The Harry Potter Magic

Since J.K. Rowling first created the character of Harry Potter it has snowballed into one of the biggest things for children (and many adults) ever. When 'Jo' Rowling came up with the initial idea on a train journey between Manchester and London no-one could have imagined quite what it would all lead to. A great part of the charm of her story is how, within the space of five years, she went from living on Social Security benefits to multi-millionaire status. In 2008 her fortune was estimated to be within the region of 560 million pounds, putting her in the position of the twelfth richest woman in Britain.

The world of Harry Potter slipped into a niche in the market of children's fiction very comfortably. It harked back to classic stories by the likes of such writers as C.S.Lewis and J.R.R.Tolkien. Like the sagas of 'Lord of the Rings', 'The Chronicles of Narnia' and 'Star Wars', the stories feature definite and healthy distinctions between good and evil and have deep underlying morals. Why this glaringly obvious gap in the market of literature had remained unnoticed for so long is, in itself, a bit of a mystery. Hollywood recently began its release of some impressive adaptations of the Narnia books but would this have come about if they had not had a wake-up call with the universal success of Harry Potter? There have also been other, similar adaptions of children's fiction such as Susan Cooper's 'The Dark is Rising'. The film industry has suddenly realized that it has been lagging behind and it is now desperate to catch up. Children have always loved tales of magic and adventure. The Harry Potter books are rich in these and have a natural charm about them that appeal to a very wide audience. When it all comes down to it, children's fiction has only ever needed these few key elements to become successful. The idea of a school for wizards is such a simple one and everything else just falls into place around it. The simplest of ideas in all things are normally the best ones.

J.K. Rowling has now written a total of seven books in the series, six of which have been released as films. The seventh installment, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', is to be brought out in two parts. The first of these is scheduled for release on 19th November 2010 and the second part is planned for 15th July 2011.

Bearing in mind how much children adore these books and movies it would be a great theme to work around if you are planning on organising a party. You might not live in Hogwarts but you could still make it a very magical experience for your child and guests. When deciding on which is the best costume for your child there are so many wonderful characters in the Harry Potter books to choose from. Besides, I am quite sure that your child will have plenty of input in the matter.

harry potter costumes

Penny Acosta organises children's parties and supplies halloween costumes