Reaching Today’s Kids
● And here’s the obligatory “Harry Potter” question: With the end of new installments to the “Harry Potter” franchise coming this year, how is Scholastic preparing for post-“Potter” life?
Holton: One of my favorite poems is T.S. Elliott’s “Four Quartets,” and there’s a really wonderful line that says, “In my end is my beginning.” “Harry Potter” is not ending. This particular ride will end. The readers will then come together and form this intense community and discuss every last strand (of the book). The beauty of our business is next year, millions of new readers are coming on board that haven’t been to “Hogwarts” yet. So, Scholastic’s challenge is to make sure we reach those 8 year olds and assume they’re going to start the “Harry Potter” journey by themselves. BB