I fell in love with Harry around 1998. I recall unwrapping my original book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, from my sister as a Christmas present. When I opened my gift, I knew nothing about Harry, J.K. Rowling, or Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Twenty-three years later, I still cherish Harry, his magical world, and the tattered, yellow, taped-up copy of my book.

I hungrily read each book as it became published, obsessing with the story and characters. It takes you on a journey like no other. As my boys grew into avid readers, I introduced them to Harry by reading the books out loud each night before bed. They were hooked too! A young boy who grows up not knowing he is a wizard, the imaginative characters lacing the pages, and the plot of good versus evil makes this series my all-time favorite.

The worldwide phenomenon of Harry Potter made reading cool, popular and accepted among younger readers. Our family not only read the books but participated in midnight book release parties, Harry Potter celebrations in nearby cities (in which we all wore homemade t-shirts to aid in the festivities), went to all the movie premiers, visited a Harry Potter traveling museum in Chicago, and in 2011, we ventured to Universal Studios, Florida to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Yes, we are proud Potter fans!

It’s hard to believe over 30 years ago, J.K. Rowling conceived Harry in her mind and at The Elephant House Cafe in Edinburgh and wrote the majority of the first book in the series. In my opinion, she is a hero. She was a struggling 20 something single mom on government benefits who had a dream as an 8-year-old girl of becoming a writer. She followed her dreams and created a world that had families all over the globe opening the pages of a book, creating dialogue, memories, and enjoying the story about the “boy who lived”.