Top 5 Thursday: Children's Book Authors

As a teacher I love reading children’s books. Especially to children. I can really get lost in them, like a child can. Here are my five favourite children’s book authors.

5. E.B. White
He wrote “Stuart Little” and “Charlotte’s Web”, two stories I just happen to love. And so do kids. He made everyone feel for a spider, when in the daily life most people want to step on them.

4. Beatrix Potter
Lovely stories, beautiful illustrations. These stories are timeless.

3. Eric Carle
When I was a toddler, I loved “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. Appearantly when me and my mother went to the library, she always had to read it to me. I knew it by heart. I actually still do.

2. J.K. Rowling
She really hit the mark with the Harry Potter books. What a great success! I loved reading those books and was sad that the series ended. But even rereading them is enjoyable. This is the only author on the list that I didn't experience as a child.

1. Roald Dahl
I think we all agree on this one. He wrote my favorite children’s book “Matilda” and many other beloved books. All his books are amazing!

They Almost Made the Top 5: C.S. Lewis, Max Velthuijs, Dr. Seuss

50 Books Challenge 2013 - # 30: Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Title: Casual Vacancy
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils. Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?
Start: august 8th 2013
End: august 18th 2013
Comment: I have to be honest that I bought the book because of its author. I love J.K. Rowling's writing in the Harry Potter books and I was curious about this and her take on a book for adults. The synopsis sounded interesting as well. Well, never buy a book for just that reason. I really wanted to like the book, but I didn't. The two stars are for the excellent writing, but not the story. The characters weren't unique or fascinating and none of them were actually memorable. They are mostly noticeable for their being annoying and narcissistic. There is a great attention to detail though. I found the plot never very interesting and sometimes just plain dull. I think this book wouldn't have sold many copies if it wasn't written by Rowling. It's better she sticks to imaginative children's stories, because that's what she does best.
Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Moments: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

I already shared my favorite moments with you from the first Harry Potter movie. This time it's "Harry Potter and the Chambr of Secrets". Also filled with memorable moments. Here they are.

Moment # 1: Harry meets Dobby
When his aunt and uncle have a guest, Harry has been sent up to his room. He meets Dobby, a house elf. He says he has to protect and warn Harry and he has to prevent him from going back to Hogwarts. Dobby is the reason why he never got letters from Ron and Hermione, because that could be a reason for Harry not to return to Hogwarts. Harry has to promise Dobby not to go back, or else he drops a cake on the head of his aunt and uncle’s guest. And that’s exactly what Dobby does.

Moment # 2: The flying car
Harry now has bars in front of his windows. Ron, George and Fred rescue Harry…. In a flying car. Later when Harry and Ron miss the train to Hogwarts, they take the car again and fly to school. They land in a tree.

Moment # 3: Ron receives a howler
Ron’s owl brings him a letter. It’s a howler, a letter that screams at you. It’s from his mother who found out about the flying car.

Moment # 4: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin
Harry and his quidditch team are up against Slytherin. Draco now joined the team. Harry is pursued by a bludger, that’s obviously tampered with. Harry does catch the snitch and wins the game for his team.

Moment # 5: Snape and Lockhart duel
Gilderoy Lockhart starts a dueling club. He introduces his “assistent” Severus Snape, who he duels first. Snape off course overpowers him. They challenge Harry and Draco to duel each other, but only to disarm each other. When a snake appears, Harry terrifies his fellow students by speaking in Parseltongue. A language only a few speak and means that you can talk to snakes.

Moment # 6: Dumbledore’s office
Professor McGonagal brings Harry to Dumbledore’s room. He sees the sorting hat and asks him if Gryffindor was the right house for him. The hat tells Harry that he was very difficult to place. He also meets Fawkes, Dumbledore’s Phoenix. A bird that burns and is being reborn from its ashes.

Moment # 7: Polyjuice potion
Harry, Ron and Hermione made Polyjuice potion. With this potion they can change into someone else. So they can find out about Draco’s secrets and if he’s the heir of Slytherin. Ron and Harry turn into to Crabbe and Goyle, but Hermione turns into a cat by accident because she did something wrong with the potion.

Moment # 8: Tom Riddle
Harry finds a book with nothing in it. When Harry writes something in it, the book answers him. It’s someone called Tom Riddle. Harry asks him about the chamber of secrets and finds out that it was Hagrid who opened the chamber all those years ago.

Moment # 9: Aragog
Ron and Harry follow the little spiders like Hagrid told them to. They meet Aragog, the big leader of the spiders. Aragog tells them it wasn’t Hagrid that opened the chamber of secrets and that he is not the monster that has petrified all the muggles.

