About the book: Harry Potter, a downtrodden young orphan in the non-magical world of the Muggles, discovers that he is a wizard and enrolls in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Excerpt: “‘You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,’ he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. ‘As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I dont expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death — if you arent as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.'”
The controversy: In 2006, the Gwinnett County, Ga., school board rejected a parent’s pleas to take Harry Potter books out of school libraries, based on the claim that they promote witchcraft. On appeal the Georgia Board of Education ruled that the parent had failed to prove her contention that the series “promote[s] the Wicca religion,” and therefore that the book’s availability in public schools does not constitute advocacy of a religion.