Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry)
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Welcome to the Harry Potter At Home hub where you’ll find all the latest magical treats to keep you occupied - including special contributions from Bloomsbury and Scholastic, nifty magical craft videos (teach your friends how to draw a Niffler!), fun articles, quizzes, puzzles and plenty more for first-time readers, as well as those already familiar with the wizarding world.
We’re casting a Banishing Charm on boredom!
TOP READ
Introducing Harry Potter At Home
Written by The Wizarding World Team
Published on Apr 1st 2020
We know that everyone is trying to keep safe at home at the moment and so, with J.K. Rowling and our friends at Audible, Bloomsbury, OverDrive, Pottermore Publishing and Scholastic, we are delighted to introduce Harry Potter At Home to help children, parents, carers and teachers add a touch of Harry Potter magic to our new daily lives.
Here’s everything you need to know about Harry Potter At Home: some new ways to bring the magic closer to you, all specially created by different members of our wide Wizarding World family.
For over twenty years now, Hogwarts has been an escape for all – for readers and fans, young and old. During the strange times we now find ourselves in, we want to welcome you back to Hogwarts, where you will find a friendly retreat for you, your family and those you are caring for.
Over 500 million Harry Potter books have been sold across the globe, so it’s comforting to know many homes already have a door to the wizarding world waiting to be opened once again. And for those who’ve never visited the wizarding world before, welcome!
Our new Harry Potter At Home project is very much a team effort, combining the resources of Harry Potter UK and US publishers Bloomsbury and Scholastic, Pottermore Publishing, leading spoken-word producer and provider Audible, library supplier OverDrive, and of course, our own magic-makers here at WizardingWorld.com.
So, what exactly is Harry Potter At Home and how can you get involved? We’re pleased to say – in all sorts of ways!
Hogwarts’ doors are open for teachers everywhere
J.K Rowling and her team have already announced a special, open licence for teachers to read the seven Harry Potter books aloud to their pupils in virtual read-a-long sessions on video. This means if you’re a teacher you’ll be able to record yourself reading Harry’s Hogwarts adventures and share these with your pupils online.
Learn how to get involved here.
Many teachers around the world have already been in touch!
One said, ‘this is amazing! I started reading book 1 to my second graders about a month ago. I was worried we wouldn’t be able to finish. Now I can finish reading it to them’
Another added, ‘Thanks, @JK_Rowling ! I’m a teacher of English in France and suggested my pupils read the Potter books. In these dark times, I’m twice as grateful for the world you’ve created. 20 years later, it is still a safe place for me...’
The first Harry Potter audiobook for free for everyone
A big thank you to our friends at Audible, who invite you to listen to the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as many times as you like in the coming weeks. This is one of many classic books that will be available on Audible’s new platform,
stories.audible.com. – take a look and see what you can find.
The first Harry Potter book will be available to listen to for free in six different languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Japanese). And our American readers will be interested to know that this is the Stephen Fry edition of the audiobook, rather than the US version which features the equally talented Jim Dale. So, you’ll get to hear Harry’s story told with an entirely new voice! We can confirm that Stephen does an excellent Dumbledore.
Visit our new Harry Potter At Home hub
Here on WizardingWorld.com, we’ve built a dedicated space for you to visit which we’ll be updating all the time for your enjoyment. This special Harry Potter At Home hub is where you’ll find all the latest things to keep you occupied – from special activity kits from Bloomsbury to Scholastic, to nifty magical craft videos (teach your friends how to draw a Niffler!) fun articles, quizzes, puzzles and more. We’re casting a Banishing Charm on boredom.
You can visit the
Harry Potter At Home hub here – and keep on visiting the page whenever you like. Just like Hogwarts and its staircases, this page will be changing all the time.
Harry’s first adventure will also be made free for all OverDrive library patrons online throughout April
Pottermore Publishing will also be teaming up with digital library supplier OverDrive to gift the first book in its digital form. Patrons of OverDrive libraries will be able to borrow Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as an eBook or audiobook in over 20 languages from participating local and school libraries, including via OverDrive’s
Libby app, and the
Sora app for schools.
