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Harry Potter School Books

I haven't read them, but my boys (age 10 & 12) have them and love them. But then they'd love anything Harry Potter.

Chris,
I have heard that response from many people, but I can't agree. My sons now read for pleasure because of the series. I had tried everything to get them to read, but they were just not interested. I read the first one aloud to them and they were hooked. I had no problem going to the bookstore at midnight so they could get the 4th in the series when it first came out. Imagine, kids begging to wait in line at midnight so they could be first to get (gasp) a book. Okay by me!
 
I don't want to create any controvery here unless you all enjoy controversy. ;) But if I understand correctly the Harry Potter Series of books is about a boy training to become a warlock. It bothers me some to think that we are encouraging an entire generation of young boys to believe that perhaps the best way to handle life and its myriad of problems is through sorcery. I would prefer to see a series of popular books that encourages them to look within their own hearts and their own minds to handle life's surprises rather than sorcery. But that's just my opinion, of course. :)

Chris
 
It is, indeed, a series about a group of children in school to become warlocks, but it's more than that. Not that I'm crazy for the books like my children. It's a coming-of-age story about a boy who learns about himself and the worlds(s) around him through a series of adventures. He learns about friendship and loyalty, the importance of family, about dealing with adversity, and about self worth, self esteem and self sacrifice. Yes, sorcery is a large part of the story, but only a part.

I also don't wish to be controversial, since I'm a newbie here. I just wanted to clarify. You might enjoy reading one of them, Chris. You might be surprised. Then again, it might not be your cup of tea. But, as a parent, I found nothing offensive in them whatsoever and am thrilled that my children now enjoy my passion for reading that goes beyond wizards and warlocks.
 
Originally posted by Dawn
It is, indeed, a series about a group of children in school to become warlocks, but it's more than that. ... It's a coming-of-age story about a boy who learns about himself and the worlds(s) around him through a series of adventures. He learns about friendship and loyalty, the importance of family, about dealing with adversity, and about self worth, self esteem and self sacrifice. Yes, sorcery is a large part of the story, but only a part.
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I wholeheartedly agree. I think the stories are as much about Harry learning about himself and his relationships with his friends, as it is about sorcery. I think the sorcery is "window-dressing", if you will. It could just as well have been set in medieval times about a young lad learning to be a knight (...well, almost :)
 
Originally posted by SilveryChris
I don't want to create any controvery here unless you all enjoy controversy. ;)
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If you think you ought to preface an opinion with a disclaimer like that, you probably already know it's going to be controversial.

There's nothing wrong with a bit of healthy controversy, I think. As long as we all keep civil tongues in our heads. I'm sure Darren or one of the Forum gods will have something to say about this one.

... if I understand correctly the Harry Potter Series of books is about a boy training to become a warlock
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Well, actually the school is for wizards. I'm not nitpicking semantically here. The two words are very different. Warlock has actually had its origins bastardised by pejorative usage as "male witch", but that aside it remains a fact that "witch" and "warlock" carry strong overtones of black magic and, well, stuff we shouldn't be advocating to kids. Now, perhaps the author wasn't thinking outside the box when she used broomsticks in Quidditch, nevertheless the word wizard is much less identifiable with "satanism", and has a children's literary heritage going back countless ages. If JK Rowling is a viable target for allegations of child corruption on these grounds (and she has been (bizarrely!) accused of this by some groups in America and the UK) then so are the likes of CS Lewis, L Frank Baum, Philip Pullman, and Lewis Carroll.

And I'm happy to come down from the fence on that one. It's just plain silly.

It bothers me some to think that we are encouraging an entire generation of young boys to believe that perhaps the best way to handle life and its myriad of problems is through sorcery. I would prefer to see a series of popular books that encourages them to look within their own hearts and their own minds to handle life's surprises rather than sorcery...
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I agree with you up to a point. It's important that people - not just kids! - realise they can't solve their problems, big or small, by waving a magic wand (metaphorical or not!). However, kids operate on a different platform to adults, and the kind of series you're talking about would be less likely to carry garner the adjective "popular" because they wouldn't be hitting the platform well enough. Even so-called realistic creations like The Babysitter books and their ilk feature a healthy tone of escapism. Without that, books edge ever farther from being kids' books.

The kind of representation of a kid's life you seem to be getting at can be read in Nick Hornby's About A Boy. Now, it's a very good book, and it's very true to life, but it isn't for kids. In kid terms, it's too boring to be a kids' book.

I think that if Harry Potter and his friends provide their young readers with role models who think and act sensibly and well, then they should be given just as much credence as Nancy Drew, Tintin, Christopher Robin, The Famous Five, and basically any kid who appears in an Arthur Ransome book. Regardless of how many spells they can do.

It also helps that the stories are a rattling good read. :cool:

Tobytook
 
Did I say warlocks? I meant wizards.

What a rousing discussion that would start with my Harry Potter gurus here at home. I'll have to ask them if they know the difference between warlock and wizard.

Darren,

I scanned "Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them" and "Quidditch Through the Ages". They read like textbooks with this difference . . . kids may actually enjoy reading them. They're "written" by experts in their respective fields. If you MUST know more about these subjects then they are a must have. I hope that helps.
 
All for Charity

I bought the 2 textbooks for my niece. I love the regular books but these 2 were just background for the story. I skimmed them. On the plus side, all of the proceeds that Rowling makes on these books goes to a charity. I am sure a quick google would give you the name of the charity.

Mike
 
Well, obviously this was a controversial subject (or at least one which garners strong opinions) and I do not apologize for teasing about it being such in my opening statement. However, I do believe that I will bow out of the arena. I am not a college educated person and witches, warlocks, or wizards all translate as black magic to me.

As we say in the United States ............Different Strokes for Different Folks.

Chris
 
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