Books to grow with.

For the first year that Harry Potter became an instant cultural icon, I was not fazed. I considered myself to be a serious reader, even in elementary/middle school. I was already starting on works being read in high schools and colleges...what time did I have for silly children's books? One day I was in the school library looking for something new to devour, when the librarian, a woman who I owe my love of books to and whom I still speak with today, at the age of 20, handed me an already well-worn copy of The Sorcerer's Stone. Begrudgingly I began to read and quickly I was immersed into a world with which I was at both familiar and unfamiliar. Ten years later I can still immerse myself in that world as easily as if I was a child again. The entire series of these books grew up with me. For the majority of the novels, the age at which I read them just happened to be the age at which the main characters were. Ron, Harry, and Hermione all felt like friends I'd known forever. One thing that impresses me most about the books is how they become more sophisticated as the characters age. The beginning novels are quite easy reads, completely suitable for young children to comprehend, and the latest books are more in-depth and nuanced, still capable for childhood thinking but can be appreciated more by the adults that loved these books as children. J.K. Rowling has a way of understanding those shifts between childhood and adulthood that are so interesting to discover in children's books. It allows it's readers to understand that a "children's" book is not meant to be read or enjoyed at a specific age, but meant to have a lasting impact on your life. This is partly why the books have done so well, in addition to Rowling's wonderful imagination brought to life.