Beyond Harry Potter
Two years ago, my husband
took our son, Patrick, to our local book store at 10:30 P.M. to wait in line with
hundreds of other kids for a special midnight sale of Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire. The kids' enthusiasm was contagious. My husband found he wanted
to read the book as much as they did. Driving home, Patrick insisted that the
light inside the car stay on so he could start reading right away. When they arrived
home, at one in the morning, Patrick ran to his room, climbed into bed, and continued
reading until, he finally fell asleep. I confess that I, too, had become addicted
to Harry Potter, reading the three earlier books twice through. When I heard Patrick
lightly snoring, I slipped into his room and stole his book. I read the whole
thing at a gallop, completing it before Patrick woke for breakfast. It was wonderful.
I did feel a twinge of disappointment at the end, not because the ending was unsatisfying,
but because it was over and there were no more new Harry stories to read.
After your child reads Harry Potter book #5, he or she may feel the same way.
Thankfully, there are a great many magical, fantasy books inspired by myths, fables,
and legends available at your local library. Quite a few are as interesting and
entertaining as Harry Potter, and a number are even better. Kids love reading
a series of books revolving around the same characters. Here are some wonderful
books you will enjoy as much as your children (for kids 9-14):
The Borrowers Series, by Mary Norton, consisting of: The Borrowers; The Borrowers
Afield; The Borrowers Afloat; The Borrowers Aloft; and The Borrowers Avenged. The Borrowers
are a dollhouse-sized race of little people who "borrow" all the small household
items we big people assume to be missing. The Clock Family (Arrietty and her parents,
Pod and Homily), are "borrowers," and this delightful series of books deals with
their adventures, living in a world of regular sized children and adults. Beth
and Joe Crush's ink illustrations add even more magic to the stories.
Bed-Knobs and Broomsticks, by Mary Norton, consisting of: The Magic Bed-Knob, and Bonfires and Broomsticks. Three children discover that their neighbor, prim Miss Price, is a witch-in-training. They promise to keep her secret if she will let them in on some magical adventures.
Mary Poppins series by P.L. Travers, consisting of: Mary Poppins; Mary Poppins Comes Back; Mary Poppins Opens the Door; Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane; and, Mary Poppins and the House Next Door. Never underestimate the unpredictable nanny's ability to take children on adventures that thrill and amaze them. Interesting details to surprise your kids with: in the books, Jane and Michael have a twin brother and sister: John and Barbara. The illustrator of the books, Mary Shepard, is the real-life daughter of Ernest Shepard, the famous illustrator of Winnie-the Pooh.
The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S.Lewis, consisting of: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; Voyage of the "Dawn Treade"; The Silver Chair; The Horse and His Boy; The Magician's Nephew; and The Last Battle. The stories of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, four siblings, who discover the kingdom of Narnia and the ensuing struggles of power between the forces who wish to control the magical land.
The Devil's Storybook and The Devil's Other Storybook, by Natalie Babbitt. The author of Tuck Everlasting has written two collections of wickedly funny short stories featuring a cantankerous old devil who finds himself frequently outsmarted. Two other marvelous fantasy novels by Babbitt, unrelated to the Devil's Storybooks, make for great reads: The Search for Delicious and Knee-Knock Rise.
The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper, consisting of: Over Sea Under Stone; The Dark is Rising; Greenwich; The Grey King; and Silver on the Tree. Depicting the struggles between powers of light and dark, the novels draw elements from Arthurian legend. The setting is contemporary England and Wales, where Merlin, known in the stories as Merriman Lyons, is helped both by ordinary and supernatural children to keep the Dark forces at bay. Great for kids and adults to read together.
And, a new fantasy trilogy based on Arthurian legend is now being written by Kevin Crossley-Holland. Find The Seeing Stone, and At the Crossing Places at your local library.
© 2003 Mary Brigid Barrett
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