Reading Harry Potter With A Four-and-a-half Year-old

A few pages at bedtime with the entire family, new baby and cat included. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

We read this chapter over two reading sessions, one before and one after a major event for our family. The second session was at bedtime, where I learned that talking about basilisks at bedtime might not be the smartest thing to do going forward. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

While unpacking our books we came across our old Scholastic Harry Potter paperbacks, and we embarked on an experiment to see if two books that looked very different could tell the same story. We started off reading the Scholastic paperback but quickly switched back over to the Illustrated Harry Potter since this chapter has some of the best illustrations. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

We spend a little time before bed reading and looking at the pictures in the book. I realize looking at pictures doesn't really translate when you're listening to a podcast, but just imagine you're looking at some very beautiful and compelling illustrations and it'll be like you're right there with us. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

The first half of this episode was recorded very early in the morning. If you're picturing a disheveled dad in slippers and robe reading a book while waiting for the coffee to finish brewing, then, well, yeah, you've nailed it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

If you ever wondered what it sounded like to read Harry Potter while the rest of the family unpacks around you after a big move, well, this is pretty much what it sounds like. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

Fact: J. K. Rowling did not actually record Hermione's reaction when she learned Herbology was canceled, but we know exactly what she said. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

So it turns out we've taken a long, unplanned hiatus from reading Harry Potter together. Our family just moved to a new house this past weekend, so packing and moving had taken over our lives for the last month. My son is also going through a very Oedipal phase right now, and really only wants to spend his free time with my wife (with me nowhere in sight, preferably). This is partly just the appropriate developmental phase for a boy his age, but also partly due to the fact that my wife is due with our second baby any day now and he knows his days of having her all to himself are numbered. But the other day, after getting himself dressed for school, he came to me with something hidden behind his back and said, "Papa, I know what we can do!" and pulled Chamber of Secrets out from behind his back. We hadn't unpacked all of his books yet, so he must have found it while rummaging through the boxes in his room. This might become our new before-school routine (and if it does, apologies in advance for my croaky early

Apologies, as always, for my Dobby voice. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

I won't lie: it's a little disconcerting to learn that your five-year-old is a Parselmouth. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

Have you ever not slept well because your four-and-a-half-year-old woke up at some ungodly hour, and then later that day tried to read a chapter about Professor Binns and his dreadfully boring History of Magic class? It's HARD. Also, can we talk about Professor Binns? I'm sure there's some eager young witch or wizard who feels a real passion for magical history and would LOVE to teach it at Hogwarts, to really bring the subject alive for the students, but they can't because the position is filled by a GUY WHO DIED. Usually when a faculty member dies that's a chance to get some new young blood on your teaching staff, but not only is Binns blocking the hire of a new professor, he's also awful at his job. History, in the right hands, is exciting and dynamic! As a guy who strongly considered majoring in history, I've always been mad at Dumbledore for not firing Binns and hiring a living, competent teacher. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

A trip to the playground was cut short thanks to a nasty spill on the sidewalk and a badly scraped knee. We decided to come inside and read some Harry Potter while he rested with his knee propped up on a pillow (scraped knees are a real production in our house). Featuring Mama as a special guest reader for two columns of text. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

We read this section while eating lunch (which included some "spinach littles" in the shape of stars, people, and dinosaurs), which isn't something we normally do. This was a few days after my birthday, which we talk about a bit at the beginning. I came home from work to find that he and my wife had thrown me a surprise Harry Potter birthday party, which included a family wand making activity. You can see some pictures from my party at "Ollivander's Wand Shop" at facebook.com/ReadingHarryPotter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

Burping slugs is HILARIOUS. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

Did you know it's possible to chew gum and eat a strawberry at the same time? Today I learned it is. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

It was already incredible late when we started this chapter at bedtime. I was thinking, "oh, two more pages will be okay," but I was feeling a little indulgent so we read the whole thing. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

We picked up the chapter again at bedtime, and when we finish it we discuss reading a little bit of the next chapter. Spoiler alert: we end up reading all of the next chapter. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

Have you patronized your local boogermonger lately? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

Sometimes when I want to read Harry Potter I just find a comfortable spot and start reading out loud. I never make it past the first sentence before I have a kid snuggled up next to me. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support

The Weasley's flying car is a fairly regular subject of discussion in our house, so it's always fun to revisit it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reading-harry-potter0/support