Moment # 10: The chamber of secrets
Harry and Ron discover the chamber and enter it. They get separated, so Harry is on his own and tries to find Ginny. When he does, he meets Tom Riddle. He tells him Ginny opened the chamber, because that’s what he told her to do. Tom calls the basilisk and sends him after Harry. Fawkes, the phoenix, blinds him and that’s how Harry manages to overpower him and save Ginny.

Moment # 11: Dobby is free
Harry finds out that Dobby is the Malfoy’s house elf, therefore a slave. When Harry gives him a sock, making it look like it came from Lucius Malfoy, Dobby is finally free. Dobby protects Harry from Lucius and tells him “You shall not harm Harry Potter”.

Moment # 12: Hagrid returns
Because Hagrid was the first suspect of opening the chamber, he has been send to Azkaban. Now he’s back and get’s a grand of applause.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 11: Dobby is free

Top 5 Thursday: "Harry Potter" Characters

I'm a huge fan of the Harry Potter books and movies. Even as an adult it's so great to read and experience the magical world of Harry and his friends. I made a top 5 of my favorite characters.

5. Hermione Granger
Hermione may start the films as an insufferable know-it-all, but she finishes them as an entirely sufferable, even loveable, know-it-all, someone who doesn't hide her smarts but also gives the people around her credit for intelligence as well.

4. Professor Minerva McGonagall
Second only to Dumbledore in providing a sense of security and refuge at Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall may appear the strict disciplinarian and dry old stick, but there's life in the old girl yet.

3. Neville Longbottom
Neville had a rocky, bullied start in life, suffering clumsiness and a spotty magical ability crippled by his own insecurities. However, he blossoms during his time at Hogwarts, winning Gryffindor the House cup in his first year, joining (and eventually leading) Dumbledore's Army, and becoming a rebel leader against the school authorities.

2. Sirius Black
In the absence of an actual father, Sirius Black is Harry's next best thing.Sirius is a wonderfully flawed character, combining an entitled arrogance and tendency to recklessness with an immense capacity for affection.

1. Ron Weasly
Ron is the heart of the trio. He provides the most laughs in the books and movies and you love him for it. But there's more to him than that. His relationship with Harry is not simply one of best friends but a complex mix of love and envy.

They almost made the top 5: Rubeus Hagrid, Dobby the House Elf, Ginny Weasly and Bellatrix Lestrange

Top 5 Thursday: "Harry Potter" Books

As you might know, I love the "Harry Potter" series. I just finished rereading the complete series and I started ranking them. This is the top 5 I got.

5. Book # 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
This book had one crucial moment: the death of Dumbledore. That was heartbreaking. I also liked learning about Voldemort’s past.

4. Book # 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
I just loved the idea of the tournament. First fighting the dragon, than the battle in the water and finally the creepy labyrinth. The first time Harry meets Voldemort face to face, which was pretty scary if you ask me. And Cedric dying had quite an impact on the fans.

3. Book # 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Where it all began. We are introduced to Harry and his friends Hermione and Ron. We meet Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Draco and lots more. Like Harry, we are sucked into the fantastic world of Hogwarts.

2. Book # 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
The last book meant the end of a great series. This was definitely the most emotional book of them all. A lot of dramatic things happened, like some loveable characters died. But also happy moments, like Ron and Hermione’s kiss and Harry finally beating Voldemort.

1. Book # 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The book is much darker than the previous two, which appealed to me. The third book also introduced what was going to be one of my favorite characters: Sirius Black. And we also meet the creepy dementors for the first time. When I read it for the first time, I said it was my favorite so far. It never changed.

They almost made the top 5: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

50 Books Challenge 2011 - # 56: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: Harry, Ron, and Hermione are on the run from Lord Voldemort, whose minions of Death Eaters have not only taken control of the Minister of Magic but have begun to systematically - and forcibly - change the entire culture of the magic community: Muggle-born wizards, for example, are being rounded up and questioned, and all "blood traitors" are being imprisoned. But as Voldemort and his followers ruthlessly pursue the fugitive with the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, Potter finally uncovers the jaw-dropping truth of his existence.
Start: november 8th 2011
End: november 20th 2011
Comment: This book took me more time to read than usual. But when I read the series the first time, the same happened. It's the last book and I just don't want it to end, so I tried to absorb every inch of the book. It has been an amazing journey, that we all took with Harry and his best friends Ron and Hermione. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is far out the most emotional book. Not only because we have to deal with some losses, but also because of some joyfull happenings. With that last one I off course mean Harry finally beating Voldemort, which gave me the chills and made me take a little leap of joy. My favorite part was where we see young Snape and Lily. Why he hated James Potter so much and in the beginning also Harry. The other favorite part is without a doubt Ron and Hermione's kiss. That just had to happen. The epilogue was good as well. I liked reading about them 19 years later and having kids themselves. Like the first time, the only thing I hated about this series is when it ended. And I will definitely reread the series again sometime.
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Moments: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

I love the Harry Potter series and I think this is my favorite movie of the series. And it's filled with so many great moments. Here are my favorites.

