Fears Over Harry Potter Unwarranted
By Dianne Durante (Winona Daily News, July 5, 2003; Ocean County Observer, July 7, 2003)

The most frequent criticism of the Harry Potter series is that it will lure children to witchcraft. This fear is unwarranted.

Fiction books aren't textbooks. The purpose of literature isn't to teach concretes but to show a broad view of The Way Things Work. Does good or evil prevail in the world? Do people think and act in accord with their own will, or are they helpless puppets? The enormous appeal of the Harry Potter series comes from the fact that Rowling presents characters who do think and act, and who repeatedly triumph over evil.

Kids who love Harry Potter are in no more danger of becoming witches than kids who love Finding Nemo are in danger of becoming fish.