whole thing ends, and I think the journey would appeal to my kids as much as those in the Narnia books.

So, I shall be an adult, and listen to what tons of pre-teens have been saying for years- "Read Harry Potter!"

...but maybe I'll do a run-through of Narnia first.