Opinion: Should My Kid Read Books with Magic?
One of the most common questions I get from parents is whether or not they should allow their children to read books with magic. Like my answer to most “should” questions it really depends. It depends on the child and the type of magic in the book. In most magic books I’ve found there to be two types of magic:
Pretend Magic
“Real” Magic
Pretend magic is clearly made up with made up materials and effects like dragons. “Real” magic is a little too real, using real world objects and more sinister results, these are the types of books that usually mention other worldly beings like djinn, demons, possessions and underworlds.
The other factor that matters is your child. How caught up do they get in the world of magic? Can they discern the difference between just a fun story, or do they get incredibly invested seeing how they would be a part of said magical world. An example would be the houses in Harry Potter (full review coming up soon!)
Really the most important thing to talk about with your child, especially if they love fantasy books, is that there is no such thing as good magic in reality. Teach your child the “three quls” and remind them the reality of magic. In the end whether your child reads books revolving around magic is really up to you. What matters is that whatever decision you make you should explain to your child what lead you up to it.
