J.K. ROWLING

Author of the Widely Famous “Harry Potter” Series:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone(originally Philosopher’s Stone, but changed for

US publication)

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

J.K. Rowling, On Harry Potter:

“The idea that we could have a child who escapes from the confines of the adult world and goes somewhere where he has power, both literally and metaphorically, really appealed to me."

BIOGRAPHY:• Name: Joanne Rowling “Jo” (The “K” honors her

grandmother, Kathleen) **J.K.-biased boys**• Born near Bristol, England (July 31, 1965)• 1 sibling, Dianne “Di”, 23 months younger• Creative child-loved to write and tell stories to

Di (1st story, age 6)• Mom diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis when Jo

was 15• Studied French at the University of Exeter

(south coast of England)

• Longest job was in London with Amnesty International, an organization that campaigns against human rights abuses all over the world

• In 1990, moves to Manchester with boyfriend• During a train ride, the idea of Harry Potter

“falls into (her) head.”• December 1990, her mom dies: “changed both

my world and Harry's forever”• Moves to Portugal to “get away,” Job teaching

English in a Language Institute: continues to work on novel

• Meets and marries a Portuguese man: Gives birth to daughter, Jessica, in 1993

• Divorced and living with sister in Edinburgh by the end of 1994

• Intentions to begin teaching again• Reaches the “now or never point” and hurries to finish

first book and attempt to become published• Turned down by 9 publishers in 1 year• Bloomsbury Publishing, August 1996• 1998, Sorcerer’s Stone released in the US• 1999, Releases Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of

Azkaban• 2000, Goblet of Fire• 2003, Order of the Phoenix (Gives birth to son, David)• 2005, Half-Blood Prince (Gives birth to daughter,

Mackenzie)• Coming in 2007, the last HP installment!!!

RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS:

• Each HP title has been #1 on The New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists

• Hugo Award• Bram Stoker Award• Whitbread Award for Best Children's Book • Half-Blood Prince set world record for a 1st

printing (10.3 million copies)• Has sold over a QUARTER OF A BILLION books,

in 61 languages and over 200 countries

Using Rowling in the Classroom:

**ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE**

• CHARACTERIZATION

• PLOT

• STYLE & LANGUAGE

CHARACTERIZATION: the means by which an author establishes credibility of

character (personalities that populate literature)

• Multidimensional with varied strengths and weaknesses; Grow and change over time

• Rowling develops believable, “real” characters with problems and adventures

• Characters progress with age and maturity throughout the HP series

• Every character can potential be used to teach characterization: Hermonie, Ron, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Ginny, Neville, Draco Malfoy, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named….

Harry Potter

• “Harry just strolled into my head, fully formed.” (J.K. Rowling)

• Main character; Changes throughout the entire series due to events & age

• Sorcerer’s Stone: pg.27 (1st realization of being different)

• Goblet of Fire: pg.18 (Shows changes & maturity after 3 years at Hogwarts)

• The Half-Blood Prince: pg.646 (Relationship, deals with hard issues, speaks down to Minister of Magic…changed tremendously from 1st book!)

PLOT: the sequence of the story events

• Sets the plot in the 1st book; Conflicts in each book that connect and move the plot forward (Engages readers into the life of HP and hooks them on the series!)

• Uses each book to represent a year at Hogwarts

• Sorcerer’s Stone: pg.57 (When Hagrid tells Harry he is a wizard & may attend Hogwarts)

• Prisoner of Azkaban: pg.432 (Alludes to the importance of Sirius in the next book)

• Order of the Phoenix: pg.851 (Suggests conflicts to come in the next book)

STYLE AND LANGUAGE:

• Rowling creates a “wizard world,” complete with the history and culture, words, charms, spells, inventions, a sport…

• Readers are engaged and interested in this world-They want to know more about wizards and the characters in this world

• Excellent site for teachers & kids: (Provides a glossary & pronunciation guide!)

http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/

• Sorcerer’s Stone: pg. 117(Explanation of the Sorting Hat and

the different houses at Hogwarts)

Goblet of Fire: pg. 212(Insight into curses, history & law)

Chamber of Secrets: pg.115(Definition of “mudblood”)

The Magnitude of Rowling:

EDINBURG, SCOTLAND (2005)

• http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/funstuff/reading/index.asp

SENDING A SIGNED BOOK TO THE US

• http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/funstuff/video/index.htm

COOL STUFF:

• Excellent site for teachers and kids to use: Scholastic Kids

http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/

(Glossary, Pronunciation Guide, Games, Posters, Bookmarks, info. & more!!)