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JKR included on '20 People Who Changed Childhood' list 
OCTOBER 7, 2006 at 8:53 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: Child magazine via The Scotsman
Harry Potter author has been named one of the 20 people who have done most to inspire children. JKR was selected for her "unique contribution" to children's literacy and joins such other notables as Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, Jonas Salk, Steve Jobs and The Beatles.
The list, compiled by Child
magazine, writes:
Before J.K. Rowling's bespectacled boy wizard went off to study at Hogwarts, some parents feared their kids would never enjoy reading. Once Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hit U.S. bookstores in 1998, followed by five more installments, parents found their kids couldn't get enough of Rowling's fantasy adventure novels, some longer than 600 pages. To date more than 300 million Harry Potter books have sold worldwide; they crowded The New York Times bestseller list for so long that the newspaper created a separate children's list. "The Harry Potter books not only sparked an explosion of interest in reading," says Lisa Von Drasek, the children's librarian at the Bank Street College of Education in New York City, "they inspired kids to go out and discover other great books too."
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Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1533
BB_Sectumsempra says:
Yay, congratulations to J.K. Rowling. I deffinately agree that childhood has been redefined by the Harry Potter books.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 2:26 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1040
*Peeves12 says:
Ever since I started reading Harry Potter, I noticed that my vocabulary really expanded and I became a better reader and writer. JK really deserves to be on that list.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 2:47 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 99
polkadots_7 says:
Wow, she really did change my childhood. I always relate everyday ordinary stuff to harry potter. She really does deserve to be on the list. Rowling Power!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 2:57 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1389
the_girl_who_lived89 says:
Jk rules! Yeah she made my world magic and i know that i'm not the only one who wants to thank her! THANKZZZZZZZZ!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 3:02 PM EST
Student
Points: 200
Veri_Lara says:
Very good, it's so true many children, and some people not so young, started reading thanks to HP!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 4:03 PM EST
Witch
Points: 964
Dementor Exterminator says:
Well done Jo! She certainly deserves to be there.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 4:04 PM EST
Obsessive Genius
Points: 3175
FeeLinG_bLuE says:
Hey, congrats to JKR! Totally well-deserved. It's true, too. Harry Potter brought me closer to reading and I enjoy reading more than ever now.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 4:22 PM EST
Hogwarts Psychologist
Points: 4236
Patronus Wiz says:
Wow, you know what? That is just really cool. What an amazing honor. Did you read the rest of the individuals listed? What a list of greatest. I truly believe she belongs there. I like this list.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 4:23 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2730
Chogiiiirl says:
I'm glad that Jo has been recognized on the top 20 of those who changed childhood by inspiring children to read. This is so important. Children are now reading again, instead of expecting to be entertained by tv and other technology.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 4:54 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1018
ILuvHarryDiggoryKrum says:
Taht is so true..al of it,
it definatly got me interested in reading, but i still just read JKR over and over again L.O.L
but i love the hp books sooooooooooooooo much!!
i cant get enough of them
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 5:04 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1771
Patronus** says:
Wow!!! Well Done to JK for making the top 5!!
Congratualtions!!
Not just for kids though hee hee hee...I don't know what i would do without Harry Potter now!!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 5:32 PM EST
Hogwart's Ghost
Points: 2604
gemma_barnett1985 says:
Congratulations JK, you deserve this, and so does Harry:)
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 5:33 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 416
Draco+Shanua says:
That is cool. JK deserves it!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 5:41 PM EST
Hogwarts Valedictorian
Points: 2791
Lily*R/Hr says:
She definitely changed my childhood...and my teenage years...and probably my adult life...Yes, JKR is pretty much amazing. I really don't know what I would be doing right now without her.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 5:43 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 518
theduece says:
Of course she has taken a generation of children that felt that reading was only for school, too the point where they can't stop read and are begging for the next one. But I think that I would put Steve Wozniak before Steve Jobs since Woz did actually invent the first apple computer.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 6:33 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 90
Hogwartsdork says:
Well deserved Jo, well deserved! So true about not enjoying reading before Harry came along.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 6:36 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2428
Hecate3fold says:
Another feather in her bonnet. She is a very profound influence on the minds of people in the world of today, and deserves every credit and award bestowed upon her.Blessings! Hecate3fold!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 6:49 PM EST
Queen of the Fae
Points: 3963
marauderette says:
Yay for JK! Congratulations! She definetly has earned it. Harry has transformed the reading world (I think children and adult alike).
And Disney! I Love him too! He definetely deserves to be on the list too.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 6:54 PM EST
Witch
Points: 797
magically delicious says:
I fully agree with this, Jo should be at the top of that list (of course, Jonas Salk might really deserve that spot). She has inspired so many children to invest time in reading and to write out their own stories, ushering in a new renassaince for childhood imagination. Bravo!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 7:02 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 475
Vortex7 says:
Even though I have always enjoyed reading, I had never been what one could call an avid reader; Harry Potter turned my life upside down. I don't have much time for pleasure reading nowadays with college and all, but I crave reading something not related to medicine! That would hav never happened, has Harry Potter not existed.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 7:31 PM EST
Witch
Points: 947
witch46 says:
I never used to read until i found the 1st harry potter in my brothers bedroom, from then on i like read more then anyone in my entire school!!!!:D:D
*~witch46~*
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 8:10 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2463
undisputed760 says:
Thats cool, definitely think she deserves to be on that list, look at how many readers she has world wide.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 8:12 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1083
ILoveGeorge says:
That's awesome that shes on that list!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 8:27 PM EST
Witch
Points: 622
Hermison says:
Congratulations to her. She has really changed the lives of many children around the world, while in the world only bad things are happening, JK brought magic into our lives and made it happier. Thank you JK Rowling.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 8:40 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 45
All Was Well. says:
Congrats JK! I know that she's changed my childhood and she'll change many children's lives all over the world for years to come.
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 9:11 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 406
BritishNinnies says:
Aw, that is very sweet. And absoulely true. "Harry Potter" is an instantly recognizable name for thousands, if not millions of children across the globe. You changed my life, JKR!
Posted Oct 8, 2006 at 9:19 PM EST
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