Harry Potter a children's book?
By shattered
@shattered (1728)
Philippines
December 6, 2010 6:09am CST
Someone once told me that the Harry Potter series was supposed to be a book for children, I haven't read the book but I've watched the movies. Judging on the movies alone, I find it hard to believe that it was really meant for children.
When I watched the part of the Deathly Hallows, This was reinforced, I said to myself this could not be for children at all! It gave my wife nightmares! It would have been traumatizing for children!
What about you? Do you believe that the series is meant for children?
2 people like this
3 responses
@antarcticpostcards (472)
• United States
6 Dec 10
Well, it really was written for children. Sure it gets darker as the series continues, but so do a lot of other kids books, especially when they start getting into the teen books. It really just depends on the kid. There are plenty that can handle the whole series at a young age, while yes it is best for some to wait and read it when they get a little older.
2 people like this
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
7 Dec 10
I guess the story matured and turned dark as Harry grew older? I should find time to read the books, but I'd rather read it after watching all the movies. I don't want to be disappointed with movie ending by comparing it to the book.
I hope that the children reading these books are mature enough not to be traumatized by it though.
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
6 Dec 10
I was in 3rd grade when Harry Potter was really gathering steam. The first three books where out and they were all the rage at my elementary school and schools across the world. So yes, they were originally classified as children's books and loads of children where reading them.
But as the series went on the books got progressively darker. I was 17-18 when I read the last book along with many of the series' original fan-base. I think that as Harry grew older and his fan-base grew older, the books also grew up. So I feel it kind of followed its fan-base that way.
I actually don't like Harry Potter. I'm a mad fantasy fan, but I typically enjoy high fantasy (fantasy like Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia that takes place in a made-up world) more than Harry Potter's wacko urban fantasy. I finished reading the books at the prompting of my friends who insisted I couldn't judge them based on the four that I had read before I started saying I didn't like Harry Potter. I finished the series... I still didn't enjoy it. Oh well.
But I think that a good book is a good book no matter what age it was written for. I love a whole lot of children's and YA (Young Adult... books for teenagers) books, sometimes more than the adult novels I read. Anybody can read a children's book and enjoy it. The best children's books are the ones that everyone can read and love.
As for whether Harry Potter is too dark for children... I would say that around book 4 the books really start to darken up and would begin to be traumatizing for kids who read and loved the first three. However, it really is based on the maturity of the child and what they're ready to deal with at a young age.
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@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
7 Dec 10
I guess Rowling made the story mature as she figured the followers of the book were maturing and even older reader were reading her book.
I agree with you about fantasy though, I like forgotten reals and dragonlance, followed Hickman and Weis and I'm still following R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt books. I always say if you go fantasy, go all out!
But back to the Harry Potter series, I just hope most of the kids reading this book are more mature than I am though!
2 people like this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
5 Apr 11
KenWest, I personally don't have a whole lot of bias or standards towards writing style. I think I'm pretty darn easy to please in that regard. I read and loved the Lord of the Rings. I've also read and loved Disney Fairy novels. (Oh, you bet I just admitted that at 19!) To me, the age the writing is geared for doesn't really matter all that much if I like the story. I read adult, young adult, and children's books indiscriminately.
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
6 Apr 11
What was the cause of your wife's nightmares?
I think HP is a series for children of all ages.
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
14 Apr 11
Would you really let your 5 year old read Harry Potters last 3 books? I won't.
The 1st part of the last Potter movie was what gave my wife nightmares the night after we watched it. certainly not for children.
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