Children's books?

[crabtree at ktc.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 22302

Penny:
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.

As a fifth grade teacher I am delighted that the children are reading 
the books.  My class has been head over heals for Harry and the
others for a while now.  I have even become known in my school as
"The Harry Potter Teacher."  Fourth graders are coming to me saying 
they hope they will be in my class next year.  I'm waiting for the 
"unhappy-parent-hammer" to fall.  Even though my class always reads 
loads of novels both as a class and independently, it is nice to have
something to point them to that has a little more substance than some 
of the children's literature out there.  

In reguard to the movie, I think the production of the first movie 
will increase the number of kids who want to read the series simply 
because they will become hooked and want to know what happens next. I 
do have some concerns about all of the books being made into movies 
because it will make reading the books pointless for many children. I 
will be encouraging my students to analyze the similarities and 
differences between the literature and the movie, but I'm sure many 
teachers will avoid using the books and the movie in order to
minimize controversy.

Back to the point I wanted to make - there is no way that any child 
could have possibly enjoyed or gleaned as much from reading this 
series as I have.  It is really great to be able to ask the students 
who are reading the books questions that they had never considered.  
It really is an opportunity have them stretch their way of thinking.

Sorry, if I rambled too much.

ProfessorPhlash 

(Who has already planned to leave school early with my 17 year old 
daughter on Nov. 16 to drive 60 miles to the nearest theater to see 
the first screening.)