Ted, Ted, Ted

From Cathy:

J.K. Rowling may not be a literary giant, but like many children around the world, Elena is engaged in a way I hadn�t expected, and eagerly anticipates her nightly dose. So what if it�s �skim-milky?� I wasn�t expecting E.B. White, Milne or Lewis Carroll. Most readers aren�t primarily drawn to Rowling because they think her themes �fresh and intriguing,� either; they are attracted to themes that resonate most deeply. Go figure. Though Rowling is no Dickens, she�s no fool either. What I am relishing, though, is Elena�s rapt attention, incessant questions about unfamiliar vocabulary and accurate recall of the many characters and their devious or noble intent. While I read and she listens, I can almost see how her mind�s eye brings to life the words on the page, weaving pictures that dance and sparkle or, even, frighten. Sometimes, she�s asked me to stop reading when she can�t bear to hear the terrifying conclusion (Harry’s foray into the Forbidden Forest - Book 1) or when a character is suffering too much (house elf being interrogated - Book 4). There is an electric power in this act of the imagination that will serve her well as she begins to decode and then read �good� books fluently on her own. What matters isn’t so much that I am willing to suspend my critical eye for the literary merit of the series, but that Elena and I have done what all of us do when fully engaged; we�ve surrendered to the pure pleasure of the storyteller�s tale, counting on her to lead us where she wishes, spellbound, thrilled and appalled by turns. Having said this, the best of the four books so far is The Prisoner of Azkaban, which develops the theme of the duality of human nature and tests Harry�s and Hermione�s mettle in surprising ways. Hermione, who so far has been Harry�s stereotypical sidekick, really comes into her own in this book, taking risks and the initiative in ways that overshadow Harry�s sometimes dubious accomplishments. Like my real-life friend Harriett, I was repelled by Harry�s self-serving lies in Prisoner and I�m getting a little tired of Rowling�s heavy reliance on deus ex machina, as well. Besides resonant themes, however, Rowling has captured the mystery of a world where children have access to and can exercise magical powers. Until Elena says stop, I will continue to let her imagination take flight and be thrilled at the wonder of it.