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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say no to the 6th Harry Potter book...

536 replies

TabbyTigger · 26/04/2018 17:20

DD is 5. She’s just finished the first five Harry Potter books and, obviously, now wants to move onto the 6th. However from what I and other DCs remember, this one has more mature themes (romance/more detailed deaths) and is generally more complex. AIBU to ask her to wait a year or so before reading it or should I let her try and see how she does?

OP posts:
LoveInTokyo · 28/04/2018 08:51

The films are scarier than the books.

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 28/04/2018 10:15

I think where OP might have rubbed some people up the wrong way is where she repeatedly says there is nothing special about her DD's reading ability, when clearly she is well above average in this area.

I know she’s above average at reading - but that doesn’t make her special/ a genius, and I was pointing that out in the face of posters trying to claim I was lying/boasting. She’s just good at reading for her age - lots of kids at that age are, and lots of kids aren’t. There are plenty of other kids just as good at reading who are reading Harry Potter, plenty of other kids just as good at reading who AREN’T reading Harry Potter, plenty of other kids who aren’t as good at reading at this stage but will go on to be much cleverer/better, and plenty of other kids who aren’t as good at reading at this stage and won’t catch up - but that doesn’t matter. I don’t place a high value on reading as a skill. There are much better things to be “good” at.

One of her friends is just as good at reading - and is on the fourth book. Her other friends possibly aren’t quite as advanced but are still above average, so two have given the first few Harry Potters. They all want to read them to copy, because they play “Harry Potter” in the playground. Once one child in the class reads them the others are surely more likely to try.

And someone asked - she’s at a normal school (in a London) with 60 kids per year group. She’s in year 1. Most of her friends are already 6 - friend on the 4th Harry Potter is an October baby.

OP posts:
LoveInTokyo · 28/04/2018 10:18

OP, I really wouldn’t pay any attention to what some people are saying. Just listen to the advice you find useful and tune out the rest.

TheKimJongUnofFeminism · 28/04/2018 10:35

“She’s just good at reading for her age - lots of kids at that age are, and lots of kids aren’t. There are plenty of other kids just as good at reading who are reading Harry Potter“

There aren’t, you know. It is incredibly unusual for a 5 year old to be at this level. And the chances of there being 4 in one class must be vanishingly small.

Brendaofbeechhouse · 28/04/2018 10:52

I was an 'advanced reader', I read 'Wind in the Willows' when I was six - it was the first time I came across the word bedraggled, and I thought it meant 'bed raggled' i.e. the way you look first thing in the morning, so much for understanding all the words I was reading.

But I am not a lecturer at a 'prestigious university'

Mmest75 · 28/04/2018 10:54

Well sounds like she’s doing great. My daughter is 7 and is reading the first HP and is really enjoying it. She has always been one of the better readers but wouldn’t have been ready at 5/6 ....!
I think if the don’t understand they just get bored and move in to another book

Childrenofthesun · 28/04/2018 10:56

OP, it is fine for you to acknowledge that your child is an exceptionally advanced reader. Maybe it's harder for you to recognise because you say your older DC were even more advanced, but you might be doing her a disservice by underestimating her abilities. I have a 5 year old (in Reception, but one of the eldest) and consider her a pretty advanced reader - she has to have her own box of reading books from another part of the school - but she is a long way from being able to read any of the Harry Potter books from cover to cover.

Grumpbum · 28/04/2018 11:00

I feel a bit mean now as I’ve stopped my Son who’s 7 nearly 8 from reading them as I want him to be able to read them all in a row, he’s more than capable of trading and understanding them on a superficial level but I want him to get and read more into them

Grumpbum · 28/04/2018 11:01

Reading not trading

TheKimJongUnofFeminism · 28/04/2018 11:13

My ds stopped halfway through (I think) book 4 when he was about 8. He said it was too scary. Picked them up again at about 10. Hate the thought of a 5 year old reading them.

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 28/04/2018 11:25

I think if the don’t understand they just get bored and move in to another book

This is exactly what DD does - she’s not interested in just deciding words, she likes Harry Potter because it’s a vivid world and a good story.

And the chances of there being 4 in one class must be vanishingly small.

