Sep 29 2006
Stop picking on poor Harry Potter
"In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week (September 23-30), the American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top 10 most challenged books from 2000-2005, with the Harry Potter 
Harry Potter
In Should Schools Ban Harry Potter for Promoting Witchcraft? by Barbara McCuen (June 15, 2000) at SpeakOut.com
There are many reasons for not banning Harry Potter books, but perhaps the most important one is that in an era where children would rather play video games than play outside or watch TV instead of read a book, the young wizard and his friends have magically engaged millions of kids in reading. And the lessons taught in the book;overcoming adversity, good vs. evil, self-sufficiency, courage;are appropriate for all children.
To ban the magical and fantastical is to ban all fairy tales. Children recognize the difference between fantasy and reality. Banning Harry Potter will expose children to something far more harmful than sorcery ignorance.
I couldn’t say it better myself.
So dear reader, how do you feel about banning Harry Potter or any other children’s book?
Technorati tags: children’s books, Banned Books Week, Harry Potter
3 Responses to “Stop picking on poor Harry Potter”
Harry Potter has captured the imagination of children (and adults, myself included) all over the world. It is a shame that people are so narrow-minded. It’s fiction, for crying out loud!
We love Harry at our house! The funny thing is, I think my husband loves the books most of all!
Everyone has their own ideas on what’s good and what’s not, but to force your ideas on others by banning books just doesn’t make sense. Does anyone remember the Kevin Bacon movie about the town that banned dancing because some kids were killed due to drinking alcohol (the name escapes me), but it’s the same concept.