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

[TabbyTigger]

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?

Not heard of those PrincessHairy so thank you - they sound like they might be right up her street!

I read A Midsummer Night's Dream to my Year 2 class, a bit a day, at the end of the day. They absolutely loved it

Yes, but there aren't any megadeath scenes in AMND, are there? Or fatal car crashes, or soul-sucking depression.

Or fatal car crashes, or soul-sucking depression.

She knows people die in car crashes without reading Harry Potter. And I don’t think she related he dementors to depression - they’re just evil characters to her. She dressed up as one for World Book Day!

@PrincessHairyMclary yes yes to the wizards of once. Very popular in our house!

Children shouldn't be allowed to read what they like- yes choice, but not completely what they like. My 12 YO would be reading IT by Stephen King if it was up to her which I won't allow. It simply isn't suitable for children!

Well, it's your child OP. But I wouldn't want to introduce these concepts at such a young age. Plenty of age-appropriate material out there.

The stealth boast/Matilda etc comments are why I never read in public
I read from age 2, and read very fast. I took back a book to school when I was about 6, the teacher called me a liar, said I couldn't have read it and to read it properly. I realised it was causing nothing but trouble and basically dumbed myself down so I wouldn't get told off again
My mum got accused of teaching me to parrot things when I was reading them, she hadn't even taught me to read!
It takes me about 45 mins to read an average size chick lit type light reading book, but if anyone finds out they say I'm lying or not reading it

I read A Midsummer Night's Dream to my Year 2 class, a bit a day, at the end of the day. They absolutely loved it

Yes, but there aren't any megadeath scenes in AMND, are there? Or fatal car crashes, or soul-sucking depression

But there is a whole lot of Sex, I imagine it completely goes over the head of the year 2 class, even less understandable than the relationship crap in HP, but still a story the kids can love.

That's true sirfred. I've just remembered there's actually a rape threat too, made by Demetrius. And that business between Oberon and Titania is not pleasant. Although I think it would all (with the help of the poetry and archaic language) go over the children's heads in a pleasing and musical way. And there are lots of fairies, and a lot of general silliness.

I would be much less happy about the content of the HP books.

I'm a bit of a freakishly fast reader and always have been. Was reading adult age books from young, Mark Twain and all sorts and nothing was off limits on the shelves. (That said, no real nasties on the shelves!) I can still remember not understanding lots of what i was reading, tonnes would have gone over my head... but got the general gist and this is a useful skill in itself.

She might be able to decode the words and technically "read" the books but there's no way even the brightest 5yo could understand the meaning of them.

She just has the patience to plod through a text she doesn't actually understand. What's the point?!

What's the point in reading a book if you don't fully understand and enjoy it.

I think books offer different things at different ages. I read 100 Years of Solitude at 20 (didn't understand it and gave up), 30 (in love with someone from south america, suddenly it made so much sense), 40 (and with 2 small children and a third on the way I laughed at the idea of 'the lethargy of her pregnancy'). I look forward to reading it again at 50 and 60 and 70 and 90 and 100.

Children do still reread, all the brightest kids I know have read and reread HP. I think children don't get as affected by the deaths as adults do and the themes they don't understand slip over them. But they get an understanding of mythology and language and the possible complexity of literature (the day they finally understood why Remus Lupin was called that was lovely), I think they are fab children's books. If she is reading them herself then let her carry on.

You might as well give her 50 shades of grey to read. She'll decode the words but she won't have a clue what she's reading about.

I don't know why people think a 5 year old can't understand what a text is about. Of course they bloody can.

Also, you can get child suitable versions of some of the Shakespeare plays. We have a box set in my classroom and they're excellent.

My eldest had read the first four by 6, and I kept the others back, but he snuck them and read them anyway. He read them all by 7. He wasn't allowed to watch the films until he'd read the books though.
He obviously doesn't understand everything, but it's incredible what he did notice (why certain characters are named how they are, Sirius, Lupin etc. Understood the meaning of spells, lots of the other hidden meanings etc. Got Nocturn Alley, missed Diagon Alley though). It's the mature themes that he missed, but he picked up on these as he re-reading them over and over for the next few years.

He's read loads of books that are probably far too old for him, but there's only so many 'age appropriate' books and he's read them all a million times. I want to encourage him, not put him off reading by restricting him.

@userinfinityplus

Shows your own stupidity and ignorance then as reading ability has absolutely nothing to do with academic advancement.

Bollocks. Of COURSE it is to do with academic advancement if a child is an early reader. And you have the nerve to call ME stupid and ignorant?

Look in the mirror luv!

As I said, don't be bitter and angry because YOUR kids aren't as advanced as others. Makes you look pathetic. And your personal attack on me makes you look even MORE pathetic. Maybe try and read a little bit more with your kids, and teach THEM to read a bit more, instead of flaming me, and projecting your anger

@childrenofthesun

I said upthread that I'm a teacher. I've taught hundreds of children so have a good frame of reference. I have never encountered a year 1 child reading Harry Potter. There are generally fewer than half in Year 3 who could read it. There are obviously parents on this thread whose children could do so but don't pretend that it's a common ability. It is exceptionally advanced reading and no parents should feel that their child is a poor reader because they can't read it.

