The verdict on Harry Potter: SO FUCKING GOOD!!!! Harry Potter is the Star Wards of children's books! I read each book straight through, I could not put them down, and now there's starting to be magic in my dreams. I can't believe some people think these are inappropriate for children! Why? Because there's magic in them? Um, look at any fairy tale...

Parents with kids who can read but don't like to should read a couple of chapters of the first Harry Potter to their kids, stop at the first cliffhanger, and leave the book in the kid's room. Within a week the kid will be begging for the next book. These books are on part with Pippi Longstocking, Narnia, and Roald Dahl. Even adults will enjoy them! They are a bit fluffy for adults, but while they are a touch formulaic the ending is always a surprise!

They do have instances of spiders in them, there's at least one instance in every book, although some have more. Ditto for snakes. I found it was manageable if I started skimming as soon as I recognized what was going on and picked up after the danger had passed, and I did find I could avoid visualing here (I couldn't in LOTR). If you are as phobic as me, skip the chapter entitled Aragog in Chamber of Secrets. Otherwise, enjoy!