Harry Potter’s arch enemy Lord Voldemort has been voted kids’ favourite literary villain of all time.
The boy wizard’s evil nemesis in the Hogwarts books by JK Rowling came top in the BigBadRead poll organised by publishers Bloomsbury which drew more than 16,000 votes from British schoolchildren.
And wizards and witches dominated the Top 10 with Lord Sauron – the evil sorcerer in The Lord of the Rings trilogy – in second place, and the White Witch from the Narnia stories in eighth.
Mrs Coulter, the baddie in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials sequence, was third followed by Superman’s nemesis Lex Luthor and The Joker from the Batman comics.
Other well-known villains to make the Top 20 included Count Dracula at nine, Sherlock Holmes’ adversary Professor Moriarty at 14, Captain Hook at 15 and Cruella de Vil at 17.
The Big Bad Wolf from the Little Red Riding Hood story was 26th most fearsome baddie, while Mr McGregor, who threatened to put Peter Rabbit in a pie, was 36th.
Harry Potter’s creator JK Rowling said: “I am thrilled and honoured beyond words that Lord Voldemort has been voted best villain in the BigBadRead poll.
“I am not sure how he would react to knowing that he had won a Muggles’ unpopularity poll. A mixture of pleasure that you recognised his power and menace, coupled with fury at your nerve at mentioning his real name, I think. His author, however, is absolutely delighted.”
TOP TEN LITERARY VILLAINS
1.Lord Voldemort Harry Potter series JK Rowling
2.Sauron The Lord of the Rings Trilogy JRR Tolkien
3.Mrs Coulter His Dark Materials Sequence Philip Pullman
4.Lex Luthor Superman Graphic novels DC Comics
5.The Joker Batman Graphic novels DC Comics
6.Count Olaf A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket
7.The Other Mother Coraline Neil Gaiman
8.The White Witch The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe CS Lewis
9.Dracula Dracula Bram Stoker
10.Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer
