If you haven’t heard of Harry Potter before, you’ve probably been living in a cupboard under the stairs for the last decade. Both the books and the movies based on the stories have been critically acclaimed and wildly successful. Thousands of people lined up at bookstores to be the first to discover the fate of the books’ characters when the latest installment was released this year. While we do love the books, we also think they’re really cool because the series made reading fun for a new generation of kids. At the same time, we know there are plenty of kids who may have seen the movies but never picked up the books – whether they were too young when the craze was at its peak or they simply never developed the interest.

If your kids are part of the lagging group, October is the perfect month to get them started on the series. Witches, wizards, goblins, and other Halloween characters and personalities abound in the Harry Potter stories. If they have already read the series, this is a great chance to show your kids that a second read can still be enjoyable. For this week’s Book Blast, we suggest reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and then visiting the Pumpkin and Chili party at Schnepf Farms. Beyond all of the fun Halloween activites at the farm, your children can simulate the final challege Harry Potter faces in the Tri-Wizard Tournament by finding their way through an elaborate cornfield maze!

Open a Book . . .

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Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Author: J. K. Rowling

Recommended Age: 9-12

Book Brief: This is the fourth novel in the seven-part tale of Harry Potter’s training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup with hermoine, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do mor than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that’s supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn’t happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he’s not normal – even by wizarding standards. And in his case, different can be deadly.

About the Author: J. K. Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, England. After she graduated from Exeter University, she found work as a secretary, and later spent time teaching English in Portugal before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland, with her daughter. She currently resides in Scotland with her husband and three children.

Extras: Each of the seven books in the series has been a #1 bestseller on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.

Rowling first thought of Harry Potter while riding a train in 1990. (Are the best fictional characters imagined while on trains? Walt Disney dreamed up Mickey Mouse while on a train ride across the country.)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire sold three million copies in the first 48 hours of release, becoming the fastest-selling book in history to that point.

Have a Blast

Pumpkin and Chili Party at Schnepf Farms
Shchnepf Farms
24810 S. Rittenhouse Road

Queen Creek, AZ 85242

www.schnepffarms.com

When:

Every Thursday thru Sunday in October
Thursdays: 10 AM to 9 PM
Fridays and Saturdays: 10 AM to 10 PM
Sundays: 10 AM to 9 PM

Cost:

$14 per person
Children 2 and under are free

Seniors and Queen Creek residents are half price on Thursdays

It’s a Blast: Take your family for day of Fall and Halloween fun – with a fireworks show to end the evening! This is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of your typical day and to get the family excited about Halloween. We’ve learned that kids love the holidays even more when Mom and Dad participate in building the anticipation.
Parking is free, and admission includes a variety of fun activities for kids of all ages:

• Hay Rides
• Roller Coaster
• 10 Acre “Celebrity” Maze, designed in the likeness of Steve Nash
• Country Road Rally
• Honeybee Adventure
• Carousel Rides
• Petting Barn
• Hillbilly Bob’s Pig Races
• 3-d Scary Weather Walk Thru
• Swinging Lady Bugz
• Flying Farmers Ride
• Pumpkin Launch
• Witch Mountain
• SRP Earthwise Energy Maze
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Golden Goat Bridge
• Bon Fires & Marshmallow Roasting (6:30 PM)
• Juggling Show
• Lil’ Farmers Play Yard
• Inflatable Bounce About
• Karaoke (5-9 PM)
• Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest (5:30 PM)
• Schnepf Family Museum
• My Sister’s Sweet Shop
• Country Store
• Gift Shops
• Fireworks

For a few extra bucks, there’s even more to do:

• Train Rides ($2 per person, ages 2 and under free)
• Candle Making and Crafts ($1 to $15)
• Scarecrow Making ($10 for full-size clothes, a head, and straw)

Extra Tips for a Good Time:

• Discount tickets for $12 per person available at Fry’s Food and Drug Stores (and they come with a coupon for a free burger from Sonic).
• Avoid the ticket booth lines by buying your discount tickets in advance.
• Be prepared to pay for food. No food or picnic lunches are allowed at the farm, so either eat before you go and make it home in time for dinner or plan to pay for food at the farm.
• For older kids, the scary Halloween attraction, The Nest, is located right next door. It has been rated as one of the best Halloween attractions in the country, but it’s not for the faint of heart! Send your teenagers over while the younger kids keep playing at the farm. Visit www.frightened.com for more information.
• Check the traffic before you head to Queen Creek. It can be quite a drive, and you’ll want to make sure that you pick the best route. Nothing’s worse than unanticipated delays in family fun!

Extras: About the farm – Ray and Thora Schnepf moved to Queen Creek in 1941. Ray and his son, Mark, were large commercial potato farmers. In fact, Queen Creek was once known as the Potato Capital of the World! Mark and his family lived on the farm until just recently, when they moved away to make room for “The Farmhouse at Schnepf Farms,” a new reception center. Almost a quarter of a million people visit Schnepf Farms every year.

Mark and his friends helped Queen Creek become its own town in 1989 in order to avoid being swallowed up by the bigger, expanding municipalities. Mark served as the first Mayor of Queen Creek for 11 years.

If your kids really get into the spirit of the farm, you might want to look into the Lease a Peach Tree program at Schnepf Farms. For a fee, you will have a dedicated peach tree from which you can enjoy all of the fruit. For an additional fee, the farmers will even harvest your peaches and have them delivered right to your doorstep. But that just takes all of the fun out of it, right?