Well plenty of children I have worked with can read Harry Potter at 5 or 6, so it looks like the standards of teaching in your school aren't too good, doesn't it?

The bitterness and spiteful comments coming from SOME on this thread because their child is not as academically advanced is the same kind of shit I had to tolerate from the mums at school, when mine were light years ahead of theirs academically. Some mums are very defensive and angry when other kids are cleverer than theirs. It's not MY fault my kids are academically advanced, like it's not the OP's fault HERS is.

No-one is trying to make any parent feel bad because their child isn't advanced academically. It's their own problem if that's how they feel. No need to get all snarky and bitchy towards others now IS there?

Quite a few people on here now have said they know kids (or have kids) who can read harry potter at 5 or 6, so people aren't lying. It just suits people to believe they are.

As for calling the OP a stealth bragger; roughly translated that means 'I am jealous and I am going to imply I disbelieve you..'

@TabbyTiger I agree - I don’t think it’s essential a child understands every subtle nuance in a book.

I first read Wuthering Heights aged 9. I adored it and still do but have a totally different relationship with it.

I too have an advanced reader and am totally led by her, we choose books together. James Herriot went down really well with her at a similar age

I'd stArt her on Anna Karenina, and bypass the pulp fiction. It's the only way.

@UserV

My mother had the same problem as you. When a parent came into my nursery school and saw me, at 3, reading a story to the rest of the children she went a bit off the rails and started a vendetta against my Mum for forcing me to learn. She turned other parents against her, she complained to management about them letting children do the job of the staff and was a nasty, bullying dickhead for the first few years I was in school.

In the end my mother moved me but she made her life a misery. All because I could read. Barmy.

"What's the point in reading a book if you don't fully understand and enjoy it."

One of my favourite books as a child was My Family and Other Animals. I read it over and over when I was in Primary school.
I re-read it recently, and was astonished at just how different it was to what I'd remembered. It could have been a completely different book, bar a particular description of an insect in a room in the house. Doesn't mean I didn't love it when I was little though, I just picked out different bits to store in my head.

Also why can't a 12 year old read some Stephen king? It isn't all so bad, I was picking up older siblings copies and reading them at 12. I wouldn't have understood it all but I was fascinated. As an adult I don't bother with much horror and it certainty didn't effect me! I actually recall a ridiculous sweet valley ghost story causing bad dreams instead, would you believe!

Don't some writers recommend Stephen King for such age group?

it's really miserable to be an advanced reader, or a person with academic interests and abilities, and be on the receiving end of eye rolling, disbelief, projection that you somehow think you're better than others, etc etc.

Some adults and some children really enjoy academic stuff and yes, usually they are good at it. What of it? It doesn't mean they are snobby or boastful.

People wouldn't dream at sneering over other innate attributes that people can't help (Height?)

I think it's fine for a child to read a book they are perhaps too young for, as long as they are not upset by the themes. It's okay if lots of things go over their head, as long as they are enjoying the story. Books can be reread at an older age when they will comprehend more and pick up on things that were missed when they were younger.

The one thing that may concern me is what other books children may be missing out on while they are reading books they may be too young for. There are so many wonderful books more suited to this age group that even the most prolific reader may not have read yet.

Well plenty of children I have worked with can read Harry Potter at 5 or 6, so it looks like the standards of teaching in your school aren't too good, doesn't it?

Why do you have such a chip on your shoulder about this that means you have to be so rude? I posted as I did because it has been implied by some on this thread that it's common to be able to read Harry Potter at age 5. There might be people reading this thread who get the impression that it's relatively common to be able to do this and have concerns about their child's reading. I am simply pointing out that it's unusual. Those who do read exceptionally well at such an age do so because of natural ability and access to high quality material.

I have never suggested there's anything wrong with this, just that people shouldn't worry that their 5 year old isn't a good reader because they can't read Harry Potter yet.

@icantcopeanymore

My mother had the same problem as you. When a parent came into my nursery school and saw me, at 3, reading a story to the rest of the children she went a bit off the rails and started a vendetta against my Mum for forcing me to learn. She turned other parents against her, she complained to management about them letting children do the job of the staff and was a nasty, bullying dickhead for the first few years I was in school.

I can well believe it. Unfortunately, although I am sure there are some people who are a bit full of it that their kids are academically advanced, there are way more who are bitter and angry and bitchy when their kids aren't and others are.

I am sure I will be accused of being 'full of it' too, and bragging or being smug, but I'm not, I'm just defending myself against haters, and giving as good as I get.

For some reason, some parents (mums especially) get very angry and bitter and defensive when someone's child is ahead of theirs academically. Maybe they feel they have failed somehow. (I am not saying they have, but I suspect that is how they feel deep down....)