Remember the first time you read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Even if you haven’t read the books (they’re available in the library, it’s never too late!), you’ve probably seen the movies. And even if you haven’t seen the movies, I’m sure you’ve at least heard of Harry Potter, right? Well, this September marks Hermione Granger’s 35th birthday. She was Harry Potter’s best friend, and later on *SPOILER ALERT* Ron Weasley’s girlfriend/wife. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look at the various accomplishments and aspects of the Harry Potter franchise.
According to The Telegraph, (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harry-potter/8592280/Pottermore-JK-Rowling-facts-and-figures.html), an estimated 400 million copies have been sold worldwide, in over 68 languages. Also, J.K. Rowling was the first author to become a billionaire, and the books were the first children’s novels to rank on the New York Times Bestseller list since Charlotte’s Web in 1952. According to Zimbio, (http://www.zimbio.com/Harry+Potter/articles/NmetFfvOTdV/Harry+Potter+Numbers+Facts+Figures+Stats+More) the Harry Potter movies have earned 9 Oscar nominations and over $6.37 billion (these numbers do not include the final Harry Potter movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2).
Harry Potter has also been the topic of many scholarly articles and research papers. Check some out using the Academic Search Premier Database at https://proxy.library.iue.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=aph, or use JSTOR at https://proxy.library.iue.edu/login?url=http://www.jstor.org/. Maybe you could write an analysis for a class. If you need help, just Ask Us! iueref@iue.edu
(From http://twentieschic.com/encore-encore-harry-potter-series-will-never-get-old )