A book you can read over and over again and not get sick of

There are two kinds of people: the one-timers, who watch movies and read books once and then never feel the need to see or read them again, and the re-visitors, who will return to old favourites over and over, re-watching or re-reading when they miss a certain character, or scene, or emotion. I am definitely a re-visitor. I get attached to characters, I can quote movies and books and TV shows. I find comfort in returning to old favourites, like getting a hug from a family member or good friend. You might think that it is because I am so often away from my family and close friends that I do this, but I have had this habit since I was a child.

I remember as a kid re-reading my favourites from The Babysitters Club series, Sweet Valley Twins, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder collected works. I came back over and over, and I loved the books just as much the third or fourth time as the first.

As a teenager, I read a lot of new books, developing new tastes and reading a lot for school. Nothing stands out in my mind as something I re-read multiple times from that period, but I did fall in love with The Hobbit, which I have subsequently re-read, as well as many of Shakespeare’s works.

Then, in my Senior Year of High School I discovered Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. It was actually on the reading list for my English class (we had a large list we could choose from, read, and take tests on for points, needing to accumulate a certain number of points per quarter). I instantly fell in love with the premise, the story, and the characters. I quickly devoured the first four books, and then eagerly awaited the fifth, sixth, and seventh as the years went on. I have re-read these books more times than I care to remember, and they have helped me get through some lonely, sad, and frustrated times. I’ve often said that while some people turn to alcohol or drugs when they are down, I turn to Harry Potter. I still love these books, and recently re-read the seventh and final book of the series, getting just as emotionally wrapped up in the story and characters as ever before. J.K. Rowling is a fantastic writer, and I think people of every age can enjoy these books. Just thinking about it now makes me want to go back and re-read them all from the beginning, from Harry’s first trip to Hogwarts to his last.

Off to work, wishing I had time to read Harry Potter…

Kim x