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Christian Century (review date 1 December 1999)

SOURCE: “Wizards and Muggles,” in Christian Century, Vol. 116, No. 33, December 1, 1999, p. 1155.

[In the review below, the critic recounts the position some parents have taken against “Harry Potter,” deeming the series anti-Christian.]

Books of fantasy can help us see the ordinary in fresh ways.

Scottish author J. K. Rowling has written a wildly popular series of children's books about Harry Potter. Harry discovers on his 11th birthday that he is the son of two legendary wizards murdered by an evil magician named Voldemort. Harry has been living with his loathsome aunt and uncle (who make him sleep in a cupboard) and their mean son, Dudley. Apprised of his real identity, Harry eventually makes his way to Hogwarts, a boarding school for wizard children, and starts learning the family trade.

Kids of elementary-school age can't get enough of Harry Potter. The...

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1. Introduction
2. Criticism
   1. Shannon Maughan (review date 15 February 1999)
   2. Shannon Maughan (review date 19 July 1999)
   3. J. K. Rowling with Roxanne Feldman (interview date September 1999)
   4. Roger Sutton (review date September–October 1999)
   5. Judith Rosen (essay date 4 October 1999)
   6. Andrew Stuttaford (review date 11 October 1999)
   7. Francine Fialkoff (review date 15 October 1999)
   8. Shannon Maughan (review date 1 November 1999)
   9. Andrew Stephen (review date 1 November 1999)
   10. Brooke Allen (review date 1–15 November 1999)
   11. Lee Siegel (review date 22 November 1999)
   12. Christian Century (review date 1 December 1999)
   13. Alison Lurie (review date 16 December 1999)
   14. Charles De Lint (review date January 2000)
   15. Julia Eccleshare (review date 3 January 2000)
   16. J. K. Rowling with Brad Crawford (interview date February 2000)
   17. Cathi Dunn MacRae (review date March 2000)
   18. Michael Rogers (essay date 1 March 2000)
   19. Dot Wordsworth (review date 8 April 2000)
   20. Shannon Maughan (review date 17 April 2000)
   21. School Library Journal (essay date May 2000)
   22. Bobbie Combs (review date 10 July 2000)
   23. Chauncey Mabe (review date 10 July 2000)
   24. Kathleen Merryman (essay date 10 July 2000)
   25. Robert Munsch (review date 10 July 2000)
   26. Nancy Pate (review date 10 July 2000)
   27. Susan Perren (review date 10 July 2000)
   28. Andrea Sachs (review date 17 July 2000)
   29. Stefan Kanfer (essay date 19 July 2000)
   30. Makund Padmanabhan (review date 24 July 2000)
3. Further Reading
4. Copyright