Everybody knows the name, Harry Potter. Millennials recognize the name as a staple in our young, adolescent lives. The first book came out when we were just born so it's no wonder we adopted this world into our lives with such ferocity and passion.
For me, reading Harry Potter was a way to connect with my dad and brother as a young girl. My dad started reading "Philosopher's Stone" to Chanlor when he was seven years old and I was only three. I remember Chanlor lugging around those huge books as he got older and the voices my dad used to do before Chanlor adopted the concept of reading them by himself.
From the time I moved to reading chapter books, I desperately wanted to read the Harry Potter series and bring myself into the fantastical world I had heard about for years. I picked up the first book in the second grade and read it, cover to cover, in less than two days. I instantly fell in love with the characters. Hermione resonated with me as a bookworm. Dumbledore reminded me of my two Pawpaws, full of wisdom and always there when I need them to be.
I believe the resurgence of Harry Potter becoming increasingly popular again has to do with those who grew up with the series. We're now adults and are having to deal with the pressures of growing up; paying bills, accumulating college debt, having to juggle college and work, not always having our parents to guide us, etc. When we reflect on how we could escape the realities of the world, Harry Potter comes to mind because he is a hero that every kid can relate to at some part of their adolescent lives. He's an outcast that realizes he's special, which almost everyone experiences, or should experience. Now when we, who grew up with these magical students, want to escape, we pick up one of the books or watch one of the movies to enter into the wizarding world.
The Wizarding World was full of magic and beautiful creatures that none of us could ever imagine. It expanded our minds and made us believe that every one of us deserves a "yer a wizard, Harry" moment.
Now, we also have the "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" stories coming to light. We're excited because we get a new glimpse at the world we've been in for twenty-plus years. We get to re-look at what we thought we knew and a new generation gets introduced to the world that will never die.
Harry Potter is a big staple in who I am, and I for one will always consider the original series a classic for all of my life to come.