Dying characters/HP as children's books

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 22270

Hi --

I'll try to avoid making this a big giant "me too" post since I *am* the
List Mom after all.  <g>  I do want to say a big "Me too" though to
Catherine's post about why it would be ultimately entirely too cruel for
Sirius to die!  And, no, it's not just because I think Sirius is dead
sexy & not just because he's the lead character in mine & Carole's
post-canon fanfic ... Seriously, I agree with Catherine's well-stated
reasons why this character really *should* make it through alive.  Of
course, I do think he is one of the most vulnerable for those same
reasons.

bbennett at joymail.com wrote:

> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., Marianna Lvovsky <mariannayus at y...> wrote:
> > I don't think there is going to be some sort of
> > Armageddon at the end. It's a children's book after
> > all.
>
> I'm not the only one who disagrees with the label 'children's book'.

No, you're not.  <g>  As anyone who's been a member here for more than
say one month will attest, I usually jump right in on this one.

> It was marketed to children, but that's not the same thing.

Caius also points out that JKR didn't write the books (any of them, but
especially not the later ones yet to come) with a target audience in
mind.  I agree.  She's said it a number of times.  The *publishers*
marketed the books to children, but that's a different thing.

> Also keep in mind that by the end of the series, H/H/R will be 17/18.
> Lead
> characters this old aren't featured in books classified
> as 'children's'(I'm not a children's literature specialist, and none
> of my librarian friends are picking up the phone right now. Young
> adult, maybe?).

That's the 143,852nd reason why the decision of the NY Times to remove
the HP books from their Main Bestseller List makes no sense.  You all
thought I'd forgotten that, didn't you?  Nope.  I snarl at my Sunday
paper every week in fact.  Does anyone really think that OoP should be
on a Children's Bestseller List?  What about GoF?  43% of the HP books
are sold to people over age 14.  Yeah, sounds like a childrens' book to
me.  :--)  How old does Harry need to be before the books belong on the
regular bestseller list?  When he's 15 in OoP?  It's crazy I tell you.

> I personally don't think any of the characters are safe, but I'm most
> especially concerned for
>
> A: Harry
> B: whomever Harry might develop a romantic interest in (be it Ginny,
> Cho, Hermione, Pansy, the giant squid... :)

I'm not too concerned for Harry.  I have a hard time believing the
series will end & he will be dead.  His romantic interest (if any) is a
clear target though, as are Ron, Hermione (whether romantic interest or
just friend), Dumbledore, Hagrid, Sirius, Remus, any other Weasley ...

Penny


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