[HPforGrownups] the trouble with harry (the 5 year old's perspective)

[Carole Estes]

No: HPFGUIDX 12228


----- Original Message -----
From: <heidi.h.tandy.c92 at alumni.upenn.edu>


> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
> dyn/style/columns/familyalmanac/A1925-2001Feb13.html is from today's
> Family Almanac advice column, where a parent wrote in & asked what to
> do about her 1st grader who, since his parents read Sorcerer's Stone
> to him, has been afraid to be alone. The expert says, "The Potter
> books teach children that some people are good, some are evil, some
> are stupid and bigoted and not to be endured. These are important
> lessons, but they are too much for a 5- or 6-year-old."
>
> She then says that someone from Scholastic said that 8 to 10 is the
> appropriate starting age for the books, and says, without ANY
> references at all, "...most knowledgeable reviewers think 10 is a
> better starting age."
>
> Wondering what those of you with children in the 5 to 10 year age
> group think of this...

A lot depends upon how skittish your 5 - 6 yo is.  I started reading SS to
my (now 7yo) last year when he was 6.  But he's never been afraid of the
dark and loves to go to the haunted mansion at Disney world, and has never
told me about any nightmares that he might have had...not sure if he's ever
had nightmares.

Now the neighbor across the street said her 10 yo began reading the books
and was spooked by them, so her 7 yo hasn't touched them since he knows he
gets creeped out at little things.

Another indication might be how they handle being seperated from parents.
When he was 5yo Brian (my son) spent a whole week with another family (yes
we knew them...) at the beach.  Our neighbor's son (his name is Brian
too...so I'll just call him the neighbor child) got scared and wanted to go
home halfway through one night at our house....honest the house is not
haunted.

Brian is the type that thrives on something new.  The neighbor is much more
cautious.  A lot also depends on the chid's attention span.  Brian was very
verbal, understood all the words and followed the action intently.  Another
child with slower verbal skills might not get the whole story and just key
in on the dramatic scary parts.

By 8 or 9 the most children should be able to handle up to GoF and by 10
they can read them for themselves and make their own choice.  I did
paraphrase the chapter in GoF where V is reincorporated for Brian...didn't
want to introduce the image of the grotesque baby form V had taken before
reincorporation...I'm planning on sharing my paraphrased version when I do
the chapter summary for that chapter (Flesh, Blood, and Bone)...it has a bit
to do with Squidward from nickolodeon's Sponge Bob...and Voldemort soup....

This is not an expert opinion...just what I've observed in kids this age.

carole



> ANd wishing and hoping that those who want to ban the books in
> schools don't use *this* as ammunition to keep it out of elementary
> school libraries
>
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