Spellbound

When we first meet Harry, he is a bullied, scruffy and lonely eleven-year old, an orphan living with a family so horrible they would make Roald Dahl's creations look nice. So when Harry is told he is a wizard, the moment is even more delicious. He is special and can escape the tyranny of his aunt and uncle. Harry is whisked away and given a new life where everybody admires him - even the grown-ups. OK, so he does have to face Lord Voldemort - the most powerful dark wizard of all, but even that is better than the relentless misery of being a plain old Muggle from Privet Drive.

All children (and some adults) can feel a little bit like Harry; slightly overlooked and powerless to change their fate. They might not be locked in the cupboard under the stairs, but they are made to go to bed early. So, it's a deeply satisfying fantasy, even for adults, to imagine that one day everyone around them will realise just how special and different they are.

The tale of a poor kid made good is nothing new - think of Cinderella and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So what makes Harry Potter so special? Rowling takes the classic tale and gives it a modern twist, blending the ordinary world we know with a magical community is brilliant.

Rowling also has a sharp eye for criticising aspects of life in Muggle's Britain. For example, Reeta Skeeta, the completely unscrupulous journalist whose magic pen pours out lies while she appears to listen compassionately is a great parody of the British press. She also deals with racism (Hermione is a 'Mudblood' - not from pure wizard stock) and bullying in schools. These kinds of details make it thoughtful reading for people of any age.

A moral tale?
So, if Harry Potter is this good, why are people banning it? JK Rowling has come under attack for invoking a dark, amoral world. A lot of this criticism comes from a religious perspective. St Mary's Island Church of England Aided School, has vetoed the books. Headmistress Carol Rookwood says that the stories don't fit in with the school's 'church ethos'. Similarly, American pressure groups have tried to ban the books being sold in certain states.

JK Rowling happily admits that her books are quite dark. 'I wasn't going to pretend that an evil presence is a cardboard cut-out and nobody gets hurt. If you're writing about evil you genuinely have a responsibility to show what that means,' she said.

By making figures like Lord Voldemort and the Dementors (wraiths who suck all happiness out of people), so terrifying, she creates real tension. So far, Harry and his friends have triumphed through a mixture of courage, ingenuity and loyalty, the fact that the baddies are really frightening make these good qualities appear even more powerful.

Not all religious bodies are anti-Harry. In fact, the Pope is a fan! A Vatican spokesman defended the book, saying: 'The good versus evil plotlines of the best-selling books are imbued with Christian morals. If I have understood well the intentions of Harry Potter's author, they help children to see the difference between good and evil.' If the pope is pro-Potter, maybe the other dissenters will come round.