How to Analyze the Works of J. K. Rowling

February 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-These titles engage students in the process of literary criticism by using works with which most teens are familiar. Written in a clear and authentic voice, the authors cover the basics of critical theory and then address feminist, Marxist, structuralist, queer, and psychoanalytic theories. Filled with colorful pictures and screenshots from the film adaptations, each book begins with the same explanation of what literary criticism is and how to best navigate the text. The chapters are broken down into small, easy-to-manage sections with headings, and helpful tools and guides appear throughout. Thesis statements are highlighted, and explanatory sidebars and underscored text spell out the questions and arguments being posed. After a brief biography of the author, the book goes back and forth between an overview of a work and then how to apply a theory to it, such as "How to Apply Structuralism to Twilight" and "How to Apply Marxist Criticism to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," with examples of essays. There are many interactive components, including "Thinking Critically" questions at the end of each chapter, starting points for thesis statements, and invitations for readers to write their own literary criticism, with all of the steps laid out for them. In modeling clear examples of literary criticism through familiar books, the authors enable students to make meaningful connections with the theories and move on to applying them to other works.-Kerry Roeder, Corlears School, New York City

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.