A Parent's Guide to Harry Potter [Paperback]

Gina Burkart (Author, Foreword)

Book Description

Harry Potter has captivated the imagination of millions of children. And Harry Potter has caused controversy in churches and schools. What's a parent to do with the magical, mystical world of Harry and his friends? Gina Burkart chose to read the books with her own children. As they read together, she discovered many parallels between Christian faith and the themes of these books. Indeed, the escapades of Harry Potter sparked significant conversation between Burkart and her kids. In this helpful, entertaining guide, Burkart shows how Harry Potter fits into the tradition of fairy tale writing and how this type of literature aids in building a moral framework. She highlights specific situations and emotions from Harry's world that children face in their own life, such as fear, anger, bullies, diversity and the choice of good over evil. Instead of magic words or easy answers, Burkart offers solid, practical advice for helping parents and children navigate Harry Potter's world--and our own--together.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A number of Christian books in the last few years have debated the Harry question: are J.K. Rowling's Potter books fodder for moral development, or do they steer children toward the occult? Burkart's guide is refreshing in that she doesn't even seem to feel the burden of refuting the various alarmists in the Christian community; she takes it for granted that the Harry Potter books are valuable tales that can foster spiritual growth. Hers is the first Christian book to specifically explore how to use the Potter novels as springboards for moral discussions with kids. The mother of three says that the series can help children deal with and discuss traumatic experiences, face fears, appreciate diversity, counter bullies (take that, Dudley Dursley!), let go of anger, and choose good over evil. The book is filled with tips parents will appreciate; Hermione's commitment to knitting caps for house elves can inspire families to serve in soup kitchens, for example. Many chapters have questions for parents to pose to their kids. ("What shape would a boggart take if it approached you? Why is it important to let some other people know about your feelings and fears? How is prayer different from magic?") Burkart's common-sense approach will help many Christian parents overcome their trepidation about fantasy literature and strengthen their family ties.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Gina Burkart has delivered a book that will help parents delve into valuable themes within the stories so that we can have a wonderful shared learning experience as a family. I find Gina to be genuine in her faith in Jesus Christ, intelligent, articulate, well versed in both the Bible and Harry Potter, and--most memorably--passionate about passing on good values to her own children. I find in her a kindred spirit." (From the foreword by Connie Neal, author of What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter? and The Gospel According to Harry Potter )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (June 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830832882
• ISBN-13: 978-0830832880
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,724,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written, easy to read, July 16, 2005

By 

Wizzard2000 - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Parent's Guide to Harry Potter (Paperback)

This is a very well written, easy to read book with very helpful insights. Including questions that lead to constructive, faithful discussions with children about the Harry Potter series books. I highly recommend this book to anyone with children.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for Parents, August 29, 2005

By 

Connie Neal (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Parent's Guide to Harry Potter (Paperback)

Finally! Here is an excellent resource parents can use to explore and ENJOY the wealth of important topics their children are engaging in Harry Potter. The questions in each chapter make it easy to go from reading together to discussing thoughts, feelings, aversion of evil and aspirations toward goodness. Easy to read, easy to use, solidly academic and carefully considered by a sincere Christian parent. This book can enrich families of faith and those for whom faith is not the central issue.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for parents of new Harry Potter readers!, May 24, 2006

By 

L. Berghuis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Parent's Guide to Harry Potter (Paperback)

After recently reading my first Harry Potter book, I picked up A Parent's Guide To Harry Potter as a supplement to what I had read. I was impressed with the easy approach Ms. Burkart gives to the series. The simple tips for translating events in the book into real life situations were very valuable. This book is a must-read for anyone just beginning their journey into Harry Potter!