Moment # 1: Snake
When Harry and the Dursley’s visit the zoo, they see a python. Dudley thinks he’s boring, but when then glass disappears Dudley falls in its habitat. The snake escapes and the glas reappears again. Dursley is now locked behind the glass.

Moment # 2: Letters
Harry gets a letter, but his uncle rips it up. Every letter adressed to Harry gets destroyed by uncle Vernon. But on Sunday, the day where you usually never get mail, the Dursley house if flooded with letters to Harry.

Moment # 3: Harry meets Hagrid
When the Dursleys and Harry have escaped their home, a very big, hairy man comes busting through the door. It’s Rubeus Hagrid, coming to get Harry and bring him to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Moment # 4: Gringotts Bank
While being at Diagon Alley to buy school supplies, Harry doesn’t know how to pay for it all. Hagrid takes him to Gringotts Bank, where Goblins work. When they arrive at the vault, Harry sees it’s filled with money his parents left him.

Moment # 5: The wand
Harry goes to Olivander to buy a wand. He tries several wands that don’t work for him. Then, when he found a wand suited for him, Olivander tells Harry there was only one other person to have this wand. The person who gave him his scar and shall not be named.

Moment # 6: Platform 9 ¾
Harry has to take a train to Hogwarts, but his ticket says platform 9 ¾. When he can’t find it, he asks Molly Weasly. Harry has to run through a wall between platforms 9 and 10.

Moment # 7: Meeting Ron and Hermione
On the train Harry meets Ron, who’s also going into his first year at Hogwarts. Just when Ron is trying to show Harry a magic spell, Hermione enters and tells them how well she can do magic.

Moment # 8: The sorting hat
All the new students have to be sorted in to the different houses. They have to put on the sorting hat and it tells you which house you belong in. Hermione and Ron both get into Gryffindor. When it’s Harry’s turn, he hopes he doesn’t get into Slytherin, so the hat tells him it’s going to be Gryffindor.

Moment # 9: Troll
Hermione is in the bathroom when a troll enters the room. Harry and Ron are trying to rescue her. Ron finally gets the levitation spell and makes sure the troll loses his bat. Harry is the one to save them from the troll.

Moment # 10: Quidditch
Harry is playing his first official Quidditch match and it’s against Slytherin. They are a very mean team, but Gryffindor manages to win thanks to Harry.

Moment # 11: Invisibility cloak
It’s Christmas at Hogwarts and for the first time Harry got presents. He gets a cloak, but when he puts it on he sees it’s an invisibility cloak. He doesn’t know who he got the present from.

Moment # 12: The mirror of erised
While trying to hide from Snape, Harry finds a mirror. In that mirror he sees himself and his parents. Professor Dumbledore warns him for the mirror and tells him not to go searching for it ever again.

Moment # 13: Norbert
When Harry, Ron and Hermione visit Hagrid, they find out about his secret. He has a dragon’s egg, which is starting to hatch. It’s a Norwegian Ridgeback and Hagrid calls him Norbert.

Moment # 14: The forbidden forest
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco are punished and have to join Hagrid into the forbidden forest. When they split up, Harry and Draco see a dark shade drinking a dead unicorns blood. Draco gets scared and runs away while the hooded shade is moving towards Harry. Firenze manages to scare it off and saves Harry. They think the shade could be Lord Voldemort, the man who shall not be named.

Moment # 15: Entering the room
Someone is trying to steal the philosopher’s stone. Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to stop him. First they have to pass Fluffy, the three-headed dog. Second is the flying keys, which aren’t easy to catch. Third the three kids have to play wizard chess, something Ron is very good at. Finally Harry has to face the man who’s after the stone and sees who he’s working for.

Moment # 16: Gryffindor wins
It seems that Slytherin won this years housecup, but not all point have been devided yet. Hermione, Ron and Harry were all granted points for their bravery. It is Neville who wins the points that deliver Gryffindor the housecup.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 8: The sorting hat

50 Books Challenge 2011 - # 46: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: A grim mood has fallen over the country. The minions of Lord Voldemort continue to grow as his evil spreads. The Ministry of Magic has stepped up security everywhere, and as Harry enters his sixth year at Hogwarts, he begins to see himself -- and everyone around him -- in a different, more discerning, light. With rumors swirling about Harry being the prophesied "Chosen One," he begins taking private lessons from Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. As Dumbledore prepares Harry for his destined clash with Voldemort by revealing jaw-dropping insights into the Dark Lord's past -- who his parents were, what happened after he left Hogwarts, and more -- Harry also struggles to uncover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince, the past owner of a potions textbook he now possesses that is filled with ingenious, potentially deadly, spells. But Harry's life is suddenly changed forever when someone close to him is heinously murdered right before his eyes....
Start: august 20th 2011
End: august 26th 2011
Comment: Just like the last time, I'm a bit sad that the journey is coming closer to its final destination. This is the darkest and most detailed book in the Harry Potter series yet. Voldemort's role in the stories gets bigger by the book, he gets more depth because we learn about his backstory. That was maybe my favorite part of this book. And it's good that Rowling waited this long to reveal more about Voldemort. We get to know and love Harry, Hermione and Ron more and more and we become a part of their world. This book was fast paced and a real page turner. What I thought was great about the sixth book is that Rowling created the perfect cliff-hanger. A good mystery creates a load of questions. This is a great set-up for the final installment. And we come closer to the enchating ending.
Rating: 5/ 5