This offering will last until the end of April, so if you can, why not have a browse?
And that is simply the start
Along with all the other members of our Wizarding World family, we’re going to keep finding new ways to bring magic into your world during this time.
So, however you like to get your Wizarding World updates, be it here, on our Wizarding World app, on our
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook pages (if you’re old enough!) or, of course, through our new Harry Potter At Home hub – we’ll keep bringing you the joy of reading. Remember, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.
For weekly Harry Potter At Home updates and so much more, we’re also launching a newsletter – so we can deliver all of our latest news, activities and more, straight to your inbox in one nice package. To opt in, don’t forget to click the check box when asked during
registration. No owls required!
Illustration by Jonny Duddle © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
NEWS
WizardingWorld.com reveals new Harry Potter at Home hub
Written byThe Wizarding World Team
Published on Apr 1st 2020
The Harry Potter At Home hub is here! A lovingly curated space designed to help you and your family discover the magic of Harry Potter at home…
We are proud to announce our new
Harry Potter At Home hub, a free online collection of child-friendly activities, videos, puzzles, illustrations, quizzes, creative ideas, articles and much more, that will help you bring the magic of the wizarding world into your home at this difficult time – as well as keep you all occupied for hours on end!
The whole Wizarding World family is working together to make the hub a truly inspiring place that celebrates reading for pleasure, especially when introducing children to Harry and his friends for the first time. You’ll find all the latest fun and games to keep everyone occupied – from special activity kits from Bloomsbury and Scholastic, to nifty magical craft videos. We’ll be updating the activities, quizzes, articles and everything else regularly to create an ever-evolving collection of new resources that are easy for parents, teachers and carers of children to find and access. And the hub will also point you to our ultimate Harry Potter experience – being sorted into your Hogwarts house.
The Harry Potter At Home hub aims to help inspire you, your family, your friends, and especially children all around the world to read for pleasure and enjoy the stories, as well as bring some magic-infused joy and entertainment to all the family. But the hub is also a place for those of you who have loved Harry Potter for decades: a place for you to feel the warmth of the fire in the Gryffindor common room or a much-needed hug from Mrs Weasley.
For over twenty years, Hogwarts has always been there to welcome you home, so whether you’re starting Chapter One of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone for our US readers) with your child for the first time, or you’re halfway through the audiobooks, or you’ve just finished the seventh book (again), the Harry Potter At Home hub is here for you.
You can visit the
Harry Potter At Home hub here – and keep on visiting the page whenever you like. Don’t worry, it’s completely free and it’s quicker to visit than a swish of a wand.
For weekly Harry Potter At Home updates and so much more, we’re also launching a newsletter – so we can deliver all of our latest news, activities and more, straight to your inbox in one nice package. To opt in, don’t forget to click the check box when asked during
registration. No owls required!
Illustration Jonny Duddle © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
FEATURE
The ABCs to Reading for Pleasure
Written byThe Scholastic Team
Published on Mar 31st 2020
Part of the magic of reading Harry Potter is that it teaches children, as well as reminds adults, about reading for pleasure. Reading experts over at Scholastic have written an A-Z that reminds us of all the great benefits reading for pleasure can bring…
A.
Audio books mean the whole family can listen together.
B.
Books at bedtime are a great way to wind down the day.
C.
Children's books on the shelves are always a familiar, comforting read (we have all seven Harry Potter books on ours!).
D.
Reading allows us to discover new worlds, new people (like Harry, Ron and Hermione), and new events.
E.
Everyone can read the same book and talk about it together.
F.
Reading takes us to fun, faraway places (like Hogwarts)
G.
Sharing a book you love with a family member makes a great gift.
H.
The best kind of homework? Free reading!
I.
Infinite possibilities exist with reading.
J.
Great joy exists upon finishing a whole series. (And sometimes a little sadness, too!)
K.
When you know better, you do better. Reading helps us to know more so we can do better.
