If the Hogwarts library was filled with Muggle books, we think these would be the perfect books for each of the individual houses. We think of it as a muggle to wizard interlibrary loan. We picked some of our favorites, but let us know which books you think would good picks for each house and which ones you think we definitely should have included.
Gryffindor
“You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart”
1) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Four young women living through the Civil War with their mother as they deal with the daily struggles to support themselves as a family. While all the sisters have the strength and bravery of a Gryffindor, it is Jo who really fits the example of a typical Gryffindor: brave, headstrong and chivalrous. She is like Harry and Hermoine wrapped up in one human being.
2) Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’ Engle
Much like Harry Potter, A Wrinkle in Time deals with the complex nature of good and evil. Meg Murry is a very awkward girl who is uncomfortable around authority but possesses a strong sense of goodness. Meg is the perfect Gryffindor because she realizes that the most important power doesn’t come from physical strength, but from the love between people.
3) Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Sometimes when you are the smallest, you have to be the bravest. The Madeline books tell the story of a 7-year-old French girl in boarding school. Madeline is always bouncing from adventure to adventure, much to the chagrin of Miss Clavel, but she always has time to protect animals and deal with ghosts. How many twelve-year-olds do you know fall off bridges and get rescued by dogs?
Hufflepuff
“You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil”
1) Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
When Wilbur the pig is at risk of becoming next month’s holiday ham, his spider-friend Charlotte concocts a plan to help save the pig from the slaughterhouse. As the story progresses we see Charlotte sacrifice more and more in service of their friendship. In typical Hufflepuff fashion, sometimes people love to take your help but don’t properly thank you for it.
2) The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
And as a reminder that sometimes you can give way, way too much, The Giving Tree. Hufflepuffs it is okay to help, to be kind and all of that, but sometimes you have cut toxic people out of your life. Especially when they can barely even say thank you.
3) The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin
You can argue about which girl would be in which house, but as a whole, The Babysitter’s Club represents a group of hardworking girls who balance: school, friendship and relationships all while taking care of younger children. Plus you know they aren’t even charging that much for their services.
Ravenclaw
“Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind.”
1) Matilda by Roald Dahl
Knowlege is power and in Matilda’s case, that is a literal thing. Matilda is the story of a brilliant, sweet, and deeply mistreated girl whose telekinetic abilities allow her to change her life for the better. Just reading about baby Matilda taking a tiny wagon full of books from the library to her house is enough to build solidarity between any Ravenclaw.
2) Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Bloom
When Margaret Simon has questions, she does research. As she gets older and begins to wonder what she wants her own religious faith to be, Margaret decides to study people’s religions in order to figure out what her’s should be. Classic Ravenclaw.
3) Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
If there is anyone who would be able to give Hermoine Granger a run for her money it is Anne Shirley. Sharp as a talk and insanely competitive, Anne does have the qualities of both a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw, but what edges her onto Ravenclaw is how she deeply she wants to be right and how her knowledge and education define herself as a person. Not to mention her relationships with the people around her, especially one Gilbert Blythe *heart eyes.*
Slytherin
“Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.”
1) The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Don’t @ me about this one, because if anyone was gonna be in Slytherin it is Mary Lennox. Spoiled, unloved and a deeply sensitive child, Mary starts off the book as a stereotype of a Slytherin: spoiled and insanely proud with a well-connected family to boot. However, once she spends more time amongst nature she slowly turns from a Draco to a Scorpius aka the Superior Malfoy.
2) Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Here is one that needs little explanation. A group of posh-prep school boys becomes stranded on a desert island and slowly begins to regress into their most primitive state. I’m pretty sure the dungeons are already like that.
3) The Neverending Story Michael Ende
For those who have only seen the movie this might seem odd, but I assure you the book goes much darker. Once The Childlike Empress is returned to normal and the world is saved, Bastian slowly begins to take over Fantastica after being corrupted by the god-like power he has. The book takes a turn as it explores the darker side of imagination and how a chosen one can quickly turn into a monster.
(image: Amazon, Wikipedia Commons, Warner Brothers)
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