When did your kids read/listen to Harry Potter?

[GraciousPiglet]

Hello!

My DS is 6.5. He love love loves stories and books. We have been reading chapter books to him for a while now (he isn't able to read them himself yet). We've read the Enchanted Wood books and many of the Narnia Books. He's also really enjoyed other books but particularly enjoys the fantasy style books. He was absolutely desperate for us to read Harry Potter so we have read number 1 and 2. He has loved them. We've watched the films too.

He is pushing and pushing for me to read the third book to him. I originally said no and he had to wait until he was 7, but I'm interested to hear what others have done. I would certainly avoid the third film for a while even if we do read the book as he finds films a little overwhelming and scary. EG he wasn't keen on the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe film as the white witch was too scary, but adored the book.

I sort of think book 3 is a little scary, but perhaps it's not? Is it actually that scary compared to some the scarier bits of Narnia?

Just wanted to know how others have approached it. He's a very verbal 6.5 year old with a fantastic vocabulary and amazing comprehension but equally he's emotionally quite immature so I'm really unsure.

Young, but I think the later books are utterly wasted on little kids. They definitely fall more into ya category than kids books.

My son used to watch the movies first and then fast forward thru the scary bits for the children. My grand daughter is 9 and a half is reading the books for herself. If you are going to read the book to him surely you could edit as you go and explain to him why you are doing it.

My 7 year old and I just finished book 5 recently. We have been steadily reading through the books since she turned 7 last summer, and it's been great fun. Yes, the scary bits are new, and the death of Sirius shocked her and made her bedtime that night difficult, but this is important learning. And an easing into bigger conversations.

Go for it. If they aren't enjoying it, take a break and come back to it later. The emotional maturity will also come with understanding the bigger themes in time.

My DD had read books 1-3 at age 7. It’s book 4 that gets more grown up IMO (death, much more deception, extended Voldemort confrontation, romance). If he’s managed Book 2 then 3 will probably not be much different.

DD12 is a reader, but she caught a clip on HP when she was younger and since then has zero interest in watching or reading the books. She did enjoy the Nevermoor series so I would recommend them, about a school for kids with magical powers, less dark than HP.

I regret letting Dd read them too young, it ruined lots of other books for her as they weren't as exciting and it took her a long time to get back into reading afterwards.

She read the first 3 at 6 or 7 then the fourth one at 10 I think as it's alot scarier.

I don’t think book 3 is scarier than book 2, BUT book 4 is inappropriate for his age so I would make him wait so you’ve got something to bridge the gap.

I’ve read philosophers stone to my six year old and am making him wait til he’s seven for chamber of secrets. Only really because I don’t want to argue about books 4-7 I want him to enjoy them at an appropriate age. He loved the philosophers stone and has taken to playing Harry Potter etc...

DS is 9 and we are on book 4.

He doesn't understand some parts on the level I do, but still enjoys them in a different way.

I don't remember exactly but I think 3 would be fine, why not just start & see how it goes? Nothing in one chapter is going to scar him for life!

The kids also loved Horrible Histories at that age too & the David Williams books

Azkaban is a very different story from the rest because there is no Voldie in three. Lucky Harry got a break that year. But a flip side to that is that the themes are a bit different too. Not scarier, just more intensr.

My 7 year old has read 1 and 2. I think 3 is a step up (having read them all myself) so we'll have a break now.
4 is quite upsetting and a step up again.

Dd is 8 and has read them all because her big brother has them on his shelf and she helped herself. Not quite sure what to move onto now, which is annoying

There is a lot of middle class competition and boasting about when your dc reads HP, which is hilarious and quite ridiculous. A mum at school nearly fainted with pride that her y2 child had read the first 2 HP books durin lockdown. This is a child who is naturally bright and I must admit finding the maternal excitement a bit exaggerated. It's a well-written story, children read stories, and your child is not exceptional because they bloody read HP age 7

Year 6.

I said they had to read them themselves before they could watch the films. I think you get more from the films having read the books, and the joy of seeing them come alive is fantastic.

The later films are 12s so not suitable for 7 year olds.
The plot lines aren't aimed at 6/7 year olds either.

My DCs were motivated to read the longer later books having read the easier 3 first, so it encouraged them in their reading.

I see no benefit to the children to rush them on to HP too young.

Mine are 7 (almost 8) and 9. We started reading them the HP books in September and finished the 7th one about a month ago. We finished The Cursed Child a week ago.

We have read them several times ourselves so knew that they got darker as they progressed but we decided that ours would be okay with it based on how they'd responded to each one in turn.

My 7 year old has said that the third is his least favourite as he doesn't like the Dementors, but his favourite is the fifth. The 9 year old loved them all but the seventh is his favourite.

Lots of people recommend stopping at the end of the 4th, but imo that's the worst time to stop as it's like the apocalypse has arrived at the end. You need to read on to know that it's okay.

