|
Personally,
I would not want my son to read or have books read to him by Harry Potter.
I heard the author interviewed on the "Today Show" and she openly
acknowledged the overlaying theme of evil in her books. She rationalized
the emphasis on evil in a children's book by saying that the world in
which our children live is evil.
Because things aren't as black and white morally as they were a generation
ago, children do not have the same moral backdrop to help them distinguish between
fantasy and reality. Granted, children who grow up in strong moral environments
definitely have more ability to discern than children who grow up in a moral
vacuum. But if the Harry Potter books became standard reading requirements in
our public school system, there would be no way of ensuring that the young readers
could make their own judgements about what is acceptable evil behavior from the
fictional Harry Potter and what is unacceptable behavior from a real child.
There are so many other wonderful children's books that emphasize good triumphing
over evil and reward the characters who succeed because of their good choices
rather than the ability to cast a spell on someone. I prefer that my children
read these types of books. FamilyLife also has a tape available on Harry Potter.
I have not heard it, but it might provide some additional insight. 1-800-FL-TODAY
Back to Q & A Home
|
