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Every decade seems to produce reading material that provokes the wrath of parents, teachers and librarians, all of whom are 100 percent certain these books will corrupt children’s reading and souls to the core. Back in the 40’s and 50’s it was comic books. In the 1980’s it was the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High books, the Goosebumps in the 90’s, and now Harry Potter in the new millennium. But what is it about Harry Potter that’s breaking records causing 35 million children worldwide to throw in their walkmans and Gameboys in favor of print? It appears that J.K. Rowling invented something that children were craving for years, an interactive and fun way of learning the valuable art of literacy. Harry Potter takes the skeletal shape of the generic children’s fantasy novel with the general trimmings of monsters, goblins and the ultimate battle between good and evil. However, Harry Potter’s originality appears to be that it takes the form of a type of children’s handbook on reading. Perfectly written and structured, this novel attracts children to read, helps them to learn how to read, enriches through morals and lesson taught all the while suggesting the beauty of the wonder present
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Harry Potter appeals to children as it blurs the distinction between reality and imagination in order to get across an even larger moral. The vicious dog is called Fluffy, the ‘coward’ dog, Fang and ultimately Snape is not the ‘snake’ that tries to kill Harry but Quirrell. When adults want to enjoy ourselves with print, relax on the beach, or in front of a roaring fire on a winter afternoon, many choose a good plot-driven novel, one that will have them turning pages, forgetting what time it is, and reading into the dawn. Similarly, related to the strange and the familiar are the grotesque and the kind. ) Children have to learn to break rules in order to grow, they have to learn to take initiative. The book suggests that there is room for learning, and school is necessary:- ‘Empty heads for another year next year at school. A quick flip through will show you that the sentences are double spaced for easier reading with chapters that are relatively short and prefaced with humorous illustrations.
Whats most noticeable about the Harry Potter books is that they are entirely plot driven. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head between her wing. They have a child, the obnoxious Dudley, whom they adore and to whom they give multitudinous presents.
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