5 years old too young for Harry Potter?

[MumUndone]

The first one I mean, illustrated edition. Or shall I wait a couple of years?

[Horses4]

My daughter who has just turned 6 listens to them with her older sister. Films definitely not, but the books are okay. Nearly 9 year old has read first three.

[IHeartKingThistle]

I would originally have said no, but then I started reading it to DD when she was 7 and 5 year old DS earwigged and just loved it. We took it slow, he was fine. He's 9 now and still obsessed

[TeenTimesTwo]

I'd wait, because I feel they will get more out of them when older, and the first time magic only happens once.
I would also definitely not show the films until the relevant book has been read.
There are loads of other books out there which are more age appropriate.

[Neolara]

You could, but a lot of it will probably go over the head of an average 5 yo. They'll probably enjoy it more if they read it later when it's more age appropriate.

[zippey]

I started at 5 but she didn’t really understand or like it, so we gave up after about 5 pages of the first chapter.

Tried again at 6 and now she loves it and is obsessed.

[SpiritedLondon]

Why would you want to? It’s not aimed for that age group. I don’t know why things can’t be explored at a slower pace.

[Singlenotsingle]

It's very popular with this age group. They like Harry Potter fancy dress for their birthday parties. Obviously you have to be very careful and only let them see stuff which is age appropriate.

[Jenniferyellowcat]

It would go over the head of my 5 year old who is more into captain underpants. He watched bits of the film with my DD and quite liked the idea of it (but didn’t really take it all in). My DD has just started reading them at 8.

[steppemum]

It is aimed at older children and much of the complexity and subtlety of the story if completely lost.

I have never understood why people feel the need to read it.
One further problem is having read the first, they will want the rest and the whole series is really, really not age appropriate.

Wait until they can read it themselves. That is the right age. And yes, that may mean they are 11. Good.

[MumUndone]

I'm only considering it as he talks about Harry Potter (having picked it up from school) and I love the books myself, so wondered whether it could be a bedtime story. Wouldn't show him the films, and agree the later books are definitely inappropriate.

[TeenTimesTwo]

I'd say it is too long for bedtime stories and he will need to read it himself when older.

[seething1234]

Ds2 loved the first one at 5. Ds3 (now 5) can't get into. So depends on the child

[IggyAce]

Please wait most 5 year olds won’t get it. I think Harry Potter is one of those books that you need to read yourself and discover the magic and love for the series. My dd read it at age 10 and loved it.

[RiverTam]

yes, it is. Never get the need to force HP on to kids at very young ages. Don't forget the target audience is about a year younger than Harry and they progress in terms of complexity of language and plot with every book.

There are so many wonderful age-appropriate things you could be reading with your DD. I'd kick off with The Worst Witch.

[Zooop]

My dd picked it off the shelf and read it in YR, loved it, and has re-read it and got more out of it since (she’s now 10). I did think it was too young, but she was a good few chapters in when I realised she was reading it for the first time, and it felt too mean to take it off her half-read.

I now think that if it’s not right for them, they’ll just give up a chapter or two in, and it won’t do any harm. I did that with Jane Eyre at 9 (loved the first few chapters, but couldn’t get on with the adult bits), but then came back to the book as a teenager and loved it.

[Hiddeninplainsight]

It is all well and good saying they must wait, but when there are older siblings about, they may not want to. But I do think how it goes down at that age is very much about the child. I read it to my DS at 5 because he was desperate to read it because his sister was obsessed with it. She wanted to see the film but I wouldn't let her until her brother had read the book (or had it read to him). I must be honest, at 5 he was too young. At least to listen to me. I had promised them they could watch the first film (PG). So in the end, he tried the audiobook and he LOVED that. If I hadn't promised them we could watch the film at Christmas I think I would have left the books for a couple of years with my DS. But with an older sister it was complicated. She read it at 6 and LOVED it. So long and short - different things work for different kids and only you can make that judgement.