Why is reading Harry Potter in K so great?

[Anonymous]

OP, why do you care what some other children are doing or reading? Yes, there can be a lot of parental bragging that is obnoxious, but, really, beyond that, what's the problem? If you don't like it or if your kids aren't interested, fine.

I think your frustration (possibly justified) at the parental bragging, has morphed into being mean about children. Don't down-talk any kid for something that interests/excites him. It is just mean and ugly - especially by and adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WHY are you so judgmental???

My son has high-functioning autism, started to read quite late and suddenly took off because he discovered he could read the Harry Potter books himself instead of begging to watch the movies. He read the first 3 books at 7 years old, and his teacher, special ed teachers, and family were all amazed, since 6 months before he couldn't align two words together.

So yes I am proud of him.

I have an autistic child as well. I think these posters are clearly not talking about our kids. I wouldn't take it personally.

[Anonymous]

OP here, not trying to be judgmental but I must be if people feel that way, so I apologize.

I am glad if your DC's truly enjoy Harry Potter, but what I see is people using this for bragging rights of how smart their child is, or sometimes just trying to get the child to grow up too fast. I don't think a 6YO needs to read it or see the movie. I don't think it is age appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, why do you care what some other children are doing or reading? Yes, there can be a lot of parental bragging that is obnoxious, but, really, beyond that, what's the problem? If you don't like it or if your kids aren't interested, fine.

I think your frustration (possibly justified) at the parental bragging, has morphed into being mean about children. Don't down-talk any kid for something that interests/excites him. It is just mean and ugly - especially by and adult.

I don't think I down-talked any kid in my OP, so that is OTT.

[Anonymous]

Funny thing is, when these books first came out, they were lauded not for how "advanced" they were but for how they inspired reluctant readers to pick up a book. I guess that message got lost along the way.

[Anonymous]

I kind of agree with OP although am not overly bothered by it. It does seem like I've seen a lot of postings about young children reading these books and think they are a little inappropriate for 6 year olds, especially as they start talking more and more about death. There are so many good books out there that children seem to overlook because parents or friends influence them to read Harry Potter and other chapter books with more adult/teen themes. Why would this be such a popular book series for a kid who's six when the child in the story starts out as an 11 year old? It just seems a little weird, that's all.

[Anonymous]

I agree with OP! Every single parent I've met (in my life, not people who've posted here) whose child read HP in kindergarten or first grade was really only interested in the bragging rights. Honestly, it makes me roll my eyes.

One of the children I know for sure could not read and comprehend it although her mother made a huge deal about how she had read almost the whole series by first grade. I know because I was involved in an extra curricular activity with the child and she had to read out loud. Her reading level was no where near HP. She was a good reader, no doubt, just not THAT advanced.

If your child can read HP and loves it, more power to you. Rock on. I'm just sick of all of the parents who brag and make things up.

[Anonymous]

DD read Harry Potter at 6. It was a big deal for us not because of her age, but because it was the first time she showed an interest in fiction of any kind. She is still much more interested in non-fiction, but every once in a while she will pick up a good, fun book. When she does, I try to get another copy and read along so that we can talk about it.

[Anonymous]

Harry Potter is not even "literature". It is a book that is fun to read and nothing more.

A kindergartner can not understand fantasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 6 yr old DD and DH and I were just discussing HP last night and whether or not it is age - appropriate. She is still on first readers but we're considering starting reading it to her. Seems a little scary and more ideal for a 2nd or 3rd grader. Any thoughts? Sorry to hijack.

I had an advanced reader and he found Harry Potter boring. Too much mopey relationship stuff and not enough action.

There are lots of great books to read to kids that age:

Caddie Woodlawn
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Coraline (scary!)
Captain Underpants series
Percy Jackson series (my kids LOVED these)
Chronicles of Narnia
Magic Treehouse series (totally appropriate for a 6 year old)
Charlotte's Web (sad!)
Wind in the Willows
The Golden Compass
The BFG

The Golden Compass for a Kindergartner? No way. Kids get murdered in it.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-golden-compass-his-dark-materials-book-1

I also thought it was horribly written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 6 yr old DD and DH and I were just discussing HP last night and whether or not it is age - appropriate. She is still on first readers but we're considering starting reading it to her. Seems a little scary and more ideal for a 2nd or 3rd grader. Any thoughts? Sorry to hijack.

I had an advanced reader and he found Harry Potter boring. Too much mopey relationship stuff and not enough action.

There are lots of great books to read to kids that age:

Caddie Woodlawn
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Coraline (scary!)
Captain Underpants series
Percy Jackson series (my kids LOVED these)
Chronicles of Narnia
Magic Treehouse series (totally appropriate for a 6 year old)
Charlotte's Web (sad!)
Wind in the Willows
The Golden Compass
The BFG

The Golden Compass for a Kindergartner? No way. Kids get murdered in it.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-golden-compass-his-dark-materials-book-1

I also thought it was horribly written.

My 6 year old was fine with Golden Compass, but I can see how it would be too much for some kids.

[Anonymous]

I guess these books must interest kids with older siblings. That's all I can figure out. DS would never be overly engrossed in these pre-teen books. DS, age 6, is at the top of his class for reading in one of the highly respected elementary schools in VA and mostly reads picture books.

[Anonymous]

I agree, it is annoying!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harry Potter is not even "literature". It is a book that is fun to read and nothing more.

My kindergartener read Ulysses!

(No, not really.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My opinion: the first one is ok. The second one is probably ok. The third one and after, too scary, and also I don't know how much a 6-year-old would get out of it.

There are lots and lots of lovely books to read out loud to 6-year-olds that are not Harry Potter.

I agree. I read my now 8 year old the first Harry Potter when he was 5 or 6. He likes it. We never made it through the second one. He kind of got turned off of Harry Potter at that point and doesn't want to read it now although alot of his friends are reading it now. I do think the content is not exactly age appropriate although kids can take what they take from it at one point and read it again and get different stuff from it. My son was am early reader, 4 I think. Basically let him read whatever he wanted, got some recs from librarians. He read all the Magic Treehouse books when he was in K, which seemed more age appropriate.