Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Harry Potter and the Army

I missed this story in the Sunday Times this week. J.K. Rowling's lawyer is considering what to do about a US Army maintenance magazine.

"The magazine, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly, includes a cartoon character called Topper, a boy wizard, who attends Mogmarts school of magic. Harry Potter, Rowling?s boy wizard creation, attends the Hogwarts school of magic.

In the magazine, army officials are given a lesson from Professor Rumbledoore and his staff, a name strikingly similar to Rowling?s Professor Dumbledore. Other characters in the magazine include professors McDonagal and Snappy, and a Miss Ranger. The Harry Potter books feature professors McGonagall and Snape and Hermione Granger."

All the Harry Potter legal cases have been interesting stories in themselves, as have those related to Lord of the Rings, Winnie the Pooh , Peter Pan and lots more. My children love the Harry Potter books and I have to say I enjoy reading them aloud and experiencing the kids' captivation with Rowling's magical world. The youngest is particularly tuned into the occasional slapstick humour and loves the Hagrid character. His spontaneous and infectious giggling at times has us all in stitches with laughter that has a magic all of its own.

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