Rowling On: Book Rec Resources for Harry Potter Fans
“So, you’ve probably heard by now about Joanne Rowling’s transphobic tweets, unless you’ve been living under a rock in which case — get back under that rock, sweetie, there is nothing good going on up here, it’s not worth it!”
— ContraPoints, “J.K. Rowling”
If you haven’t already seen Natalie Wynn’s latest video on the topic, please do crawl out from under that rock and take a look:
I’m going to go ahead and assume you will watch the video after reading this post, but suffice to say, “Wow! This J.K. Rowling thing was even worse than I thought.” To be fair, Natalie Wynn (aka ContraPoints ) does provide a nuanced, well-researched, and even empathetic overview of all the sordid details. Natalie’s personal experience and commentary add plenty of much needed clarity for the casual observer.
So what do librarians and long-time fans of the series do with this information? Well, Rowling’s uber-popular Harry Potter series is likely to retain fans, and even reach new readers. That goes without saying. Many people will separate the art from the artist, no matter how gaping the divide between appearances and reality. Still, some fans are having a hard time reconciling the author’s actions with the fact that the main characters in the Harry Potter series are a group of misfits who are treated by the author as lovable underdogs worthy of the reader’s support and attention. Boy, does this clash with reality. What about those who have grown up loving the Potter series who are now hoping to explore more titles that will bring them a similar sense of wonder and intrigue; a glimpse into another world? Here are a few curated lists to kick off your reader’s advisory research on what to recommend to readers of all ages:
15 Magical Books Like Harry Potter for Adults
16 Harry Potter Read-Alikes (for Kids)
13 Fantasy Series to Fall in Love With That Aren’t Written by J.K. Rowling
‘Harry Potter Alternatives: Trans-inclusive Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books
Forget J.K. Rowling: Here Are 9 Fantasy Series to Read Instead of Harry Potter
Stay tuned for more on how libraries can support transgender community members in an upcoming post!
