Age range of HP books

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 32362

Hi --

hpfan04 wrote:

>   What age range do you think the HP books are intended for? I know
> JKR said that she didn't write it for a certain age range, but, what
> is the overall opinion?

I think we should go with what JKR has said: she didn't have a target 
audience.  I agree with Amy Z that her initial letter to Chris Little 
was a marketing/sales device.  It doesn't speak to her *actual* intent, 
and there's certainly plenty of evidence from interviews later to show 
that she must have changed her mind (or fudged just a bit when she said 
age 9-12 in her "please look at my manuscript" letter to Chris Little).

You will find *lots* of discussion on this topic in the Message Archives 
of this group.  You can also look at the "Universal Appeal of HP" FAQ:

http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/faq/appeal.html

If you search "childrens' literature" in the Archives, I know you'll 
turn up several rounds on this topic (there was one in mid to late 
August IIRC).

It's well known around here, but I'll state again for the record.  I 
don't think these are childrens' books.  I don't think JKR intended them 
to be.  I don't think they are.

Isabelle said:

> I believe that each book is specifically targetted at a readership
> of Harry's age at that time.

I think it's fair to say each book will be appropriate for readers who 
are the same age as Harry & his peers at that time.  In other words, SS 
is appropriate for 10/11 yr olds.  CoS is appropriate for 12/13.  So on. 
  The problem, however, is that noone, not even kids, reads books like 
that.  "I'm done with SS now ... but I'll wait a year until I'm 12 to 
read the next one."  Yeah, right.  So, while in theory the notion that 
the readers are aging right along with Harry, is true, later readers 
will not have that lapse of time to mature before taking on the next 
book.  They'll be confronted with 7 available books, the last of which 
is IMHO clearly an adult book given that the protagonist will be of age 
(or come of age) in the course of the novel. We don't need to revisit 
the whole age of consent issue again though.  <g>

In our last round of discussions on this topic, someone (Heather? 
Cindy?) mentioned that it may come to pass that the series as a whole 
will eventually be viewed as a hybrid.  SS & CoS will be classed as 
young adult or juvenile, while PoA will be a hybrid, and GoF & the last 
3 books will be classed as adult fiction.  I think this has some merit. 
  In so many ways though, the series defies classification into a narrow 
genre of any sort.

>   I mean, there are all ages right here in HPFGU, and younger
> children read it too.

HPFGU is for adults.  We do have some teenaged members, but our target 
membership is the over 18 crowd.  Just for the record.  :--)

Penny