20 - North Shore News ~ Wednesday, July 19, 2000 ivinaroom 2 TEU _ Harry Potter is more than just hype NEXT § © Trendy styles unique to Canada Qualty clothing at affortabie prices ! direct from Eng'and © Poputar brands imported “NATIVE JEWELLERY WebDING Rincs” 441 West 3rd Street, North Vancouver 988-9215 iSiarK & MAC . ’- Authors of - “DOMESTIC CONTRACTS” 682-4999 #602-1166 Alberni St, Vancouver KIRSTIE LISE A book on marriage and separation agreements _ FAMILY LAW MEDIATION | 4389 Gallant Avenue, Deep Cove * 924-9501 § AS an educator, I often hear my colleagues, or other literary critics, pooh-pook authors who are popular with young people. Only a few ycars ago, it was R_L. Stine and the Goosebumps series and now it is ].K. Rawlings and the Harry Potter series. In most cases, I think it’s just jealousy that these writers actually appeal to children and of course earn a lot of money doing so. Personally, I take my hat off to them. As a child, I was a reluctant reader. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t read, because I could. It was more a case of From page 18 Saturday Storytime and Craft: For 4 to 8 years, 10 am. at North Van City Library. Pre-register: 980- 4424, MONDAYS | Canyon Quest Hike: For ages 9-13. Trek through Lynn Canyon Park on a quest for .nature knowledge. Mondays, July 24, 10 a.m.-3 not finding anything to keep my attention for more than a chapter, especially around those tender years of nine to 13. Before nine I’d read lots of animal stories. After 13 I read magazines about topics that interested me, but in between, I recall mostly comic books and Mad magazines. Despite my teachers’ best efforts to come up with mean- ingful literature in the class, somehow I missed out on the enthusiasm of it all. Call me a picky reader. As the father of three simi- larly predisposed boys, I feel indebted to RL. Stine and J.K. Rawlings. For reasons which range from, “I like the mystery,” to “everyone says it’s good,” all three have taken to reading these books. Since I insist that they read an hour a day, school day or not, having something available that they want to read is a big bonus, probably more for them than for me. Right now, with a 600 pager facing them, I have little to worry about in getting them to put in their requisite hour. No muss, no fuss read- p-m. Pre-register: 981-3103. LE TUESDAYS Tales and Crafts for ages 5 and up at the Lynn Valley Library. Tuesdays, to July 25 from 2-3 p.m. ONGOING Harry Potter and the goblet of fire: Daily readings ongo- ing at all North Van District libraries. Call your branch for times. Go Girl! The Sequel: Two- day workshops for girls aged 10-13 who are past Go Girl! participants. July 26-27 at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. Cost is $125. Info: Saleema Noon or. Teresa Harris at 418-9417. - SPCA Summer Camp at the West Van SPCA for children aged 8-12 during the week, July 31-August 4. Children will learn about caring for ani- ing! For that I am grateful. If you are wondering, I do favour the adventures of Harry Potter over the machinations of the Goosebumps series. The Harry Potter stories are really one long novel broken into seven pieces. With the fourth one now published, it has children hooked and . awaiting the next piece. Imagine, kids lining up and camping out to buy a book. Who would have imagined that? Certainly not the computer folks or the average teacher who worries that kids don’t wish to read anymore. Rawlings has proven that kids do want to read, boys and girls, but they might need some good writing to encour- age them. That’s what I like about the Harry Potter series. It’s composed of good stories, steeping in imagination, description and the prover- bial conflicts of good and evil. it is not easy for all children to read, but the story is so captivating that they will persist in reading mals through games, crafts and hands-on activities.. Info: 599-7297. Forest Discoveries School: Summer day camps for chil- dren 4 to 11 years. Kids will enjoy hands-on activities, crafts, games znd exploring the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. Call 987-1273 for info. Acting Classes for children and teens at Capilano College this; summer. Courses are taught by Michael Berry and run Monday-Friday, two hours/day for 7-11-year-olds ($125), and three hours/day for 12-17-year-olds ($195). Info: 984-4901. Artists for Kids summer art camp. Week-long art camps ‘for children aged 8 to 18 at the North Vancouver supervised and taught by experiencea art educators. the challenging material. I heard Rawlings inter- viewed recently and she stated that she felt we underestimat- ed children’s abilities. I could- n’t agree more. Motivate them and they will do much better than we often expect. So, I wonder how many Harry Porter books will be used as novels in school? I wonder if we will always stick with what children shenld read as oO d to books they would like to read? [ wonder if more writers, buoyed by the success of Rawlings, will pro- duce quality writing for chil- dren so that we can, as par- ents, rest assured that our chil- dren will be more engaged in developing their reading skills, © We all know how critically important that may be to their education. I'm grateful to Stine, and even more grateful to Rawlings. They know what appeals to kids and they write it, well. We will all be the bet- ter for it! — Graham. Hookey is the |. author of Parenting Is A Team Sport. . Info: 903-3798 or 903-3319 |” to register. Summer | Education Programs: Mondays’. to . Fridays in July. For further: information pick Summer 2000 Program: brochure at ali North Vancouver district schools and school district. public build-- ings. Info: 903-3319. : Summer Reading Club runs __- to August 26 on a- drop-in - basis at Memorial Library. Sign up in: . the youth services: depart- “. ment. Info: 925-7408. = ‘Summer 2000 Performing. and Visual Arts Classes: The - North.Shore Neighbourhood: -. House offers a variety of pro- © grams for youth aged 5 to 16 years.. Financial assistance -is ; - available. Info: 987-8138. - Outdoor school in July. Fully - : — Compiled by Sharon a Cocomile: ‘. ‘Warehou se S up a: the - West ° Van...