Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Category: Fantasy Grade: A+

Well, I did manage to get a few hours sleep last night but, other than that, I read this one straight through. I might be one of the older ones to do this, but definitely not the only one.

Every generation needs some work of art that makes a parent want to pass it down to his children. For most of the second half of the 20th century, that art was probably in the form of a movie. For me, it was the Wizard of Oz. It's my first memory of a going to the movies - Aunt Mina took me. I couldn't have been more than six or seven but that afternoon, sitting in the Paramount, is one I'll never forget. That movie was magic - the change from black-and-white Kansas to full color Oz, the cleverness of the yellow brick road and the lollipop guild, the terror of the flying monkeys (that I watched while cowering behind the seat in front of me) - these are the images that I couldn't wait to share with my kids when they were old enough. For those younger than me, it might be E.T. or Star Wars, but those moments were probably captured in movies.

For that group of high school kids that was hanging around bookstores Friday night waiting for midnight (who read the first Potter when they were 8), that feeling is unquestionably tied up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Because of this attachment that will be passed on to the children ten years from now, I'll happily nominate Rowlings as the most influential writer of the last hundred years. She could easily be considered this because she's written the best, most approachable, not to mention longest, at almost 5000 pages, fantasy series ever - far outstripping, in my humble view, authors like Tolkien or Lewis. Much more importantly, she has single-handedly created millions on millions of kids who find magic between the covers of a book. She's extended the life of the book, in the face of 21st century technology, not to mention being the savior of the small, independent book store.

Think about so-called children's literature before Harry. The books that come to mind - Charlotte's Web, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys - were just plain juvenile. Children's authors really believed that kids couldn't handle a challenge -- big words, complex plots, well developed characters and, most obviously, thick books. Rowlings has changed all that by asking her readers to raise their ability to handle her stories instead of lowering her style to match their ability. In today's world of TAKS testing, grade inflation and six-year college degrees, it's a lesson that our educators should take to heart - making kids reach makes them smarter.

I'm not actually going to say a lot about Deadly Hallows - if you're not a fan, you probably think I'm nuts. If you are a fan, you've probably already started it or plan to so and you'd kill me if I gave away the story points. Suffice it to say that, to me this was the perfect topper to this series. It's a great book on its own with enough complexity and action to keep you glued, but it also gives a solid dose of closure to the series. While I'm a little sad to see the series end, it does end with this book -- I hope the Rowlings has more stories in her, but she should definitely let go of Potter.