A commentary in Weekendavisen calling the Harry Potter books poor literature has set off a public debate in Denmark over whether the series can draw young people back to reading.
DR reported on September 22, 2026, that the dispute began with a commentary by writer and illustrator Christoffer Zieler in Weekendavisen. According to DR, Zieler criticized the books behind the magical universe as bad literature. He also raised the question of whether poor reading today could be linked to how many people read the series.
The commentary drew a number of responses. Journalist Dorte Toft defended the books in the same newspaper, DR notes. Per Toft, the generation that grew up during the Harry Potter fever, in the 2000s and early 2010s, performed better in the PISA tests.
DR states that it is unclear whether the Harry Potter books can be read directly out of the PISA results. The broadcaster has previously reported that the most recent PISA survey found Danish 15-year-olds at their weakest recorded level in reading and math.
The debate reached DR’s P1
The question was taken up on DR’s P1 program Første Række, where the hosts disagreed. Host Ane Cortzen said she did not grow up with Harry Potter herself. She pointed instead to Astrid Lindgren, the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis and later Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
Cortzen read the Harry Potter books aloud to her own children. As stated by Cortzen, she was irritated by what she saw as a banal universe, where the good are very good and the bad very bad. She added that she had underestimated the series at first, because it created enormous enthusiasm for reading, even if she does not consider it good literature.
Co-host Gustav Hagild described himself as a potterhead, the term for the most dedicated fans. He told the program that he once asked for old Latin books for his room, so his shelves would resemble the Harry Potter universe. Hagild said the most important thing is that children find something that makes them want to read.
According to Hagild, he struggled with reading as a child because he was bored by standard school books such as Søren og Mette. He said he read a great deal once he was allowed to borrow books about animals at the library.
Cortzen agreed with that point, saying she believes the right book exists for every reader. She cited her daughter, who was deeply interested in handball as a child. Cortzen borrowed the book Alt om Mikkel Hansen from the library, and her daughter read it repeatedly.
Per Cortzen, the title showed her daughter that books deliver knowledge, which sparked a desire to read. She said it matters less whether the book is about Mikkel Hansen or Harry Potter.
DR notes that guest host Viktor Fischer, a former professional footballer, is one of the few millennials who has never read Harry Potter. The full episode of Første Række is available on DR’s audio platform.
