Writing for Children?

[Susan Smith]

No: HPFGUIDX 70403

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pennylin" <pennylin at s...> 
wrote:
> Hi --
Susan (Atropos G.)said:
> JKR is a well read woman-but do we know if she has read or studied 
> the "Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz"? <SNIP>
However, it is way above the head of most youth- and JKR has said, 
time after time she writes for children.  She has said she considers 
her audience to be 8-9 y.o.s. <SNIP>

<NOW Pennylin> 
> Er, actually, I must disagree vehemently.  You have it completely 
backwards.  She's said on several occasions that she has no target 
audience, and she absolutely definitely has never, to my knowledge, 
said that she considers her audience to be 8 and 9 year olds.  If you 
can find a source for that quote from a real interview, I'll eat my 
hat.  I promise.  :--)

<Now Me, A.G.>  You may have to eat your hat, but share at least the 
brim with me-I misled you somewhat-she never specifically says it is 
her *target audience*-but please, look at the facts: She vehemently 
(stole your word)states her books are geared for children 8 and 
older; she states that 8-9 y.o. will be able to read and enjoy the 
entire set of books; and says that her daughter has read and enjoyed 
all of the books.  Furthermore, JKR specifically uses a publisher of 
Children's Books (Scholastic).  She has stated she is surprised about 
the crossover into the adult market.  Finally, she (and a savvy 
agent) sold marketing rights to Warner Brothers (I think?) and she 
makes millions off the sale of children's books, toys, etc. Now, 
please try to convince me she was NOT writing for or targeting the 
children market (audience).

I will concede that as Harry ages, his escapades appeals to an older 
child and teens and adults more.  Too, the adult audience size is 
overwhelming (I know because I am one of them).  I know, you want the 
proof before you start your snack, so here are interview excerpts,in 
date order, sources cited:

Interview on Scholastic.com, February 3, 2000 
Q.  How does it feel to know that millions of kids are reading your 
books? 
JKR: Amazing! I don't think I really realized how many there were 
until I visited the States in October, and met thousands and 
thousands of people at book signings. 

Interview for Scholastic.com, October 16, 2000 
Q.  How would you like teachers to use your books with students (e.g. 
discussion, worksheets, book reports, etc.)?  
JKR:  The teachers I have met who have used the books in the 
classroom have all done so very imaginatively. It's been wonderful to 
see the work students have produced. I particularly enjoyed reading 
essays on what students think they would see in the Mirror of Erised. 
Very revealing!

Q.  Do you think elementary-age children will be able to read the 
other three books in the series?
JKR: Yes, I do. I personally feel the books are suitable for people 
aged 8 years and over. (same question as above-2nd source)

Interview on Barnes & Noble.com and Yahoo!, Fri., Oct. 20, 2000: 
Q.  We came in late and don't know if this question has been asked 
yet. Is your daughter now old enough for you to read the books to 
her? If yes, is she enjoying them? 
JKR: Yes, she has now read all four books. She loves them, which 
makes my job loads easier. She is nagging me for book five already, 
you will be pleased to hear: "Get in your office and write!" 
(daughter was 7 at the time).

Q.  Are you going to get more mature themes as your books age, or are 
you going to keep it geared toward younger kids? 
JKR: I think an eight- or nine-year-old will be able to read all 
seven books. That's my intention. However, Harry is growing up, so 
obviously he will face certain issues an eight-year-old won't. I 
don't think, however, that that will be uninteresting for an eight-
year-old.

Q.  Ms. Rowling, are you aware that more adults read the books than 
children? If so, might there not be a place for a series on an adult 
Harry Potter following the seventh book? 
JKR: I'm not sure whether it's true that more adults read the books 
than children. But in any case, I think I should stop before we get 
to Harry Potter and the Mid-Life Crisis!

CBC Radio's This Morning, October 23, 2000 (CBC)

Lauren: Why do you think you're books appeal to adults, as well as 
kids?
Rowling: I can only speculate about this really, I'm very bad at 
being a critic of my own work...I'm guessing it's because I write 
about things I find funny, as opposed to what I think eight year olds 
find funny. And I suppose other adults find it funny too, I'm clearly 
an adult. 

Rogers: But you do have a child in your life.
Rowling: I do have a child in my life, right at the centre of my 
life, my daughter Jessica. She's seven.
Rogers: And has she read through the series with you?
Rowling: Initially I said I wouldn't start reading them to her until 
she was seven, because I do think some of the themes were a little 
demanding for five year olds. But I cracked and started reading them 
to her at six, because she was at school and she was surrounded by 
kids asking her about Harry Potter. I thought that it was mean, 
because she wasn't part of this enormous part of my life and I felt I 
was excluding her, so I read them to her

Raincoast Books Interview - March 2001
Q.  Has Harry's success shocked you, or did you always suspect he 
would catch on like this?
JKR:  It's really shocked me. No I didn't suspect this. I thought I 
would be lucky to get published. I knew that I'd written quite a long 
book for people of 8 +. That's why publishers kept turning me down, 
they kept telling me the first book was too long. 

Interview on BBC Newsround 27 April 2001: 
Q:  Do you think elementary-age children will be able to read the 
other three books in the series?
JKR:  Yes, I do. I personally feel the books are suitable for people 
aged 8 years and over. Though my daughter, who is seven, has read 
them all and not been very frightened — but maybe she's tough, like 
her mother!

BON APPETIT!

A.G.