This Friday, the fourth film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's global bestselling Harry Potter series of novels, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," opens in movie theaters across the country, including the Royal T III right here in Le Mars.

Anytime anything or anyone is as widely successful as the Harry Potter series, there are bound to be those that obsess, find fault and try to tear down the author. My first exposure to young Mr. Potter came when my youngest daughter was in fourth grade and, as a class, they were reading the first book. I had heard some of the buzz about the books, as well as the criticism.

I was raised in a household that valued reading and the power of knowledge. My late mother, a registered nurse, was a voracious reader, devouring a novel a day. From an early age, I was taught to question everything and know the way to access information to make informed decisions. My two sisters have both become librarians, one in a middle school, the other for the City of Toronto.

As a parent, I taught my daughters to question everything and to make informed decisions. If a book or movie is controversial, read the book, see the movie and make your own decision. Don't give that power away, it is far too precious. So, when Harry Potter entered my home, it was time for me to put up or shut up.

I read the first book and enjoyed it immensely. The second book was better. The third book remains my favorite of the series. The fourth, fifth and sixth books were all good. I read the sixth book this summer, shortly after it was released.

I asked my sister who teaches in the middle school about the Harry Potter phenomena. Working in a public school, she had heard the complaints from some parents who heard (didn't bother to read it) that the book was about witchcraft. (For those of you who have been living under a rock the past ten years, read last night's Sentinel. Bob Eschliman did an excellent job of recapping the novels and movies.) Harry Potter does study at a school for witches and wizards, but the witchcraft involved is not malicious and the entire air about the books is one of childhood fantasy, not a "Witchcraft for Dummies" book. There are heros and villians, humor and sadness in the books. If you haven't read the books, but only seen the movies, do yourself a favor and read the books. I have yet to see a movie adaptation of a book that has been better the mental images I received when reading the novels.

My sister also told me that she had students who were in remedial reading courses who read all the Potter books, including the two and half pound, 734 page "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." Ask anyone that teaches reading, especially remedial reading. If they can get a child interested in ANY book, let alone a 734 page book, they are ecstatic. I agree wholeheartedly with my sister when she says that J.K. Rowling has single handedly done more for literacy with her work that countless thousands.

I'll be among those seeing "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" this weekend. I'm also anxiously awaiting the seventh and final book in the series. I have purchased all the novels as hardcover books and hope to one day introduce my grandchildren to Harry Potter.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@lemarscomm.net, telephone 712-546-7031, x40 or toll free 1-800-728-0066 x40.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.