The kids have been wild about Harry, but what happens now? Adults watch in wonder as youngsters put a halt to video games and text messaging to curl up with a 759 page novel. Did some scheming librarian place them under an Imperius spell? But now that J.K. Rowling’s series has come to an end, parents are wondering how they will keep the love of literature alive in their children. Below are ten suggestions, battle tested in my own home, where I have maintained a regular tradition of evening story-telling for the last ten years.
There is no more demanding literary critic than a youngster. If a tale is long-winded or boring, the child tunes out, and story-telling time, which should be as magical as a cauldron of polyjuice potion, turns into a drudgery. Michiko Kakutani is a pushover compared with my finicky sons, who only accept well-paced stories with plenty of action and suspense. The following books are sure to pass the test.
A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA by Ursula K. Le Guin:
Imagine a story about young boy with magical powers who leaves his troubled home to attend a school for wizards, and battles with mysterious forces from the dark side. Yes, Ursula K. Le Guin came up with this plot for A Wizard of Earthsea 30 years before the first Harry Potter book. But her Earthsea is a more somber world than Rowling’s imaginative universe, rich with gothic overtones. And her prose is denser, even if the books are shorter. This novel would be a good choice to stretch the vocabulary and reading skills of children who have completed the Potter series.
A PRINCESS OF MARS by Edgar Rice Burroughs
You won’t find this book in the children’s literature section of the bookstore. It may be hidden away in general fiction or science fiction, or perhaps not even in stock. Yet the Burroughs' Mars series is the perfect antidote for any youngster going through Potter withdrawal. I am amazed that some publisher has not reissued these works in editions suitable for younger readers. Perhaps the fact that this novel is in the public domain has discouraged publishing houses from promoting a work that is not exclusively their own. But parents shouldn’t let this stop them from introducing their children to this fanciful, well-paced adventure story, which continues to enchant readers almost a century after its first release.
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Well-written (as usual) round-up. Also selected as Book Editor Pick (see Book Page), but sorry: no fabulous prizes.
2 - Anna Creech
I have to disagree with you on Eragon, or at least ask that all of the sources for Eragon be included in the list. I'm glad to see The Hobbit on there, but any of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series should be included, as well. I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed how much Paolini borrowed from her dragonlore. Oh, and George Lucas should get his props, too. I mean, who didn't see the parallels with that? Orphan farm boy discovers mystical powers and heads out on an adventure to save the world aided by his mentor with a dark past -- it's Star Wars with dragons.
3 - Jared Wright
Yeah, great list, although I'll check Paolini at the door also. The rest all have their special place for sure.
4 - Dalton
It's 'Tolkien', not 'Tolkein'
5 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net , which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States, and to Boston.com. Nice work!
6 - Fleiger
That's a good article, and since I have read almost all (except 3, 4 and 7), I am pretty sure I am talking from experience. I didn't like "Series of Unfortunate Events" as the books are a bit too dark for my taste (considering childrens' books of course), and I am looking forward to getting to the Pullman Trilogy soon.
And I agree, despite the (mostly true) allegations of "inspirations" against Inheritance trilogy, I loved it... The Earthsea series is a superb one too.
Would you mind heading over to my post on My Top 5 Fantasy series?
7 - Fleiger
@Anna Creech:
Orphan farm boy discovers mystical powers and heads out on an adventure to save the world aided by his mentor with a dark past
Remove the "dark past" of mentor, and you get The Belgariad from David Eddings...
But I am assuming that you meant mysterious past, given as you are refer to Star Wars. So, the similarities are perfect.