L.
Learning to read is one of the coolest, most amazing and magical processes ever.
M.
Reading motivates you to learn more, try new things, and reach for the stars.
N.
Every day you can meet new people, places, and ideas with books.
O.
Reading allows you to learn about different options and opinions.
P.
Anything is possible with reading (especially magic).
Q.
Questions are answered with reading.
R.
Reading aloud to a loved one or friend is time well spent.
S.
Our favourite way to spend our time? Reading makes time fly (particularly when there are broomsticks involved)!
T.
Reading transforms lives.
U.
Books take you to unusual and unique places (like the Forbidden Forest).
V.
Finding new authors and new series is one of our very favourite things.
W.
You can read wherever you want in the house—no need to sit at a desk or wait until bedtime.
X.
There's something for everyone with reading: eXactly what every person needs.
Y.
You always have a pal when you pick up a book.
Z.
Reading before bed lets you catch your ZZZZZzzzzzzz's. (C'mon, this one was tough…)
For more brilliant articles, book recommendations and reading advice and tools for parents, visit
Scholastic’s, Raise a Reader blog here.
Illustration by Mary GrandPré
FEATURE
A handy guide to reading the Harry Potter books for the first time
Written byThe Wizarding World Team
Published on Apr 1st 2020
Ready to begin your Hogwarts journey? Who can blame you? Simply flip open the first Harry Potter book and let’s begin.
So, you’ve probably heard of Harry Potter already, right? Probably caught a film on TV, probably got a mate who has a Hogwarts robe. And you’ve probably been thinking – ‘who is this Dumbledore fellow, anyway?’ ‘What is a Wingardium Leviosa?’
So what are the books about, exactly? Like, actually?
Okay: in a nutshell, a young 11-year old boy with glasses and a lightning bolt scar called Harry Potter finds out that he’s a wizard with magical powers and must go to a special school to learn how to do magic. Along the way, he learns many secrets about his past, and discovers that not all wizards are good...
You’re going to be reading a lot of strange words
Quaffle. Flobberworm. Riddikulus! Get ready for all manner of weird and wonderful words, guys. These are not your every-day books. But don’t worry, everything will be explained as you go along, and soon, the words of the wizarding world will be a second language! And if you get really stuck,
here’s a handy glossary to get you started.
And meet a lot of interesting people
Albus Dumbledore! Professor McGonagall! Who are all these curious people? For a book called “Harry Potter”, you do get a lot of fascinating names in this series... no offence, Harry. You’ll soon learn that wizards and witches are rather different to us, wear different sorts of clothes, and have many different interests. And it’s not just people too – prepare to meet magical creatures and even portraits that talk!
You may know a few things already – but that’s OK
If you’ve not read the books, that doesn’t mean you haven’t seen a Harry Potter film on the television. Or maybe a friend or family-member has told you all about how they’re a
Gryffindor, and you’re like, ‘What?’ So you might know bits and bobs about the adventure already – but don’t worry. It’ll all make sense once you start at the beginning. Just maybe ask your friends to be nice and not spoil anything for you!
Things might get a little scary...
Are you squeamish? Be on your guard, then! At Hogwarts school, not everything is as it seems. Sometimes these books get a little frightening, especially when a certain someone called Lord Voldemort makes an appearance... but also watch out for giant spiders, werewolves, and more things we won’t spoil for you now.
Remember, at the end of the day, it’s just a book – so you can always snap it shut if things get too much!
And the books will magically start getting bigger and bigger
As you read more Harry Potter books, you’ll learn that there’s just so much in the wizarding world that the books start getting fatter! But trust us, once you’ve read the first one and got hooked in, you’ll be even hungrier for more pages.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
Don’t feel bad if you’re not the fastest reader in the world. There are seven Harry Potter books, and that’s a lot of magic to get through! Take your time, because you don’t want to speed through it too fast and miss something – there are loads of important mentions in the books that will become important in later books. We’ll give you a heads up on one: in the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer's Stone for our US readers), a character called ‘Sirius Black’ is mentioned. Keep an eye on that name in particular...
