Child(ish) Reads: All Toddlers are Scorpios

When I saw this Forthcoming book listing, I thought it was the perfect way to end our Halloween posts.

All Toddlers Are Scorpios: An Astrological Guide to Your Adorable Tiny Terror by Johanna Gohmann. Blending parental exasperation with cosmic insight, Gohmann breaks down toddler personalities by zodiac sign—offering a starry-eyed (and slightly frazzled) look at the joys and mysteries of raising tiny humans. The profiles of each zodiac sign include sections dedicated to best (and worst!) toddler playdate matches; toddler’s preferred music, snacks, and toys; parent-child zodiac compatibility; and hilarious illustrations throughout from cartoonist Emily Flake. Whether you are raising a tenacious Taurus, a balanced Libra, or, yes, a hell-raising Scorpio, this is a book that lets parents laugh at the sheer insanity of sharing their home with a tiny terror.

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House Slytherin

…Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
– Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Thanks to Harry’s perspective, many readers associate Slytherin with the villains of the story. In reality, the house is far more complex than its reputation suggests. While its founder, Salazar Slytherin, held the controversial belief that magical education should be reserved for students from magical families, his personal views do not define the values of the house he created.

At its core, Slytherin was founded qualities that can be used for both great good and great harm depending on the choices of the individual. These include:

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House Hufflepuff

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You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil
… – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Oh, those good‑natured Hufflepuffs. The Sorting Hat isn’t looking for brilliance, boldness, or cunning in this house; it’s looking for character. Hufflepuff welcomes those whose goodness is steady, practical, and dependable, even when they show it quietly. A young witch or wizard is sorted here when their core qualities reflect the traits Helga Hufflepuff appreciated most:

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House Ravenclaw

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…Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind.
  – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

A young witch or wizard is sorted into Ravenclaw when their mind is their defining feature. It’s not just about intelligence, but the way they think, question, create, and approach the world. Ravenclaw traits show up early and consistently, even if the child isn’t academically “gifted” in the traditional sense. The house’s founder, Rowena Ravenclaw, prized the following traits:

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House Gryffindor

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People love personality quizzes because they make identity feel simpler and more understandable. Like all true Millennials, Patti and I have mapped out our Enneagrams, Myers-Briggs, astrological sign, the list goes on and on. So to keep it fun this Halloween, we picked a truly controversial topic: What Hogwarts House is my kid in?

Most of us fans were placed in our houses years ago thanks to the official Pottermore quiz, but our kids are just getting into the Wizarding World and just beginning to explore who they are.

…There’s nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can’t see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
– Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

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