YA Sorting Hat: Ravenclaw Edition

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By Julia Bergen

Going out on a limb here, I’m assuming that many of you reading this count yourselves as members of Ravenclaw…just as soon as that letter from Hogwarts comes (owls must be having trouble finding your address, it’s the only explanation). YA literature gives us no small number of Ravenclaw characters to root for/live vicariously through. So, when putting together this list, we made sure not to just pick the bookish Ravenclaws, but to give a wide variety, showing all this house is capable of doing.

Erin Blake from To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough

opens in a new windowEven though the Gryffindors bookEven though the Gryffindors do most of the mystery-solving in the Harry Potter series, Ravenclaws were actually far better sleuths (and probably would have had a lot less near-death experiences). Erin Blake is incredibly intelligent, and is able to put clues together that baffle the adults around her. It was her mother’s murder that got her interested in forensic science, but she has a true passion for learning more about the subject, so it’s easy to imagine her diving into potions and charms the same way she tackles fingerprints and DNA analysis.

Blue Sargent from The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I would have thought BluesAt first, I would have thought Blue would be more Gryffindor since she’s always traipsing off into adventure, but really, the only reason she does those things is a) to hang out with her friends and b) to learn more about the mysteries of Glendower. She’s also a true original, from the way she dresses to her abilities to the way she lives her life. Blue wouldn’t be a Ravenclaw sitting in the library pouring over books, she’d probably be decorating the Ravenclaw common room and finding ways to personalize her Hogwarts uniform. After all, creativity is another key element of Ravenclaw.

Iseult Det Midenzi from Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

opens in a new windowEvery house is often characterizedsEvery house is often characterized by just one of its traits: Gryffindor’s bravery, Slytherin’s ambition, and Hufflepuff’s kindness. For Ravenclaw, people usually just think of their intelligence, but acceptance is also extremely important to this house. That’s why Iseult would definitely get sorted into Ravenclaw. Sure, she’s intelligent and constantly the voice of reason to other characters, but she is also amazingly accepting. Who else would befriend (and maybe more…) someone who is determined to capture both her and her best friend? Iseult, that’s who. And, let’s be real, who else could put up with Safi’s constant Safi-ness?

Cather “Cath” Avery from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Cath was an easy one to sortsCath was an easy one to sort: she’s one-of-a-kind and her life revolves around writing and creativity. We think she’d be happy at Hogwarts too. We don’t get to see nearly enough of the Ravenclaw common room in the books, but I can only imagine there’s a section for students who just want to read silently. And there is no way house elves don’t bring up sandwiches for Ravenclaws who, for whatever reason, don’t want to venture down to the dining hall.

Lazlo Strange from Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

got a character whosWhen you’ve got a character who’s a junior librarian, you can already suspect he’s going to be a Ravenclaw (not that all librarians are Ravenclaws…or are they?). And honestly, Lazlo does have a lot of qualities of the other houses   he learns to be fearless, and he has an incredible sense of empathy – but at the end of the day, this boy is a Ravenclaw, and not just because he loves books so much. He’s desperate to find the lost city of Weep, just to learn more about this fascinating mystery. And, as the title suggests, he’s a dreamer, fully of creativity and originality that mean he would definitely be wearing blue and bronze at Hogwarts.

Did we miss your favorite literary Ravenclaw? And have you ever met a librarian who’s not a Ravenclaw? I’m not saying they don’t exist, I’m just saying I lack key data to make an informed decision!

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