The Tales of Beedle the Bard

THE TALES OF BEEDLE THE BARD; J. K. Rowling (translated from the Runic originals by Hermione Granger); New York: Scholastic, 2008; 111pgs. Fiction

“The Tales of Beedle the Bard” is a lightweight in the J. K. Rowling canon, but it has its delights, nonetheless. The stories themselves are fair to middling, some of them a tad bit violent for the younger set, such as “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart” in which a a wizard, his heart grown hairy from being set aside, tears the heart from his fiance’s bosom. However, Albus Dumbledore himself points out the foolishness of trying to sugar up the grim but cautionary in true fairy tales by pointing out the failure of Beatrice Bloxam’s “Toadstool Tales” revisions to produce anything except retching in generations of Wizarding children. Lighter-hearted stories are included, such as “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump,” but the true charm of this volume lies in Dumbledore’s commentaries, which show J. K. Rowling’s genius to great effect as she elaborates on the world of wizardry created in Harry Potter, and especially on the fun of it. Dumbledore’s story of one of Beedle’s stories being staged as a play is great fun, as an Ashwinder called upon to play the part of The Worm lays fiery eggs which threaten to burn down the hall, and the two principles, formerly boyfriend and girlfriend, fire spells at each other until everyone is forced to run for the exits. The hints and subtexts in “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” make one wish to return to Harry Potter for the first time, but as Wizarding philosopher Bertrand de Pensees-Profondes thoughtfully points out, “Give it up. It’s never going to happen.” All profits from “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” will go to the very worthy cause of the Children’s High Level Group, as explained in the back of the book.

Comments

GARDENING GRANNY! said…

J.K. Rowling did exactly what I predicted she would...each Harry Potter book getting progressively more violent and full of wasted words. Her after-the-fact "gay revelation" of a key character was the final straw. I refuse to purchase or even check out from the library, another book that will line her greedy pockets.

December 8, 2008 at 9:02 AM

Five Faves: WWII Spies and Codebreakers

I can't help but assume I'm not the only kid who grew up playing spies. As a child, my imaginative playtime was filled with covert espionage largely derived from the Spy Kids movies. As an adult, my interest in spycraft has never wavered. In fact, the older I get, the more I am intrigued by spies, ciphers, and codes. Combine that with a love of rich historical settings and untold stories of people from history, there are few things I find as satisfying as a historical spy story. If you're anything like me, you'll love this list of stories -- real and fictional -- starring spies, codebreakers, and cryptanalysts. Max in the House of Spies By Adam Gidwitz New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2024. Fiction. 320 pages. After Kristallnacht, Max Bretzfeld's German Jewish parents decide to send him to England via the Kindertransport. Now accompanied by two invisible-to-all-but-him spirts -- a dybbuk and a kobold -- Max is desperate to return home to Berlin. As Max adjusts

Review: The Color of Sound

The Color of Sound Written by Emily Barth Isler Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books. 2024. 326 pages. Rosie is a 12-year-old musical prodigy who has a remarkable brain that allows her to remember every piece of music she has ever heard or played. She also has the unique ability to hear sounds and her brain turns all of these sounds into colors that she can see, feel, and taste. This full sensory ability is called synesthesia and sometimes Rosie loves what her brain can do and sometimes she is overwhelmed because she can never get away from all the sounds and colors that surround her constantly. Since she was little Rosie has loved the violin, but lately she feels like she has lost her identity and is only known as "the girl with the violin," so she goes on a music strike. She tells her teachers and her mother that she is not playing the violin anymore. Her mother is very upset with her decision, and so she decides to take Rosie with her to spend the summer at her grandparents h

Five Faves: Mysterious High-Low Intermediate Books

Intermediate Mystery books are a gold mine. High-low books refer to titles that are of high interest to readers, but contain low level vocabulary. These titles are clever, action-packed, and have several books in the series to keep the mystery alive. These intermediate mystery books are the first in their series and are sure to appease any mystery loving reader. The Ghost Tree Written by Natasha Deen Illustrated by Lissy Marlin New York: Random House Children's Books, 2022. Intermediate. 95 pages. With a dash of paranormal mixed with mystery, this book introduces Asim, a Guyanese American fourth grader who moves to a new town. After a visit to a graveyard, an evil spirit is unleashed. Asim works with new friends, Rokshar and Max, to save their town. With scarily cool illustrations to accompany this text, this book is great for any amateur sleuths who love a touch of creepy. Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash Written by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Illustrated by Dan San

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog