PORTSMOUTH, Va. — For 25 years, Harry Potter has brought families into a world of magic.
Thursday, that magic was brought to Hodges Manor Elementary School in Portsmouth.
“Now, I'm getting another book like this? I'm going to have the best time of my life,” sixth grader Sincere Clay said.
At Hodges Manor’s library, one by one, third to sixth grade students got a copy of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” as part of Scholastic’s celebration of the book’s release in the United States 25 years ago.
“I really, really like Harry Potter! It’s got so many twists and turns to it,” fifth grader Peyton Windle told News 3.
“I like how they use magic,” fifth grader Lilliana Zakrzewski added. “It's really cool because I want to have a whole collection. I only have like two so far.”
The school's library also got a free set of the entire Harry Potter series.
“When I first watched the movie, it inspired me to get the book when I found out there was books,” fifth grader Ashton Wright said.
The celebration came after WTKR and viewers like you raised money to donate thousands of new books to students earlier this year as part of the "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign, partnering with the Scripps Howard Fund.
Portsmouth school holds book fair with proceeds from WTKR's 'If You Give a Child a Book...' campaign
The campaign helps provide students at Title 1 schools in Hampton Roads and across the country with brand new books for free.
Students at Hodges Manor Elementary got to take home five brand new books at a book fair courtesy of Scholastic, and a copy of Dav Pilkey's “Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea.”
Millionth book distributed in "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign
“This [“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”] is going on the seventh book for some of our students. So, now, students no longer have a book. They have a library at their house,” Hodges Manor Elementary School Principal Dennis Chalk said.
Chalk told News 3 he’s thankful for the community helping to provide an opportunity for all students at his school.
“For our students that wouldn't be able to go out and purchase these at book fairs or even out at the bookstore… this is putting a book in their hand,” Chalk said.
He believes “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” can be a stepping stone to help students be successful and become lifelong readers.
“The thing about giving a child a book is it's not like a piece of candy or a toy. A toy will break. A piece of candy will be gone in a few minutes. The book, it's lasting,” Chalk said. “The book provides enrichment of the mind, and also continues to help them build and learn.”
Right now, you can donate to News 3’s “If You Give a Child a Book…” campaign to help students in Hampton Roads.
Donate to WTKR's "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign here
