Discussion: Is Harry Potter Protest Poppycock?
COLUMBIA, S.C., Posted 9:35 a.m. October 14, 1999 -- The woman who wrote the Harry Potter books says she's not going to sugar-coat evil.
British author J.K. Rowling spoke today with the media, answering critics who say the books have too much death, hate and evil.
Rowling says she writes honestly, and does not pretend that "an evil presence is a cardboard cutout and nobody gets hurt."
The books, about a young orphan named Harry who attends a school for wizards, are wildly popular with children. But some parents aren't as excited about the books, saying they are too violent for children.
One South Carolina mom says the books have a tone of "sheer evil."
A dozen parents have persuaded South Carolina's Board of Education to review the children's novels, which are suggested reading materials in state schools.
The board says it's up to local school districts to decide whether the books are appropriate.
Source: The Forbidden Library