LRS would like to pay homage to Harry Potter fans this month by sharing some fun facts about the books and movies that have given many of us so much joy. So, as some of you wait for the minutes to pass until you can pick-up the FINAL book in the series this Saturday, here are some facts to tide you over…
Harry Potter as Book:
• The Harry Potter series has sold 325 million copies worldwide with 121.5 million in-print in the U.S. alone.
• The sixth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, sold a record-breaking 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours. The same book also broke records by selling more than 11 million copies in the first nine weeks.
• The U.S. version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is being printed at the R.R. Donnelley publishing plant located in the rural town of Crawfordsville, Indiana. The town of Crawfordsville does not have a single bookstore.
• Of the 12 million first-print copies of the 784-page Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book, 65% will be printed on paper accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council. This is the largest purchase of FSC certified paper to be used in the printing of a single book title.
Harry Potter as Library Book:
• The Harry Potter Series ranks #7 on the American Library Association’s (ALA) list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books 1990-2000.
• Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling ranks #4 on ALA’s list of Top Ten Challenged Authors 1990-2004.
• As of July 17, 2007, Denver Public Library patrons have placed 1,468 holds on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This includes holds placed on the print book, audio book, and large print book.
Harry Potter as Stamp:
• Britain’s Royal Mail has issued a series of seven stamps depicting the covers of Harry Potter books.
• Approximately 340,000 people have pre-ordered the Harry Potter stamps which break the 300,000 record set by the Beatles stamps released in January 2007.
Harry Potter as Movie:
• The recently released movie version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix earned $44.2 million in the first 24 hours of its release, making it the biggest single-day gross in box office history.
• The same film made $77.1 million during its opening weekend which brings its U.S. total to $140 million after five days. The worldwide total is at $352 million so far…
Sources (in order of being quoted):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_(statistics)
http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/divisions/childrensbook.htm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Harry_Potters_Not_Enough/articleshow/2202404.cms
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Story?id=3382195&page=1
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/press032007.htm
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/authors19902004.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/17/europe/EU-GEN-Britain-Potter-stamps.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Order_of_the_Phoenix_%28film%29
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