Harry Potter and the Cute Book

I bet JK Rowling never considered that as a title for her HP books. I am hoping that this will be my last HP post for a while. Getting a little sick of talking about it myself. I have finally went to see the film though and thought I should mention it a little. Harry is angry in this one. He has been left out of the loop all summer until he is attacked by two dementors and so removed from his muggle home to that of Sirius Black's childhood home. There he discovers that an order to fight the Dark Lord has reformed, the order of the Phoenix. Harry then gets to school to discover that the ministry has taken over the school through Professor Umbrige. As they see that they are not going to be shown how to defend themselves Harry and friends decide to teach themselves and form Dumbledores Army. Meanwhile Harry is seeing flashes of what the Dark Lord is up to.

It was a good take on the book but as expected so much was missed out. The time in the Black home took up over 100 pages in the book. I was just sorry that there wasn't more on the Order or the Aurors themselves. Not that it was necessary as they put in enough for everyone to understand the story. It's quite a large book compared to all the others and it would have to be cut drastically unless we wanted something on the length of LOTR. The critics are right this film was darker than the others and the ending was great. Not going to say too much more on that as I don't want to spoil it. If it hadn't been for the ending though I would have preferred the previous one to this. Someone else found it scary from the start though. When the dementors entered the scene a child started screaming in the cinema hall and later had to be taken away by his mother.

And here is where the Cute Book comes in. I mentioned this book in yesterdays post. I saw this book discussed on a crafts website I visit. I didn't give it much thought. Although the cover looked very cute these books are usually disappointing. Then I saw it in the book shop and was pleasantly surprised. I had to go and buy it. This book shows you how to make lots of very cute felt mascots. The book gives templates for each of the characters and then detailed diagrams of how to put them together. All the instructions are simple to follow and the characters seems easy enough to make. The back of the book gives some ideas of other ways to craft these mascots.

This is my first attempt at one of them, the monkey. He does look a little angry but he looks a little angry in the book too. I think if I make him again I would probably try and give him a smile. He hasn't got a name yet as I plan on giving him away today. I also have a list of other mascots I want to make and thankfully I bought enough felt to make a few.

Timewarden, I resorted to TV villains as I couldn't think of any in the book world. At least any that made me think the way the question described. I haven't seen "Blue Velvet".

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

I should warn you now. If you are planning on reading the book and don't want it spoiled for you I wouldn't read on.


This one picks up not long after the last one. Harry is being moved to safety as the protections on him disappear when he turns seventeen. The action starts pretty quickly unlike the previous books. Straight away he is being chased by death eaters and narrowly escapes. We already have one death at the start of the book. There is one quite pause as there is wedding preparation and Mrs Weasley tries to prevent Harry, Ron and Hermione plotting on how to get away and begin Dumbledores quest. The pause doesn't last long as Death Eaters invade the wedding after taking over the ministry of magic. Harry and co have no choice now but to go on the run and this is where it gets boring. The bulk of this part of the book is spent with location changes and lots of arguments between the three. It picks up again two thirds of the way through with their capture and a final battle back at Hogwarts.

I found the book to be a little disappointing. The middle section could have been a lot shorter. Much of it wasn't needed to tell the story. You could get a sense of their isolation from everyone else in a couple of sentences. Plus the treatment of muggle born witches and wizards was described in their attempt to enter the ministry. All the arguments and the constant moving around with nothing much happening just bored me. I would have finished the book on Saturday night. Instead I got frustrated and decided to pick it up again the next day. Wanting to know what happened in the end was the only thing that made me pick up the book again. It picks up again with the capture of the three by Death Eaters. From that moment on I had difficulty putting it down as the story seemed to move quickly from there. The final battle took place in Hogwarts which is the first time Harry and co step foot in the school during the whole book. I did like the ending although I honestly did think that Harry was going to die. Was all prepared for it. I was disappointed about Lupin. I had hoped that at least one of James' friends would have survived. It will be interesting to see how the final movie will compare.

The Harry Potter party was lots of fun although a little stressful. Most people seemed to enjoy it and it seemed to fly by. More importantly the kids seemed to have a good time and the majority of them were so cute in their costumes. There was actually one little boy who had dressed up as Draco and looked the part. There were also a lot of teenagers who came in dressed up too and seemed to have just as much fun as the little ones. Thankfully there were only a few tears and only a few people unhappy over the fact that they were going to have to queue for the book. The staff also had loads of fun. Most of them had put a lot of effort into their costumes. Yes, I dressed up too, as Tonks. We also had a Dumbledore, Prof McGonagall, Snape and a moaning myrtle.

This probably won't be my last Harry Potter post as I am planning on going to see the film later in the week.

Booking Through Thursday

This weeks booking through Thursday is Harry Potter related. I suppose it makes sense but had I thought about it I would have left the last post until now. Not to worry, I'll answer them anyway;

Booking Through Thursday
Okay, love him or loathe him, you’d have to live under a rock not to know that J.K. Rowling’s final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, comes out on Saturday… Are you going to read it?
If so, right away? Or just, you know, eventually, when you get around to it? Are you attending any of the midnight parties?
If you’re not going to read it, why not?
And, for the record… what do you think? Will Harry survive the series? What are you most looking forward to?

