As an elementary school teacher I am typically repulsed by kiddy trends, Poki-mon and such.
Didn't care much for Harry Potter either, until I decided to actually READ THE BOOK FOR MYSELF.
What do I think of Harry Potter now?
It's probably the best children's book ever written!
(And I loved it!, as well as books 2 and 3.)
Being a teacher, I have read a lot of children's books, heck, I own about 2000 of them.
It would take me several hours to thoroughly explain why Harry Potter is the perfect children's book, but basically, it's well written, easy to read, exciting, complicated, unpredictable, provides complete escapism, and has children outwitting adults (#1 most critical element for appealing to kids). It also teaches morals more-so than it teaches witch craft.
I am sure that some kids will get too interested in actual witch craft for their own good after reading H.P.
But, for every kid who goes seriously awry, 10,000 other kids have learned to love reading without ill effects.
And that, is priceless.
I've worked my butt-off each year to get just a few kids turned-on to reading.
This book, this author, has turned on millions of kids to reading, like magic!
<S> J. K. Rowling!
eskimo