If there’s one thing this pandemic has taught us, it’s that we really like it when celebrities read to us. Actor Josh Gad was among the first (and he’s still at it!). Then American hero LeVar Burton stepped up to bring stories to life for kids, young adults and grown-ups alike. And now, Harry Potter himself is kicking off a reading of the first Harry Potter book, which is proof that life is not as bad as it could be.
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to introduce your kids to Harry Potter, it might as well be now, when Daniel Radcliffe and other celebrity guests have committed to taking turns reading us Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s (Philosopher’s) Stone. And if your kids are already Harry Potter fans, this is a good excuse to start reading the series again or get them involved by creating and submitting their own original artwork to potentially be featured in an upcoming chapter reading.
Radcliffe, who portrayed Harry Potter in the eight-part film series, started us off with the first chapter, “The Boy Who Lived,” on Tuesday. New chapters will be released weekly on the Harry Potter At Home website and for free on Spotify and Spotify Kids.
Stephen Fry, David Beckham, Dakota Fanning, Claudia Kim, Noma Dumezweni and Eddie Redmayne are among the other upcoming narrators, along with special appearances “from across the Wizarding World and beyond.”
While you’re on the Harry Potter At Home site, there will be “chapter challenges” that kids can participate in after listening to each new chapter to “earn house points” and “complete your secret quest.” And the site is full of other wizard-themed activities and games to keep Potter fans busy while they’re home.
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