Harry Potter: Hero or Hype?

By: Michele, Children's Librarian

With only 2 days until the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I can't help but wonder about the phenomena that is the Harry Potter series. So I did a little checking and here is what I found.

In the U.S. alone , companies have spent $269.1 million from 1998 to date to advertise Harry Potter-branded product (books, movies, DVDs, other merchandise). $3.6 million has been spent on advertising the seven Harry Potter books .


From 1998 to present, Scholastic has spent a total of $344,787 to promote the very first book in Rowling's series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. But the series' advertising reached its peak with the fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, since 2002 has totaled $942,049 in promotional spending.

U.S. consumers spent $11.8 million on Harry Potter-licensed trademark cookies, candy and gum products since June 2002.


So with all this money being spent to convince us that Harry is the greatest thing that ever happened in children's literature, is it true, or have Madison avenue ad executives pulled a fast one on the reading public?


Now don't get me wrong, Saturday July 21st, you will find me engrossed up to my eyeballs in the 7th book, but will it be the greatest novel I ever read? Without a doubt, and risking a wicked backlash from rabid fans, I will say no. So, what is your opinion?