Children's interest (was: Conspiracy Theories)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 96719

Geoff wrote: 
> Just in passing, one of the younger children of a church family was 
> steaming through OOTP a couple of days after publication and seemed 
> to be taking everything in at the age of 8.


Siriusly Snapey Susan:
Yup, I agree, Geoff.  My daughter asked me to read the HPs starting 
at age 6.  Dubiously, I read her the first, whereupon she immediately 
asked for number two.  I then decided *for her* that she wasn't ready 
for PoA.  She insisted she was, so I read her that, too.  She loved 
it.  I held off on GoF 'til she turned 7, telling her it was awfully 
dark [thinking of that graveyard scene, don'tcha know].  She loved 
this, too.  When I asked her if it didn't frighten her, her quite 
sensible response was, "Why would I be scared?  Voldemort's not real, 
and there isn't really magic."  Natch.

In spite of these successes, I still thought OoP was beyond her or 
perhaps inappropriate for a 7-year-old.  Yet she begged, and since I 
wanted to read it again anyway, I caved.  She lapped it up.  I'm not 
saying she gets ALL of it.  As others have said, these books can be 
read & enjoyed at many levels.  But she has since listened to the 
audiotapes of OoP two times.  

I realize a couple of you have questioned a 7-, 8-, or 9-year-old's 
interest in the lives & adventures of these 15-, 16-, or 17-year-
olds.  Surprise!!  In this family, and in many others, the interest 
is real & of a pretty significant depth.

This, btw, isn't an argument that JKR *is* writing these as 
children's books.  I'm just responding to the question of a couple of 
list members as to whether children are really all that interested in 
and capable of following, particularly, the later books.

Siriusly Snapey Susan