Gary Peterson wrote:
> I am also curious as to the popularity of such books at a time when
> science
> literacy in the U.S. is considered very poor (was it ever really good?),
> and
> a number of us in education are trying to find ways to encourage critical
> thinking.
>
I haven't read the books yet, but I have an 8-year-old son and they're
definitely on our reading list. And I'm a developmental psychologist,
although this isn't really my area of expertise. So I may be speaking off
the cuff here......but I just don't see the connection between
allowing/encouraging kids this age to read fantasy material and scientific
literacy and critical thinking. To me the really important thing about
these books and others such as the Magic Tree House series, and even
Goosebumps (cringe--I hate those books!) is that they engage children in
reading. A commentary on NPR last week quoted librarians as saying that
boys especially who read Harry Potter were much more likely to read other
books. So let's promote literacy, and then build on that to develop
critical thinking and scientific reasoning.
BTW, a colleague told me that Harry Potter is under attack by the Christian
right......
Kris Lewis
Saint Michael's College
Colchester VT
