HP as childrens' books

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 22283

B wrote:

> A friend just called, a childrens' librarian, and I asked how she 
> would classify the HP books. "Adult fiction," she said, without 
> pause. I asked why she considers them adult fiction and not 
> childrens'. She said:
> 
> *they are much too long to be childrens or young adult
> *the writing is too complicated
> *there are too many sublots

This is a really sad commentary on what children are expected to be 
able to read.

I totally agree that HP is not *only* for children, but this suggests 
that it is beyond the audience the publishers claim will enjoy it.  
There are 6-year-olds of my acquaintance who are enjoying the books 
thoroughly and understanding them very well--they'll understand them 
better when they're 10, and still enjoy them when they're 33 <g>, but 
the books are emphatically not too long or complex for them.

I hope HP has a lasting effect in redefining what children are 
capable and willing to read.  How many times have we heard it 
said, "It's so amazing to see children reading a 700-page novel!"?  I 
hope it will stop being amazing soon and start being a case of 
children looking at long and complex books and saying "Hey, if I read 
Goblet of Fire, I can read this!"

Amy Z