The first few questions you already know the answer to. Yes, I will be reading the book. I am too nosey not to read it. I want to know how it all ends and reading about it on the net isn't good enough for me. That and I have enjoyed them for the most part anyway. I will be attending one of the midnight parties although it will be for work. I probably wouldn't if it wasn't for that. Before I worked where I do now I didn't attend any although I did buy the books. Lastly no I don't think Harry will survive. JK Rowling has dropped so many hints that she has ended the books in such away that she won't be able to continue the story after book seven. If any of the other characters were to be killed off the story could possibly go on. Even if Voldermort were to die Harry could still have other adventures and face more foes. Mind you another way to kill off the story would be if Harry lost his abilities. There are a few people I know who are so sick of Harry Potter that they are hoping he will be killed off.

Basically I am most looking forward to seeing how it ends. I am looking forward to seeing if some of the things I thought might happen after reading book 6 will happen. I am also hoping that once the Harry Potter mania has settled down that other new children's authors can get some of the lime light. It would be nice to see authors who deserve it getting some attention too. I don't that there will be anything like that again though in terms of media coverage and parties on release night. Still it would be nice to see other authors getting almost as much attention.

Cheeser, I think it's the details that children love most about these books. All the little things like the moving pictures, the jumping chocolate frogs and the wizarding sport of quiditch.

Timewarden, I can see Asda's point about the price of the book being expensive for children. However, most places won't sell it at that price. They will have it on some kind of promotion. I don't believe that the supermarket is really concerned about that though. They are planning on selling the book at almost half price. Their discount from the publisher will not be as high as that. Therefore they are going to take a loss by selling the book. They can probably afford to do this but I am sure they would rather make a profit from it. I think that's where the criticism came from. Still it's almost like biting the hand that feeds you. Bloomsbury can afford to refuse to distribute to a retailer. People aren't going to stop buying the book just because Asda doesn't have it. They'll go else where.

My favourite children's authors growing up were Judith Kerr, Shirley Hughes, Dorothy Edwards, Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl. I've read a larger selection of kids books now than I did then.

Harry Potter Mania

With the end of Doctor Who and not much going on where my crafts are concerned I don't really have much to say on my blog just now. Or so I thought. I've decided to talk about one of the many things that is gripping the world right now. Harry Potter! Yes, I am excitedly looking forward to the release of the seventh and final Harry Potter book at midnight at the end of this week. I will even be dressing up (my excuse for that is it's for work).

Had anyone mentioned it to me a few weeks ago my response would have been very different. It was more of a nuisance than anything else. Harry Potter means even more work and lots of planning. Being surrounded by people who are excited about this it is hard not to get caught up (unless of course you generally dislike the books which I don't). So in the run up I have been reading the books again. The first three are a joy to read. Not because they are the best written children's books. Far from it since I did spot possibly the longest sentence in the world in the first one. Reading them takes me straight back to being a child again. Had I read them then I know I would have loved them more so. What child wouldn't love the idea of going to a school to learn the use of magic? The first three are also the best of the lot (so far anyway). The later ones seem to get bogged down in too much detail. School hadn't even started yet by page 100 of the fourth book and if I remember correctly book five was the same. Not to say I didn't still enjoy them though.

The films I have also enjoyed although I have been disappointed by the things they have missed out. The third book is my favourite and I was very much looking forward to the film release. It was a bit of a let down going to see it although I have since gotten over it. It's funny how much I dislike Harry in the films since he is the main character. I think that has more to do with the actor than the character though. I just never warmed to him. Unlike Emma Watson's Hermione and Rupert Grint's Ron. Of course I am planning on going to see "The Order of The Phoenix" and is supposed to be the best one yet. Reviews have been fairly positive so far.

Do these books deserve all the hype they have been getting? No not really. As I already said they aren't the best written children's books on the market. However, what they have done is gotten so many children out there to read. Surely it's worth it for that?

Diva

Meet Scarlett. Scarlett is an Opera singing diva. Here she is posing for a photo next to her CD collection. Scarlett is famous for her singing and more famous for her tantrums. She is sought after to be in the most prestigious productions but dreaded by all who work with her. Just try saying no to her once and you'll find out why. Scarlett belongs to my mum. After seeing me make all these sock monkeys for other people (including one for my sister) my mum finally asked for one. When we were out one day I dragged her into a store to pick out her socks. My mum's favourite colour is red so I wasn't really surprised by her choice.

I doubt there is a single person in the UK who doesn't know what happens a week on Friday. The last Harry Potter book will be released at midnight. I am one of those sad folk who is looking forward to it. In preparation I have begun reading the series over again. I am still only on book one (a bad cold has slowed me down with everything). I have went to the cinema to see each of the films (the next one is also out this week) and each time I have always been disappointed in the things that they leave out. It's amazing though how much you forget exactly what was left out. Half way through the first one and I was surprised by just how different key scenes in the book and movie are. Certain characters missing from scenes and whole sections missing. It's still relatively true to the book but it's still funny how I became so used to the film version that it became the truer one.

I have liked reading everyones answers to the booking through thursday question. Timewarden, Charles Dickens would have been my choice next to Shakespeare too. Like you David Copperfield would have been my choice when I was younger. Now it's probably a tie between Great Expectations and Bleak House. I have a friend who would have chosen Pride and Prejudice partly due to the TV adaptation. She collects different editions of this book she loves it that much. I would probably choose "To Kill A Mockingbird" from the States too.

crazee4books, I loved Anne of Green Gables. I have always meant to go back and read them all again. I also like the Emily series by the same author. I do like Margaret Atwood too though. "The Blind Assassin" is probably my favourite out of the few that I have read. I haven't read many Canadian authors to suggest a possible greatest book but I do love Douglas Coupland. An author I have blogged about before.

Thanks again for all your comments on the sock monkeys. I never thought of giving the pirate monkey some dreadlocks. It's a good idea. Lili, I am glad that Daphne likes them too. It's sweet that she wants to see them.