Films ruining the pleasure of reading for DD

[OlympicGoldPennies]

DD loves reading and devours books, but she also has a lazy streak! Recently my MIL bought the film of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I had recently bought the book for DD so I asked her not to show her the film until DD1 had read the book.

I asked DD this week if she had started the book and she said she had but then my MIL had shown her the film and now she won't read the rest of the book.

I'm really fed up about this and feel that DD has lost the chance to enjoy such a fabulous story using her own imagination. Also it means that the same thing is likely to happen with Harry Potter, isn't it. I'm taking matters into my own hands now on that front and I'm reading her HP and the Philosopher's Stone at the moment. She's capable of reading it but isn't old enough for it yet IYSWIM (she's recently turned 7).

AIBU to be annoyed? How can I stop this happening again?

My colleague at the library is like you exotic - prefers to see the film first so she then enjoys the books adding to that.

I don't really see many films - in fact the last time I went to the cinema was Harry Potter 6! So not really an issue for me, don't read nearly as many books as I'd like either.

I refuse to watch LOTR films any more because they don't match up to my imagined Middle Earth... I can see how they are amazing films but they are just wrong to me. But while I'm reading LOTR (still on Fellowship) I don't see Elijah Wood et al despite having seen them play the roles. The writing is too good for the movies to take over if that makes sense.

I think that you have to allow for the fact that everyone is different and OP is expecting her DD to be like her.

The one that I hope to control is 101 Dalmatians!

I am a big believer in book before film, mainly because I love reading and when I was young almost 'lived' in the books I was reading. I loved Narnia, and Anne of Green Gables,and was nervous about the film versions because I didn't want them to mess with what was in my head. I learnt that some films can be great, some dire, but they don't change your memory of the book. So I won't be too dogmatic about most things (I hope).

However, I also adored 101 Dalmatians and it's sequel, The Starlight Barking. And years later I saw the Glenn Close thing, and couldn't believe the mess they'd made of it. And the Disney sequel (102 Dalmatians)? Absolute shite of a disaster. What has made me determined that DD and I will read the books together first is the number of people who didn't realise that the books were actually not for young kids at all, but quite complex stories (with quite complex language) for older children because they saw the disney thing and thought that at 8 or so they had out-grown it. And as a result, never came to the books at all - I know of no-one other than my sister who read the Starlight Barking which is a massive shame. So because it is one instance where seeing the films stopped people reading the book, I will do my utmost to do the reading first!

babybythesea - I read and loved The Starlight Barking - but had totally forgotten about it until you mentioned it just now!

You're totally right about the Disney effect, which is what the HP problem is too, really. Loads of kids that are too young for the book see the film and then never bother.

exotic - of course I'm not expecting DD to be like me, that would be ridiculous! I just know my daughter and I know what she likes and also what she is like (i.e. unlikely to read the book once she's seen the film) and I'm sure any mother on here could / would say the same.

I think it is about wanting her to be like you. You bought her the book, she didn't choose it. You are disappointed that she isn't reading a book that you really like (I think she's too young to read it). So I wouldn't say the same.

I do understand, but I've had to, like lots of mothers here, let go of the fact that our children may not like to read at all. Luckily, your does like to read. But that doesn't mean she has to read every book you supply for her. when you supply it.

People are just pointing out that it's just one book of many

Sorry let go was the wrong phrase. I meant accept that our children may not like to read, or may not like to read what we like/d to read.