50 Books Challenge 2011 - # 40: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it?
Start: july 20th 2011
End: july 28th 2011
Comment: When we meet Harry Potter again in this fifth book, we see a lot of change. He's off course older, but he's rougher and more full of anger. Harry feels he's being ignored by his friends Ron and Hermione, his mentor Dumbledore and godfather Sirius. When he returns to Hogwarts he has to face yet another challenge. People don't believe him anymore and the arrival of Dolores Umbridge only makes things worse. Umbridge is probably the most dreadfull teacher Hogwarts ever had. What I loved most about this book is that Harry and his friends formed Dumbledore's army. A group of young wizards and witches who want to learn how to fight back, when it's really necessary. And people who are against Umbridge and her teaching methods and strange rules. I also loved Neville's role in this. He's always been one of my favorite characters and he actually made a difference in this book. A lot of great new character were introduced. Off course Umbridge, who will always be my most hated character. We also met Luna Lovegood, Nymphadora Tops and Bellatrix Lestrange. We got to see a different side of Snape and we learned more about Harry's past. A lot of new developements were in this book, which makes this fifth novel a great addition to the series.
Rating: 5/ 5

50 Books Challenge 2011- # 34: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the Quidditch World Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal—even by wizarding standards. And in his case, different can be deadly.
Start: june 17th 2011
End: june 26th 2011
Comment: How great this is. Another Harry Potter I finished for my challenge and perhaps this is the most original one of the series. I think the plot is most appealing, because of the secret tournament. It really spoke to me anyway. Harry has to join the tournament because someone put his name in the goblet of fire, when he actually wasn't allowed to content. Together with three other participants he has to defeat dragons, strange water creatures and he has to find his way trough a mysterious and scary maze. This book really captivated me from beginning 'till end. And it got even more exciting when Lord Voldemort entered the story. J.K. Rowling described him so well and made him so creepy, that he gave me the chills every single time he spoke. This is just storytelling of a high order. Bravo!
Rating: 5/ 5

50 Books Challenge - # 30: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts." Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.
Start: may 26th 2011
End: may 31st 2011
Comment: I can't believe how big J.K. Rowling's imagination is, and that's only after the third book. She wrote seven of those great stories. She has plenty of tricks left up her sleeve. The pace of this books is nonstop. You just want to keep reading. It's more exciting then the first two and also a bit darker and mysterious. And this one has more of a 'supernatural' touch to it. Werewolves, vampires, hippogriffs, etcetera. Very interesting. I liked Sirius Black, he was a good addition to the story. At first you think he's evil, but then he turns out to be the good guy and the story takes on a different direction. That's what I like about the Harry Potter series, you never know what to expect (unless you've read them before off course). I can't wait to read the next book again. Even though I read them all, they can still surprise you every single time.
Rating: 5/ 5

50 Books Challenge - # 23: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: Harry Potter is on summer break after completing his first year at the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and his aunt, uncle, and cousin are as mean as ever. Their efforts to prevent his return to Hogwarts are aided by an unknown force: a mysterious elf who shows up and warns Harry that he must never return to the school. Harry is eventually rescued by his classmates and friends, the Weasleys, but getting back to Hogwarts still proves to be a challenge. When he finally does get there, his troubles quickly multiply. Someone has opened the door to the Chamber of Secrets, releasing a deadly monster with the power to kill. Harry is forced to once again confront his archenemy, the Dark Wizard Voldemort, who has a whole new bag of nasty tricks up his sleeve.
Start: april 24th 2011
End: april 26th 2011
Comment: I love J.K. Rowling's imagination. She entertains a large audience with it. I am not the targeted audience Rowling is writing her books for, but I think we adults are enjoying it even more. We can step into a world of pure imagination and feel like a kid again. That's the power of these books. But that makes it extra intense for the children it is actually written for. The part where Harry enters the secret chamber is extremely frightening for a younger group of people. I certainly think the ending was much more interesting than the first one, but it's equally good. I wished Hermoine had a bigger role in this story but I'm glad we could read so much about Ron, who's my favorite. I'm already looking forward to reading all the other books in this series again.
Rating: 5/ 5