December 12, 2002

Having finished Holes, we began to read some of the kids Harry Potter at work.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38709.Holes

Today I listened to the description of Dudley's school uniform: maroon jacket, orange knickerbockers, a straw hat, and a knobby walking stick. I didn't remember that, but it struck me so funny, I had to draw a picture. I hope I have several original illustrations by the time we're done w/the book.

By the way, I read Quidditch Through the Ages and started both of the other books. I especially enjoy reading about fantastical beasts. It's a very clever book.

But Connie Neal's book The Gospel According to Harry Potter is also interesting. She suggests that Albus Dumbledore us like God: he loves Harry, helps and protects him, but allows him free will to follow or break the rules and fight evil. Dumbledore hates evil, but is very forgiving of people who have done wrong (Hagrid, Snape). When, in the 1st book, Dumbledore warns the students they will die if they visit a certain hallway, it's like God warning Adam and Eve to stay out of the Tree of Knowledge. But I wonder if J.K. Rowling really asks, "What would God do?" when she writes Dumbledore.

December 5, 2002

After work, I went to the library. I returned Annotated Fairy Tales and Trick or Treat. I got 3 supplementary Harry books. Two were written by J.K. Rowling: her thin Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, both written under wacky pseudonyms.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47534.Gospel_According_to_Harry_Potter

The third was called The Gospel According to Harry Potter. It tells how Harry and his friends exemplify religious values. Some religious people want to ban or burn the books because of the association of witchcraft with evil. There's nothing sinister in the books, really. No more so than in The Wizard of Oz or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe....

I also stopped at Meijer...Other stuff I almost bought at Meijer included a book of "background" myths and folklore for Harry Potter (not authorized by J.K. Rowling)....

It was about 5 when I got home. I don't remember much about what he did next. But I probably began reading Quidditch Through the Ages.