Magic wands, character impersonations and costumes sparked the imaginations of children and adults alike at various parties celebrating the release of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

About 200 people of all ages gathered at the Ames Public Library for a family-oriented celebration of all things Harry Potter. Library staff screened all three Harry Potter movies, with a break for dinner at the “Leaky Cauldron.” Children made their own Harry Potter spectacles and Hogwarts house badges and could also register to win a copy of the new book.

Former ISU professor Bill Boon, an Ames resident, decked out in full wizard garb including a feathered hat and a full-length velvet cape complete with stars and crescent moons, entertained the audience with some Harry Potter trivia. He read passages from the books to provide hints and performed voice imitations of many characters.

“[J.K. Rowling] has captivated the hearts and minds of children and adults all around the world, including mine. I think they’re wonderful books,” he says.

Boon believes the Harry Potter books teach important life lessons to children. For example, the prejudice the evil wizards hold against “muggles,” non-magical humans, parallels prejudices present in our own world.

“Even though they’re wizards and witches and warlocks, they’re working against evil,” he says. “The books deal with subjects like the corruption of power and prejudice. It’s not the same type of prejudice that we deal with, but it’s still that basic idea of ‘we are better than you are.'”

Boon says he retired from teaching at the university so he could work with children and encourage them to want to learn “while it’s still magical.”

“School drums it out of you,” he says.

“If the magic is not there, it’s no fun anymore.”

Jessica Reif, education intern at Reiman Gardens, helped children “build plants” out of craft paper at Hastings Books, Music and Videos, 620 Lincoln Way. Reif says the universal appeal of the book series can be attributed to Rowling’s imagination.

“It got kids back into reading, too,” Reif says. “For adults, it appeals because it reminds you of your childhood, almost. It gets your creativity working again.”

Sarah Kloewer, guest service manager at Hastings, was also known as Rita Skeeter for the night. She says her past experience with children attracted her to the series.

“I was a nanny for a couple of years when the third book had just come out,” Kloewer says. “The children were all excited about them, so I’d read them to the children, and then I got interested so I kept reading them.”

Gretta Reischauer, a Zearing resident, attended the release party at Hastings.

“I love the books,” she says. “I’ve read a lot of good stuff in my life, and these are the best. They just take you away and they’re just so well-written that I can’t stop at the end of the chapter.”

She says reading the books with her son Cameron, 10, has become a family bonding experience.

“We’ve been reading them together since he first started learning how to read,” she says. “That’s part of the love, too. It’s something he and I have always done together.”

Boon says the books have had quite an impact on society.

“The Harry Potter books have taught children to read that have never read before. They have worked more magic than anyone could ever have dreamed,” Boon says.