From: Joseph Matzner <matzner>
Date: Fri, 04 May 2001 22:03:04 -0500

In an earlier message, I had made a comparison between Lyra Belacqua and Harry Potter. Sarah Thomson responded with, "It is funny, isn't it, how we feel compelled to make comparisons between Pullman and Rowling--I know I do, anyway, and yet the books are so very different."

I agree totally with Sarah, the books are different and I think that's why I enjoy comparing them.

After reading the 4th Harry Potter book, I was wondering what kids were reading next. I spoke to one of my friends with kids and asked what they were reading. She told me about the Pullman trilogy and said her kids liked His Dark Materials MUCH better than the Harry Potter books. Once I read the trilogy, I wondered why librarians weren't recommending "The Golden Compass, " "The Subtle Knife," and "The Amber Spyglass," as the heir apparent. I couldn't believe that kids weren't rushing to get copies of these books as they had with the Harry Potter books. I asked Katy Horning about this and Katy pointed out how different these books really are and how even though there is probably some overlap in readership, Pullman and Rowling really did have a different audience. Where Rowling's broad audience enjoyed the humor in the Harry Potter books, Pullman's audience probably had readers who already read and enjoyed science fiction and/or fantasy. Katy, please correct me if I have misinterpreted what you said.

They are different, but there are similarities too, and yet each series has been well received. I do believe, whether we like it or not, because of Rowling's commercial success, Harry Potter is now the standard for other books of similar genres (for lack of a better term) to be measured. And I don't think it's necessarily bad.

Jo Matzner
Received on Fri 04 May 2001 10:03:04 PM CDT