Surely once there’s one the chances of there being more increases? The others only picked them up because she instructed them to suggested them Grin I don’t think any of her friends could necessarily read the fourth/fifth, but they’re okay on the first two. So there are I think 4 kids in a year 1 cohort of 60 who are able to read the first two Harry Potters. I think my older DD’s year was similar.

OP posts:
TheKimJongUnofFeminism · 28/04/2018 11:42

Frankly, I wouldn’t want my 5 year old understanding the later HPs.

farangatang · 28/04/2018 11:46

OP, it is fine for you to acknowledge that your child is an exceptionally advanced reader

Exactly this ^

From the information you've given, 4 kids in a cohort of 60 is less than 7% of the children in the year group. That is hardly 'plenty' of children, nor merely 'above average' (and ironically coincides with the total number of children in the UK in private education digresses wildly)

FWIW, I was an early reader and had devoured the Chronicles of Narnia series by age 6 (no HP in my day!) My mum, unfortunately, went in the opposite direction to OP and seemed to think I was some sort of genius - time has shown I've just got a natural affinity for language. Sadly this doesn't extend to STEM subjects, which I believe (according to the DfE) are the true measure of 'real intelligence'... digresses again!

ICantCopeAnymore · 28/04/2018 12:15

KimJong - it's really not "incredibly unusual"

LoveInTokyo · 28/04/2018 12:56

I read the unabridged version of Alice in Wonderland at 6, and that is quite hard going for a young child. It’s fairly unusual, but not unbelievably so.

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 28/04/2018 13:12

That is hardly 'plenty' of children

I’d guess around 5-10% of 6 year olds could give the first Harry Potter a good go, which numerically speaking is “plenty”. They just might not want to and might not be ready - DD probably wouldn’t have cared if she didn’t have Harry Potter loving older sisters, and I wouldn’t have let her read the 4th one if she hadn’t had to confront death a lot in her short life. Obviously the next 40% are also “above average”, so there are also plenty of advanced 6 year old readers not ready for Harry Potter yet.

I know she’s very advanced at reading for her age, and quite emotionally intelligent. I just don’t think it means anything.

OP posts:
kateandme · 28/04/2018 13:16

if its about finishing the series as much as anything else I'm thinkin the adult themes as long as other stuff is balanced right at home will just sail over her head and shell just focus on the story.
but I get what your saying for a five year old.but already she is amazing or being able to red them at this age so again it might be different for your daughter managing the next book anyway.

kateandme · 28/04/2018 13:18

I think your gut is telling you to wait.your daughter knows you best and you her so you'll no whats best.
maybe start thining together of another book or series so she wants to move onto it after.
will she kick up a fuss?finding another book for "Hp break" will help and she might be more inclined or even forget the net to by the time she hooked on others anyway.

farangatang · 28/04/2018 13:23

Well OP, if I achieved 5-10% in an exam, I wouldn't think it was 'plenty', but being better at something than 90-95% of others my age would make me feel quite exceptional (by statistical definition).

I guess we differ significantly in our interpretation of how much is 'plenty' Smile

Your DD is very lucky to able to access the written word at such a high level so young - many more years of enjoyment through reading lie ahead!

TheKimJongUnofFeminism · 28/04/2018 13:34

See? You're doing it again. "5-10% of 6 year olds could give the first Harry Potter a good go" is a very different thing to "plenty of 5 year olds could read and understand the first 5 and be asking for the 6th"

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 28/04/2018 13:36

See? You're doing it again.

I’m a bit lost (obviously lacking DD’s comprehension skills Grin) what am I doing??

OP posts:
TheKimJongUnofFeminism · 28/04/2018 14:00

You're saying "oh, nothing exceptional here-there are loads of children like my dd" and using as an example something completely different. A 6 year old having a good go at The Philosopher's Stone is in a different ball park to a 5 year old reading the first 5 books and asking for the 6th.

LoveInTokyo · 28/04/2018 14:09

TheKimJongUnofFeminism

Why are you getting so weirdly het up about this?

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 28/04/2018 14:10

Oh, I see. Well my point throughout has been that I just don’t think there’s anything exceptional about being an advanced reader. It doesn’t mean anything. It just means she’s learnt to read and comprehend quickly!

And there are a number of other kids like DD - there have been quite a number on this thread. It’s not “common” but it’s definitely not unheard of.

OP posts:
wurlie · 28/04/2018 14:25

She must be horrendously bored at school accessing the year 1 curriculum.