Saying Goodbye to Harry Potter

Well, for some the long wait is already over. In different time zones kids and grown-ups alike have already waited in line for hours and hours, dressed as Harry Potter, House Elves, Owls and other various characters from the book hoping to get their hands on a copy of the very last book in the series. Some children are already in their rooms reading the glorious pages hungrily, absorbing every last detail.

Here in the US the clock is still counting down to the 12:01 am release of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. In just a few hours fellow American Potter fans will breath a sigh of joy and relief that they managed to stay away from the Internet spoilers that have been leaked about the plot and the book's final ending.

Though all J.K. Rowling fans are joyed to finally have the last book in their grasps, there is something bittersweet about the whole thing. Since 1998 in the US children have loved Harry Potter. When the first movie came out back at the beginning of the 2000s, the books became even more popular and the movies have grossed large amounts of money. It's pretty obvious to say that J.K. Rowling's children will be set for life as far as money is concerned.

Now with the final book in their hands, whether Harry dies in the final chapter or not, fans must say goodbye to a beloved character. A character that has brought the fun back into reading. A friend of mine had a little boy who was having trouble with his reading. His mother got him a reading tutor strictly because he so very much wanted to read the Harry Potter book series. He now flies through books. So many parents have said that their children have grown to love reading because of Rowling's books.

There has even been negative attention given to the Harry Potter books over the years. Christian extremists claim that the books are evil and should be banned and burned because of the witchcraft being written about in them. There have even been people who think that their children are TOO obsessed with Harry Potter and need a dose of reality. At any rate, negative or positive, the popularity of the books cannot be argued.

Now that he is gone (in the sense that there will be no more books), who will be the next big thing? Once people have to put Harry to rest, they will need a new series to move on to. I know that when I have finished a good book there is a sense of sadness and slight depression when I set the book down. Especially if I know it will be the last book in a series.

Perhaps there is a writer out there, right now, writing the next best children's book series. Maybe it's you. Why not you? With the world the way it is, we all need a little joy. The joy we get from reading a good book. Harry Potter, The Lord Of The Rings, The Chronicles Of Narnia, all great books. What's the next big thing? Inquiring Muggle minds want to know.