Potter's magic spell turns boys into bookworms
JK Rowling's latest is launched as a new report shows that her books are inspiring children to read again, reports David Smith
Anyone old enough to count knows there are only six days to go. Just after midnight on Saturday, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is to go on sale to millions of eager children. And the good news, in an era of iPods and PlayStations, is that Harry will cast an improving spell on young minds.
The Harry Potter books boost children's reading ability and encourage them to read more widely, according to both pupils and their teachers. Indeed, many teachers cite JK Rowling's work as being a valuable educational resource, and more than a third reckon that it is more effective than the government's National Literacy Strategy.