The Hogwarts Challenge

I need to join another reading challenge like I need a hole in the head, but this one, hosted by Bunnita of Worth Reading It, is one of the most creative challenges I have seen.  How could I say no?

The challenge takes place from March 8 - December 13, 2010.In that time frame I will need to read at least 5 books from the list of 12 Hogwart's classes to qualify to win a $25 Amazon gift card. The class titles should be familiar to any Harry Potter fan, and the descriptions are quite creative and rather all-encompassing:

• Transfiguration - read any book that has trans or figure in its title, is about shape shifting, has a shape shifter in it, or is about anything having to do with changing one thing into another
• Defense Against the Dark Arts - read any book that has defence(defense), dark and/or art(s) in its title, read any book that is about self defense, war, history of war/marital arts, murder mysteries&
• Charms - read any book that has charm in its title, any book that deals with gives something or someone a new aspect (for example the nerdy guy become a handsome doctor)
• Potions - read any book that has potion in its title, cookbooks count but you must cook at least one recipe out of the book
• Astronomy - read any book that has astronomy in its title, books about planets, stars, etc, sci-fi
• History of Magic - read any book that has history or magic in its title, books about magic, witches, etc
• Herbology - read any book that has herb in its title, again cookbooks count and again you must cook at least one recipe out of the book
• Arithmancy - read any book that has arithmancy in its title, any book with a number in its title, any book that deal with numbers or math
• Ancient Runes - read any book that has ancient or runes in its title, books about historical places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, great wall of china, or any book about symbols
• Divination - read any book that has divine in its title, any book about psychics or psychic abilities, tarot reading etc
• Care of Magical Creatures - read any book that has magical or creatures in its title, about supernatural beings
• Muggle Studies - nearly any book works here, what better why to understand Muggle than to read what they read

Before officially signing up, I had to take a Sorting Hat quiz to discover the team that I will join. How cool is that?! I learned that I am a HufflePuff, which honestly, I was not surprised (I expected that or Raven Claw). I will earn one point for each book that I read and that, in turn, will help the Hufflepuff house earn points as well. Reading a Harry Potter book, however, will earn a full 25 points - and since my goal is to try to read the series this year (for the first time, I might add), I am hoping to be of some value to my house team.

My first book for this challenge will be to finish the 2nd audio book in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, over spring break and start the third. I think this challenge will tie in nicely with my audio/exercise routine and should help me think creatively about titles of books that I plan to read in the future.

Kudos to Bunnita for developing such a fun, unique challenge!



P.S. --- I have attempted to rewrite this post after the html code was being shown on my blog (not sure why - but hopefully it is now fixed.  UGH!!)