What age for Harry Potter?

[hopsalong]

I'm an old mum or I'd know the answer myself. I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books. Was looking forward to doing so but WFH means I barely have time to brush my teeth...

What would you say is the right age, and do they get progressively more scary? Someone gave DS the first one over Christmas and he's reading it now. Possibly a little difficult (he was confused about direct speech) but he seems to be enjoying it. Don't want to buy the next though unless assured that he won't be terrified by it!

I'd say 9-10 for the first 3 books. 11+ for the last as they're bigger (in terms of volume) and darker (in terms of content).

Watch the movies if you don't have time to read the books, they're not entirely true to form but will give you an idea of age appropriateness.

Their aimed at when the child is about the same age or slightly younger then the characters. So first book last year primary, then they get progressively aimed at older children/ teens, but some of the books are massive and take a while to read, so the child grows up with the characters.

Tbh I read them all as they came out - first one was read to me when i was about 6 or 7, last one came out when i was 14.

I was one of those "advanced reading age" kids though

The overarching storyline is leading up to a genocide of non magical people so the books get progressively dark.

The books are great, I'd say 9+ and you can keep on reading. Don't watch the movies, they are utter rubbish. It can be sad, the books, but they are not scary and they are bloody brilliant. I started reading them when I was 13 (the first 4 were out by then I think) and I have not stopped since.

Oh gosh, my 8yo on the 6th one now.. He has flown through them, loves them. But I have seen plenty of 8/9/10s reading them all so I'm a bit surprised at the advice. I've read a few of them.

I’ve read the first two with my 8yo, and we’ve had the audiobook of the first on in the car so the 4yo knows the story.
My older ds was upset by some of the storyline in the 2nd one - he gets very emotionally-involved in books, often cries at sad bits (appropriately, I think) and needs reassurance that it will “all be okay in the end”. So after that one we agreed we’d take a break before starting the third as I think (although haven’t read them or seen the films) that that’s when they get a bit darker.

There’s a couple of boys in his class who have read them all, there’s have read none.

We’ve moved on to Percy Jackson and are really enjoying those just now. I’m not in a great hurry to return to HP tbh

7 for the first theee. Then they get a bit darker, so maybe 9.

My 10 year old has read the first two and enjoyed them, I get her to finish the book first and then we watch the film based on that one together, I think she will get more enjoyment out of the reading if the major plot points haven't been spoiled for her beforehand.

I think the first 2 are fairly accessible to good 7 year old readers, younger for audiobooks I guess. Problem is, as others have said they do get darker and the number of deaths in the last couple is high. I also think there are some quite complex themes which completely pass children by. So whilst most 10 year olds can read them, I think they’d get a lot more out of them in their teenage years.

My son started at 9. He loves them and reads them constantly. I was also 9 when the first came out

Depends on the child. Mine 9yo is too scared to read them (we've tried). By my eldest read them all from the same age.

My 10yo got the set for her birthday a month ago and is currently chewing her way through book 4.
My 8yo started the first one but stopped reading it when she started having trouble sleeping...

We read the first to DD1 when she was 5.5 and the second quite recently (she's 6 this month). She was rivetted by them both. She got the films for Christmas and watched them sitting next to an adult.

She cried with laughter at Lockhart in the book

We told her no 3 is a bit scarier and she has said she wants to read it when she's 6.5, which is fine.

She is in Year 1 and a few kids in her class have read them with parents - she def wasn't the first.

Agree with @modgepodge - you need to consider the themes. DD(8) has read the first one and watched the first movie, and we've stopped there.

I frequently see the series cited as something advanced readers read, and parents bragging about it - Dd8 could read them easily but I think the basic premise of being teenagers at boarding school, never mind where the books progress to, is not something she can relate to.

My 7yo has read the first 2, listened to the 3rd on audiobook and I won't let her have the 4th until her 8th birthday. As the characters get older the themes do too so she won't understand the full story. If I had my way I wouldn't have let her start them until she was 9 but all her friends were talking about it and she felt left out.

My 9 year old is on number 5 but has given up - he says its too long and there are too many characters to keep up with. Mind you, that's exactly what I thought so I don't think it's necessarily an age thing!

One of mine read them young was taken by the magic but interest fizzled. The other came to them later in high school and really liked the whole series and enjoyed the friendship themes.

In all honesty suitable for year 6 & above before that they won’t really appreciate it no matter how advance their reading is.