Open AccessReading in the Age of Harry Potter: Pottermania and the World of Young People's Reading
Author(s) -
Julia Tallman
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
school libraries worldwide
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2816-3788
pISSN - 1023-9391
DOI - 10.29173/slw7117
Subject(s) - harry potter , enthusiasm , reading (process) , magic (telescope) , subject (documents) , subject matter , psychology , literature , media studies , sociology , art , pedagogy , philosophy , linguistics , curriculum , social psychology , library science , physics , quantum mechanics , computer science
In this issue, Ray Dorion states, "It is often the intangible combination of the writer's enthusiasm, a unique perspective, and an engaging writing style that coalesces around a provocative subject that produces a rare and enduring book that captures everyone's interest." Although he is speaking about information books in his article in this issue, this phrase would also sum up the Harry Potter phenomenon. With millions of readers all over the world, the Potter series claims the attention of teacher-librarians, classroom teachers, and parents who want to know if the subject matter is healthy for their students or children. Some critics have focused on the elements of witchcraft and magic as warranting banning the books, while they overlook the phenomenal eagerness of young people to read each book in the series multiple times.