I must confess that I was probably already pushing the definition of child when I first read Harry Potter, but it definitely deserves a place in our Books That Make a Childhood series. The scale of the Harry Potter universe now is so huge, that it is very easy to forget it all began with one book that was rejected by numerous publishers and only had 500 copies published. It has become a phenomenon, but nothing comes of nothing, and it all started with one book that made a huge connection with its young readers. I think a lot of its success is due to the fact that J K Rowling is using traditional story archetypes and themes that appeal to both children and adults. The idea of someone who is an outsider in one world, treated with contempt by those around him, suddenly discovering that he is a legendary figure in another, taps into the classic superhero story line. The abilities that make Harry an outcast in the everyday world, suddenly become his means of escape. Harry Potter is primaril