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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:
cloudtree · 26/04/2018 17:39

and the movies since our house rule is that you can't watch the movie until you've read the book

TheHulksPurplePanties · 26/04/2018 17:39

It's your child. You decide if they can handle it. I was an advanced reader and could handle themes that other kids my age would have balked at. At the same time, they loved movies that scared the hell out of me (yet I would read similar). This is your call, not mumsnet. You know your DD.

Fwiw I don't think there's anything in the Poison Prince that wasn't in the Force Awakens and DS saw that twice in theaters at that age.

adaline · 26/04/2018 17:40

She might understand the meaning of the words, but not what's actually happening - the themes, backstories etc.

DragonMummy1418 · 26/04/2018 17:40

Firstly, I am seriously doubting your 5 year old can read those books.

Secondly, what are you doing allowing a five year old to read those books?

MereDintofPandiculation · 26/04/2018 17:41

Are children still able to read a book more than once? I read Wind in the Willows, Secret garden, Alice etc several times over the years, and got different things out of them at different ages. So reading HP "too young" wouldn't be a waste because it could be re-read at the "proper age". But I'm not sure how much children re-read nowadays - there's so many more books available to them.

Unforgiving2 · 26/04/2018 17:41

Brilliant stealth boasting!
No of course not, give her something age appropriate. There are plenty of books without death, peril and romance she could read that would still challenge her, honestly some people 😂😂😂

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 26/04/2018 17:43

Secondly, what are you doing allowing a five year old to read those books?

The first three are unquestionably suitable. 4 and 5 I understand are a bit more debatable, but in light of a family tragedy I think 4 really helped her understand it and while she probably doesn’t understand ALL the themes I don’t think she needs to - she understands the friendships, the good/evil debate, and likes reading about magic and animals and schools.

OP posts:
SomebodysNotInBedYet · 26/04/2018 17:43

I remember being really terrified reading the part near the end with dead bodies rising from the lake and I was 13. But it might not really register with a 5 year old.

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 26/04/2018 17:44

I don’t think it’s that impressive tbh. She’s nearly 6 - her friends are also reading them or have watched them. They all play Harry Potter in the playground. It’s hardly rocket science Confused

OP posts:
FASH84 · 26/04/2018 17:44

I read Anne Frank's diary at nine having exhausted the school reading system and the children's section of the library. My teacher's advice to mum was if you're unsure as a parent read it first or at the same time and make sure she (me) has space to answer any questions and that you're ok with answering them honestly. If your daughter is bright which she seems to be this will continue, enjoy it 😁

Loonoon · 26/04/2018 17:45

I read all sorts of age inappropriate stuff when I was young (but not 5, I wasn't a prodigy). I just filtered out the adult stuff I didn't understand and followed the bits of the story that I did understand. Sometimes when I reread things I am shocked at what I overlooked.

At 5 she probably doesn't understand about 50% of the HP books anyway so I would let her go ahead.

Nothisispatrick · 26/04/2018 17:45

I think 5 is way too young and I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I can't wait to read them with my children, but I want them to actually have a concept of what's going on.

I work with children and meet many smart 5 year olds, none of them would understand Harry Potter to its full potential.

cloudtree · 26/04/2018 17:45

watching the movies is not the same as reading the books.

BobbiBabbler · 26/04/2018 17:46

Is her name matilda?

AlonsoTigerHeart · 26/04/2018 17:46

And why waste time on harry potter, surely she should be on illiad by now.

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 26/04/2018 17:48

I work with children and meet many smart 5 year olds, none of them would understand Harry Potter to its full potential.

But does she need to understand ro its full potential? She can come back and do that. At this point, she’s enjoyed reading about the characters, creatures and settings in the first five.

I think the films are much worse actually - I’ve only let her watch the first two. Three of her friends are definitely reading the books - one was reading the fourth when she came to our house the other day. I don’t think any have reached the 6th yet though, and I will be listening to the advice on here and making her wait a bit before she reads it.

OP posts:
helloflamingogo · 26/04/2018 17:48

Stick to topsy and Tim

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 26/04/2018 17:49

I’m very confused that everyone thinks this is “advanced”... 12yo DD was clearly a genius then Hmm

OP posts:
FASH84 · 26/04/2018 17:50

For those of you amazed she can read Harry potter, it is a series of books for children. Not a particularly well written one, it's stranger to me that so many adults are obsessed with it.

OP has she read any of the more old fashioned books? I loved famous five and Mallory towers as a kid, although it did lead to some questions at school when I described a character in one of my stories as 'a queer fellow'....

Viviennemary · 26/04/2018 17:50

She must be a mini genius if she can read book 6 by herself. But I don't really agree with holding books back from children unless they are really unsuitable for their age group.

AlonsoTigerHeart · 26/04/2018 17:51

No one is amazed she can read it, But that she understands it is another matter

Pythonesque · 26/04/2018 17:52

Both mine could in principle have read them in year 1, but I made the eldest wait till she was 8 and then enforced a break before number 2 on the basis that I wanted to be able to spread them out so she didn't get to the later ones too soon.

I suggest leaving the first 3 available for re-reading, and put the others away till she's 8 or 9.

Has she read all Roald Dahl? (the reading / interest levels of his books vary enormously; my youngest read all his fiction in year 1 and then moved on to the autobiographies in year 2 ... err.....) Enid Blyton? My Naughty Little Sister? Wind in the Willows? Winnie the Pooh?

It's tough restricting an avid reader especially if there are older children around, good luck. Lots of library trips if you can fit them in?

mytittifersungtheirsong · 26/04/2018 17:52

DD 5 just read a whole set of Dickens unaided 🤔

skulks off with Biff, Chip and Kipper band red

Original poster
TabbyTigger · 26/04/2018 17:54

For those of you amazed she can read Harry potter, it is a series of books for children. Not a particularly well written one, it's stranger to me that so many adults are obsessed with it.

Yes - I thought they were originally written as books for primary age and then after their popularity Rowling made the later books more dark.

OP has she read any of the more old fashioned books? I loved famous five and Mallory towers as a kid, although it did lead to some questions at school when I described a character in one of my stories as 'a queer fellow'....

Enid Blyton’s boarding school books are very popular! The Naughtiest Girl series are her favourites though. She’s read I think five (ha ha) of the Famous Five. I’m not lacking in other things for her to read luckily - our house is bursting with books. She’s just become hooked on Harry Potter.

OP posts:
BevBrook · 26/04/2018 17:54

I read Little Women aged 5. Also Five Children and It, and the Hobbit. Did I understand every word? Definitely not. Did I understand every emotion, plot line, reference or conversation? Again, no. Did I understand the general plot, was I transported and delighted by the story and characters, did I learn a lot of new words and slide other ones into my memory to understand when I encountered them again? Yes I did. So I think it is absolutely fine for a child to read a book that they are not going to understand completely, if they want to.

On the other hand, it is true that the later Harry Potters have themes that are maybe too much for a five year old. My son started reading the HPs in year 2.I suggested to him he might want to stop at the third one for a while and he agreed. In year 3 he started reading them again and this time read all of them. Part of me thinks children can decide themselves if they are ready for a book, because I did and was fine, but another part of me would not be happy about my under tens reading the Hunger Games or Alex Ryder, so I don’t know...