Beacham's Sourcebook For Teaching Young Adult Fiction: Exploring Harry Potter - Hardcover

Schafer, Elizabeth D.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0933833571 ISBN 13: 9780933833579

Publisher: Beacham Pub Corp, 2000

Synopsis

Guides readers of the Harry Potter series to appreciate the books' literary qualities more fully. Literary analysis of each book is followed by a brief list of activities for extending readers' enjoyment, such as projects, discussion questions, and activities for developing writing and critical thinking skills. Projects and discussion questions are designed to be incorporated into classroom lesson plans. A timeline places factual and fictional events in context with Harry Potter topics, Great Britain, and world history. Includes profiles of characters, animals, plants, and objects in the stories, and lists and briefly describes myths and legends that contribute to the novels. Schafer completed graduate courses in children's literature and creative writing at Hollins University. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

About this title

From School Library Journal

The purpose of this ambitious guide is to expand readers' enjoyment and understanding of J. K. Rowling's series by encouraging critical thinking and an exploration of the layers of meaning in the books. Unfortunately, Schafer's insights sacrifice quality and significance for quantity. The 20 chapters cover topics such as literary merit; "Pottermania"; Rowling's life; and a section on "Teaching Harry," which includes chapter-by-chapter discussion questions and vocabulary lists as well as projects and activities related to each book. Themes explored include school life, food, sports, geography, mythology, archetypes and biblical references, history, science, and magic/witchcraft. Though many associations are drawn, most are random, undeveloped statements. Readers are told that there are seven deadly sins, the number seven is used by Jews to designate perfection, and that students spend seven years at Hogwarts. The book is most useful as a reference source, particularly for its details of characters, setting, and plot and the impressive bibliography.
Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Part of the Beacham's SourceBooks series for teaching young adult fiction, this extensive introduction to the Harry Potter series (not approved by J. K. Rowling, as the cover proclaims) offers everything you want to know about the series, and in some cases more than that. Linked to a Web site that updates the information, this jam-packed book begins by telling parents, teachers, librarians, researchers, even student readers how to use the book. It then goes on to discuss "Pottermania," including information about merchandising and books in translation; an "interpretive" biography of Rowling; characters and themes; the relationship of the Potter books to myth and the Bible; and literary quality--among many, many topics. A final section, entitled "Teaching Harry," offers overviews, projects and activities, and questions for book discussion. Much of this is interesting and often useful, but there's also some downright silliness: "None of the family members exhibit any traits of a weasel that might be assumed of someone with the name Weasley." Exhaustive and exhausting. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Beacham Pub Corp
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0933833571
• ISBN 13: 9780933833579
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 528