Witches and wizards all over the world are in for a magical treat from the next step in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter At Home campaign. The Wizarding World has called upon beloved faces and names in the entertainment industry to read the book that started it all: “Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone” and kicking it off is none other than the boy who played the Boy Who Lived himself, Daniel Radcliffe.
Daniel Radcliffe’s video reading of chapter one has been made available in the Wizarding World’s website and as an audio-only experience on Spotify and Spotify Kids (and you can bet your life that I watched the video reading the moment it was uploaded).
The project will last until the end of June, with a new celebrity reading a new chapter every week. The sneak peek video unveiled Stephen Fry, Dakota Fanning, Claudia Kim and David Beckham (in a very cute Gryffindor scarf) as some of the narrators we can look forward to in the coming weeks. Eddie Redmayne, who played Newt Scamander in “Fantastic Beasts,” is also another narrator we can anticipate.
Aside from the readings, the Wizarding World website also has activities lined up for those who are giving the series a first try and those who find solace in coming back to it time after time. There’s a chapter challenge where you can earn house points with a trivia quiz, a discussion guide for parents or teachers about the themes of kindness, courage and friendship, and a trivia page for new readers, or listeners about Albus Dumbledore if you want to get more acquainted with the headmaster of Hogwarts.
Aside from Daniel Radcliffe’s dreamy blue eyes, the video reading also features artworks that depict key scenes in each chapter, submitted by fans around the world. For the remaining 16 chapters, fans can still submit their artwork for a chance to be included in the succeeding video readings.
Screengrab from “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”
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