Various

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 7216

Hi --

EBONY'S FANFIC -- I just had to add my 2 galleons and recommend that
everyone read Ebony's first installment of her fanfic -- it's really
great!  :--)

MUM, NOT MOM -- Stephanie, I was looking at my American edition of SS
when I said the US editions used Mom rather than Mum.  You're right that
they must have changed it to Mum by the time they got to CoS & later
books.  I'm seeing less & less Americanization with each passing book.
I'm still not sure if I believe this because they just had less time to
Americanize with GoF or if they actually are heeding the words of the
fans, who would prefer that the Britishisms not be tampered with.

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS -- Ebony, I think "soul food" must be just Southern
cooking in alot of ways, as your soul food menu might easily be served
by my very southern Granny but she'd look at you like you were crazy if
you suggested it was "soul food."  <g>  My family has also eaten
blackeyed peas & cornbread on New Year's Day for decades -- again, it
must be a tradition that has expanded to be very Southern in general.
My PA Dutch in-laws (German!) think you're bringing yourself tons of bad
luck for the coming year if you don't eat sauerkraut on New Year's, and
they are loathe to try any blackeyed peas (which is apparently only fit
for livestock up North).  So .... they eat their sauerkraut, I eat
blackeyed peas & my husband has a bit of both.

BOOK BANNING -- Stephanie, I live in Houston so we're neighbors!  You
might not be aware that the Santa Fe school district also had a recent
HP brouhaha (Santa Fe is in Galveston County).  It was resolved (I
think) by allowing children to borrow the HP books from the library with
a parental permission form and they can bring their own copies from
home.  The teachers, however, cannot read the books to the classes.
It's so insane really.  My sister teaches in a suburb of Austin, and she
read SS & CoS to her 3rd graders last spring with no complaints
whatsoever.  I guess it just depends on the general demographics of each
school district.  The Santa Fe school district, shortly after their HP
issues, attempted to ban any books that contained even a single profane
word (so that they would have ended up banning classics such as Where
the Red Fern Grows & Call of the Wild).  This was defeated by only one
vote (4-3).

I suspect strongly that 90% of the people who favor banning the HP books
have *not* read the books.  They are simply going on hearsay ...
preconceived notions, etc.

> Sorry about that it is the third book and the person is Ginny, Mea Culpa.
> It is Ginny who is rescued and is holding tightly to Harry.
> Don and Penguinie Embarrassed Penguin
>
The bookcover of PoA (3rd book) in the US depicts Harry & Hermione on
Buckbeak, the hippogriff.

BEACHAM BOOK -- Heidi, I assume you are coordinating the recent requests
to be added to the list (Steve, Trina, etc.)?

Penny (catching up!)


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