Harry Potter Mania in Ottawa

Julie and I went to South Keys Mall to take in the Chapters, a.k.a. Platform 9 3/4 The Hogwarts Express, launch party of the sixth Harry Potter novel. News reports say that 'before Saturday's release of the new Harry Potter book, sales of had already reached around 275 million with the story translated into 62 languages.' The evening was electric with kids in costumes of all the Potter characters. Bookstore staff were also outfitted in make-up and costumes and entertained the children with trivia games, arts and crafts, and the mixing of magical potions to drink.

And at the stroke of midnight, as anticipated, scissors and kids tore ravenously into the black plastic wrap of the pallet of boxed books. The kids were over the moon at their first sighting of the dust wrappers as the books were quickly handed out to eager hands. The line-up snaked for hundreds of meters around and around the store's aisles. Suzanne Venasse of Gloucester, Ontario was the first lucky person in line for tonight's launch and made the first purchase. She arrived with lawn chair in tow at 7:30pm. That's dedication.


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(No. I didn't buy the book. Yet it pleases me that sooo many young people are reading. This is good no matter how you cut it.)