Fantasy and Your Family

Book excerpt: Fantasy and Your Family by bestselling author Richard Abanes presents a much-needed assessment of fantasy - its benefits and its drawbacks. Abanes begins with an in-depth look at folklore, myths, legends, and fairy tales, and their connection to fantasy. Part one also discusses issues involving child development, the affects of literature on children, and how those affects can ultimately change the course of society. Additionally, Abanes examines pop culture, the media, mass marketing, and the commercialization of children's literature by corporations interested primarily in making money. This volume then looks at the life of fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien, the popularity of his fantasy works, their content, and what separates them from other fantasy volumes such as Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and the children's horror books by R.L. Stine. A particularly interesting survey of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings includes a thorough analysis of its storyline, characters, and morality. These are compared side-by-side with Harry Potter. Finally, Abanes gives an overview of our culture's growing obsession with the occult, paganism, and witchcraft. Why is it happening? When did it begin? How is it influencing today's youth? All of these questions are answered through a concise, easy-to-understand writing style. Especially fascinating are the numerous sources of documentations that shows children are indeed being drawn to the occult via Harry Potter. Included are dozens of quotes by Wiccans, neopagans, and occultists that clearly express their belief that Rowling's fantasy will do much to further witchcraft and the occult. - Amazon.