And once you’re done, that’s definitely not the end
When we first finished the Harry Potter books, to say we were sad is an understatement. But chin up, you’ve actually started reading the stories at an exciting time. Now, there’s a new story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, that looks at the adventures of the wizarding world 19 years later. And then, if you fancy going back in time, you can watch the Fantastic Beasts films, which go all the way back to the 1920s where we meet a host of brand-new witches and wizards.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to read a Harry Potter book (except, maybe, upside down!) so give them a go, and you can always visit WizardingWorld.com if you want to learn more about the wizarding world as you go along.
So, chapter one...
Illustration Jonny Duddle © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
FEATURE
Ten words you need to know when reading the first Harry Potter book
Written byThe Bloomsbury Team
Published on Apr 1st 2020
arry Potter is so exciting to read that getting stuck on a word can be really annoying! Here are ten words with their meanings to help you out with the first book …
1. Wand:
Implement used by wizards to perform magic. Available from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley.
2. Muggle:
Person totally without magical powers. Most Muggles live in ignorance of the world of wizards and witches.
3. Galleon:
Gold wizarding money.
4. Poltergeist:
A mischievous spirit.
5. Herbology:
Study of plants. Professor Sprout is the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts.
6. Remembrall:
Magical glass ball, the size of a large marble, filled with white smoke. The smoke turns red to tell you that there is something you have forgotten to do.
7. Centaurs:
Half-man, half-horse creatures. Centaurs live in the Forbidden Forest.
8. Quidditch:
The wizarding national sport. Played on broomsticks by seven players.
9. Transfiguration:
The art of turning one thing into another.
10. Seeker:
Quidditch player who tries to catch the Golden Snitch.
Want more wizarding words? The rest of our
Harry Potter Glossary is available on the Bloomsbury website here, taking you through words and definitions from all seven books.
*Illustration by Jim Kay © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Harry Potter Glossary
Learn the definitions of all of the wizarding words in the Harry Potter books with this glossary of common words.
A
o1.o1. Accio (ooo1.)
Incantation of the Summoning Charm. For example, the incantation ‘Accio Firebolt’ would cause the required broomstick to fly into the hand of the person using the charm.
o1.o2. Acid pops (ooo2.)
Wizarding sweets that burn holes in your tongue. Available at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
o1.o3. Aconite (ooo3.)
Plant used in potions. Also known as monkshood or wolfsbane.
o1.o4. Acromantula (ooo4.)
Monstrous eight-eyed, hairy spiders capable of human speech. Carthorse-sized and carnivorous, they have eight legs and sharp pincers. When excited or angry, they make a distinctive clicking sound and secrete poison. They fear Basilisks.
o1.o5. Alchemy (ooo5.)
A medieval forerunner of chemistry, alchemy developed out of experiments to find a method of turning base metals into gold, and of making an elixir of life that would prolong life indefinitely.
o1.o6. Alohomora (ooo6.)
Incantation of the spell that opens locked things such as doors and windows.
o1.o7. Animagus (ooo7.)
A witch or wizard who can at will transform into a specific animal. All Animagi must register with the Ministry of Magic, stating what animal they become and its distinguishing features.
o1.o8. Anti-venom (ooo8.)
An antivenin or anti-poison that counteracts a specific venom, such as that of a snake.
o1.o9. Aparecium (ooo9.)
The incantation to magically reveal hidden writing or markings.
o1.1o. Apparate (oo1o.)
To transport oneself instantly to any destination. It is accompanied by a loud crack sound, and there is always a risk of Splinching. Because it is difficult and dangerous, Appariation requires a licence from the Department of Magical Transportation, which can only be issued to those of seventeen and over. It is impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts.
o1.11. Arithmancy (oo11.)
Ancient study of the magical properties of numbers.
o1.12. Astronomy (oo12.)
Study of the stars and planets.
o1.13. Auror (oo13.)
......