Caleb Sheaffer ("Magic of books disappear when Hollywood commercializes stories," Nov. 21 arts column) fails to understand that the Hollywood productions of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings have only increased the willingness of children to read, not decreased such encouragement. The popularity of both film series has sent more parents and children back to the bookstore in efforts to keep up with the storyline and find out what's next.

I took the time to read such books before I went to see the films because of the element of comparison between the novel and the movie. I'm sure many other people did so as well.

If you're worried that your depiction of the novel in your mind will be ruined by the imagination of the director of the film, then simply don't go see the movie.

Children today are living in the same "Hollywood commercialized" world Sheaffer himself lived in as a child, and if Caleb was able to find the "hidden pleasure of sitting down with a good book," then I'm extremely positive that the youth of today will be able to do the same.