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HARRY POTTER OR JERRY SPRINGER?

The recent clamour over the Harry Potter series of children's books presents a welcome change to teachers faced with the difficulty of encouraging students to engage in leisure reading for enjoyment. The liveliness of the debate has brought a great deal of attention not just to Harry and his creator, but more importantly, to the sub-genre of children's fiction. Incredibly, debates abound as to the morality presented in the series, authored by J. K. Rowling.

The presentation of Good and Evil in the books has been scrutinised with a view to criticising the role that Rowling has allowed for magic and supernatural forces to play in Harry's adventures. Exponents of a conservative view on the suitability of magical themes are perhaps from the same school as the individuals who, decades ago, tried to have traditional fairy tales labeled as "gratuitous violence" and unsuitable for children.

These groups set out to prove that Enid Blyton was not really a gifted children's writer, but perhaps a clandestine operative of the Satanic Writer's Guild, as evidenced by her overt references to goblins, bad pixies and magical lands appearing at the tops of pine trees! C. S. Lewis went even further, presenting these conservatives with a bit of a dilemma. He used a variety of witches, fauns, satyrs and powers of witchcraft in the Narnia books, but presented the series as a Christian allegory. Consequently, the Chronicles of Narnia are to be found in school bookrooms to this day, and are still enjoyed by children, despite the "golly-gosh" Britishisms and downright Satanic characters!

The most praiseworthy aspect of J. K. Rowling's success is in her reliance on the power of narrative to transfix a child reader, and the subsequent power of reading enjoyment which has made her, financially speaking, the most successful modern children's writer. The absence of Harry Potter merchandise thus far in this success story speaks volumes about the simple reason for the book's popularity - it's a good read. The sight of crowds of children chanting "Harry! Harry!" outside bookshops testifies to the nature of kids to wholeheartedly embrace new (and popular) icons. Better Harry Potter than Jerry Springer.

Many adults who were lucky enough to have grown up reading Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and C. S. Lewis applaud Rowling's determination to revive the interest of children in reading. For too long, kids have been offered stories which present real life - with its own evils.

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