Harry Potter has captivated the imagination of millions of children and caused controversy in churches and schools. What's a parent to do with the magical, mystical world of Harry and his friends? Gina Burkart chose to read the books with her own children.
In this helpful, entertaining guide, Burkart shows how Harry Potter fits into the tradition of fairy tale writing and how this type of literature aids in building a moral framework. She highlights specific situations and emotions from Harry's world that children face in their own life, such as fear, anger, bullies, and the choice of good over evil. Instead of magic words or easy answers, Burkart offers solid, practical advice for helping parents and children navigate Harry Potter's world--and our own--together.
Kate Reading's academic tone is a great match for this thoroughly researched book on how Harry Potter can improve your child's morality. With her warm confidence evident in every measured sentence, Reading expresses the author's point, aimed at J.K. Rowling's Christian critics, that the Harry Potter novels are not different from other fairy tales in their portrayal of magic, evil, and other controversial subject matter. The author then carefully brings in psychologists like Piaget and the children's morality expert Lawrence Kohlberg to support the lessons she finds in Rowling's powerful narratives. These include lessons on friendship, self-sacrifice, temptations, courage, love, fears, protecting the innocent, dealing with injustice, class snobbery, international cooperation, tyranny, and terrorism--all relevant issues in today's fragmented moral climate. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
