Grace Catlin comes home from the first grade. She gets off the bus, gripping her blue backpack as she walks in the house. Catlin sees her mother sitting on their brown leather couch facing the family TV and watching the first Harry Potter movie. Catlin became very intrigued by the movie. A curiosity that continues to this day.

 Catlin’s mother started reading the Harry Potter books to her, and she became obsessed with them for many years of her childhood. Then in the third grade again, she discovered the Percy Jackson books by watching the movie. Catlin, a senior, still loves the books to this day and they have made a big impact on her. 

“Harry Potter was the first big series I read, and it jump started a love of reading that is still with me today,” Catlin said.

Harry Potter and Percy Jackson have been very popular books in the fantasy genre. The first Harry Potter book was released on June 26, 1997 and over 500 million copies worldwide have been sold in 80 languages since the series has been released. The seven Harry Potter books contain over a million words. After 22 years and 500 millions books sold later Harry Potter books are still very popular today. Many people were impacted by the Harry Potter books, and many of those people started reading the books young. Sophomore Johna Hargrove started reading Harry Potter books in the fifth grade and she started reading Percy Jackson in seventh grade.

“I like fantasy books, and it’s just fun reading it and seeing the folklore behind the story. The books are written really well so you can really experience it,” Hargrove said.

Many people have favorite characters and favorite books within the series’s. Catlin says that her favorite book from the Harry Potter series is The Prisoner Of Azkaban and her favorite character from the series is Hagrid. Catlin’s favorite characters in the Percy Jackson books are Percy Jackosn and Annabeth Chase but her favorite book is The Battle Of Labyrinth. Hargrove’s favorite character and book from the Harry Potter series are Luna Lovegood and The Half-Blood Prince. From the Percy Jackson series Annabeth Chase and The Battle of Labyrinth are Hargrove’s favorite. These characters impacted many people around the world including Catlin and Hargrove. 

“I like Annabeth because she is smart and outspoken about her feelings,” Hargrove said.