DH and I weren't sure how they'd react to key deaths and were usually both in the room as DH of I read it (it became a family activity to listen to it, very wholesome ) but clearly both of my children are dead inside as they didn't so much as twitch.

Since reading them, they love playing imaginatively and spend hours belting round the garden casting spells at each other.

They've now seen all of the films but we insisted that they had finished each book in turn before watching them. It comes down to individual children though. We allow ours to watch 12s on the proviso that they watch them with us first, as they really wanted to watch the Marvel movies. When we watch the first Avengers with them, we watched the blooper reel and the making of videos too and explained to them that a lot of it was CGI and that it wasn't real. One of the characters in Age of Ultron gets shot and the blooper reel shows him getting up and laughing. This ensured that they know the difference between what's real and what's just for the film. The most important thing is knowing what's right for your child, not necessarily ratings. The Wizard of Oz is a U and DS1 had nightmares for a week!

Like a PP, we don't know what to move onto next now so would love any suggestions.

Yes I agree with much that's being said. I don't want to rush them either. But equally if he's keen I don't want to hinder his enjoyment.

I will just point out this is not a stealth boast... He isn't reading them to himself... So whoever talked about competition, that's not relevant here. luckily his class and the other parents all very down to earth so we've had none of this.

Also I agree that book 4 onwards is definitely too scary for a 6/7 year old so we would definitely have to stop at some point fairly soon.

The nevermore books sound like they'd be good. I will look them up.

This has been helpful though, I think I'll read 3 if he keeps nagging me. But not 4 for sure.

Having just had a quick look we are off to the library to pick up a copy of 'the train to impossible places' and the first how to train your dragon book as I think he'd be keen on those.

I’ve just reread book one myself. Dd8 wasn’t interested yet. She’s a fluent reader but doesn’t like books with small writing

I think she’ll get the most out of them in years 5 or 6 when she can read them independently, understanding the context and vocabulary to a greater extent and enjoy the scenes in her imagination. It will also mean she won’t need to take a few years off before carrying on with books 4+.

Younger children simply don't have the mental maturity or capability to comprehend the later books imo. They're just not old enough to understand the workings of the teenage minds of the characters.

3 is quite complicated as well.. Peter Pettigrew being dead, then not, the concept of Sirius being framed etc. I was in Waterstones yesterday and there are shelves and shelves of brilliant fantasy fiction for preteens that might be a bit more suited. Then you can save HP3 for 7/8 or so. DD is 10 now and has read them all repeatedly in the last 2 years.

Just finished reading Philosopher's stone to my 5 year old, she is absolutely crazy for HP. We bought the most stunning picture version and the chamber of secrets isn't out until Oct this year so we're waiting for that. Hoping they will release them annually so we can space it out like that. Currently doing the worst witch series which she's finding a good substitute.

www.waterstones.com/book/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-minalima-edition/j-k-rowling9781526626585?awaid=3787&utm_source=redbrain&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=css&gclid=CjwKCAjwjuqDBhAGEiwAdX2cj7FQWFkaCkiXZsajQeyFoa-aXgb1Z9nwQLazK4pyb0oJdGCtScvHDRoCoJgQAvD_BwE

I'm with you onbyjis, unfortunately my dd age 7.5 had her class mate tell her he's read the series and seen all the films and who dies. I'm pretty hacked off.

Wizards of Once is also recommended but the language is quite complex and dd has struggled with it. How to train your dragon is better.

I've been reading Percy Jackson and I think they're quite a good level but dd won't try them so I might be underestimating how hard they are. I have enjoyed them!

Re: HP, she's only listened the the book 3 audio book, I've told her she can read book 4 once she has read book 3 and is 8yo.

DD was 7.5 when she read the first book and 9 when she finished the series.

I think the books are wasted on a smaller child if you can’t continue them up to the end fast. We have them also as audiobooks and some are so long, it takes ages to go through and I lost interest half-way through but couldn’t escape as we listen to on a holiday drive to Scotland. I am sure a 7 year old will not make it all through them.

Some of the movies are a 15 actually, so utterly unsuitable and we only allowed them when she read the book and we watched them together.

It is a shame that they are pushed to younger children so fast, there are tons of other more suitable books for them.

My 11 yo Ds has became obsessed with Harry Potter, he’s watched the films numerous times and started reading the books in feb, he’s just started the 4th book.

I have a (possibly stupid) rule that I don't censor books.

I'm quite careful with films. With HP I didn't let them watch the film until they'd read the book.

With the books they started around 7/8 and both had a break - self directed. They both got a bit bored with the start of the order of the phoenix, waited a couple of years and then tanked through from start to finish.

I'd let your child dictate it - if they read it themselves - they'll find their level, get bored if it's too much and talk to you about stuff they don't understand. If you're going to take that approach though, you're going to spend years reading ahead of them so you have some kind of idea what they're talking to you about!