3. Poor Richard’s Almanac
• Yearly Publication that ran from 1732 –
1758
• Contained weather predictions, proverbs
and home-making advice
• Sold 10,000 per year
4. Library Company of
Philadelphia 1731
• Began when Franklin and his friends pooled
book collections and opened them to the public
• First American subscription library
• Allowed members to borrow books
• Perhaps the first truly public library
5. J.K. Rowling
“Remember, if the time should come
when you have to make a choice
between what is right and what is
easy.”
~ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
6. From Jo to J.K.
• Overcame many early obstacles to become
published
– 12 Separate publishers turned her down
before finding one to sign her. Took a full
year to get a contract after finishing the first
manuscript.
– Joanne not the best name for an author
selling books to young boys. Chose to use
J.K. after advice from Publisher.
7. The Author for Everyone
• Read by adults and children
worldwide
• As of 2009, 325 Million copies of the
Harry Potter books have been sold.
(how many have read?)
• From Rags to Riches: Rowling is the
first Billionaire author in history
8. The Harry Potter Phenomena
• Seven books = Eight movies. Book seven will be
released in two parts. November 2010 and May 2011
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens in the Spring
of 2010 at Universal Orlando
• Undoubtedly, the world’s most successful Children’s
series of all time.
• Translated into 65 different languages
• Why the fuss?
9. The Characters and Elements of
Harry Potter
• Kids relate to the characters and feel as
if the are growing up alongside them.
– The relationships of the characters give the reader an
element of “realism” that brings them into the story
and keeps them hungry for the next book to be
released.
• Kids learn lessons as the characters
learn lessons.
10. Advances in Printing
• During the years of Poor Richard’s
Almanack, printing was done on the
Gutenburg Printing Press.
• The Gutenburg Press was used from 1454
until the 1800’s and was more convenient and
efficient than manual copying.
• The Gutenburg Press was succeeded by Lord
Stanhope in 1800 with a complete cast iron
constructed press. However Stanhope’s press
still only produced 250 sheets per hour.
11. Advances in Printing
Today, when J.K. Rowling prints a new book, it is likely
printed on a Printing Press similar to the 2008
Rapida 106 by Koenig & Bauer, which can run off
sheets at an amazing 18,000 sheets per minute.
