Is Percy Jackson the Next Harry Potter?

I’ve been seeing so many reports lately about Percy Jackson being the next Harry Potter. I’ve now completed both series and am ready to answer that question…not really.

Aside from the obvious similarities between the two books (young boy find out that he has special powers, enters a magical world, finds out he is part of a big prophecy, makes friends, battles monsters, learns more about “family” and “friendship” as a result), what else to Percy Jackson and Harry Potter have in common? They are both book series, and they were both made into movies. So we’ve established some similarities that they also have with many, many other book characters and series. Beyond that?

When I think of Harry Potter and why it was so big, I think of two things. The first is that it known as one of the best selling book series of all time and is a favorite of both young and old. It’s a phenomenon that will not be repeated soon. Percy Jackson will not be THAT Harry Potter.

But the other thing that Harry Potter was Percy Jackson COULD be. They are both a reason to get kids reading again. They are both a series that appeals to a demographic that can sometimes be hard to motivate to read (10-15 year olds, especially boys). It’s not only one book but an entire series that can get somehow hooked and into reading for the first time or back into reading if they have not been interested in awhile. It’s not fluffy like Diary of a Wimpy Kid but actually has some real social value (as least in my opinion) when you take to heart the lessons about life, love, and perseverance.

For me, Percy Jackson is not the next Harry Potter because there will never be another Harry Potter. It’s a one of a kind experience that crosses generations and media. But does that mean I wouldn’t suggest Percy Jackson to my friends and their kids? Not at all. Just take it for what it is–another fantasy series about teens growing up and learning life lessons while fighting monsters.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is Almost Here!

My daughter and I were walking through the mall yesterday and she saw a Harry Potter shirt in the window of Hot Topic. She is 8 and has slowly been making her way through the books. I told her that if she finished Half-Blood Prince before the movie came out, I would take her to see it in the theatre (we have rented all of the others). She’s so excited…and I am, too!

We checked out the Hot Topic site today and they have a whole section of licensed Harry Potter merchandise. One of my favorites is the bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavored Beans. (My daughter did a video of some of the similar Jelly Belly beans if you want to see what they are like.)

If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will want to visit Hot Topic and see all of their Harry Potter merchandise. The jewelry starts at about $15, which isn’t too bad for licensed merchandise.

Fandango is also pre-selling Harry Potter movie tickets. If you buy them in advance, you can get a download from iTunes of the song “Friends and Love.”

Harry Potter Premiere Fly Away Contest from Hot Topic

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be released soon! I have to admit that I am really looking forward to this. I didn’t start reading Harry Potter until this past winter and have never experienced one of the movie releases. It’s going go be cool just to be there opening weekend! But can you imagine being at the New York premiere? Hot Topic is giving away a trip to New York through their newest contest. Here are the details:

Harry Potter Premiere Flyaway Contest

Enter now for a chance for you and a guest to attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on July 9th. Grand prize winner will receive two round-trip airfare tickets and hotel accomodations (one room for four nights) plus two tickets to the movie premiere.

Contest runs June 16 through June 26.

Click here to enter the contest!

More Harry Potter Books?

Having just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I now find myself in that same position as all others who have been taken in by “The Boy Who Lived.” Will there be more Harry Potter books? The bad news is that there are no new Harry Potter books on the horizon. The closest that we have to hope is that there will be an Encyclopedia of sorts written sometime in the next 10 years that gives more information about all of the characters.

In the meantime, if you have not checked out the three “supplements” to the Harry Potter series, you need to hit Amazon. The first two are made to look like textbooks from Hogwarts. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a collection of creatures both mentioned in the series and new. The second, “Quidditch Through the Ages,” is a history of Quidditch. Both are written by J.K. Rowling under pseudonyms. You can get the boxed set for about $10 under the title Harry Potter Schoolbooks: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them/Quidditch Through the Ages (Hardcover).

More publicized was the release last year of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book which figured prominently in  the final Harry Potter installment. The standard edition of the book not only contains five fairy tales but also commentary by Albus Dumbledore. The notes contain backstory about Potter-ish staples such as magic wands, Muggles, and the Dark Arts.

All three of the books above were written for charity. While I am sure that they will not give Harry Potter fans the same feeling as the 7 series books, they are sure to entertain and provide more background information for those of us who can’t get enough.