Reading Harry Potter to 8 and 5yr old?

[racinghare]

I read The Philosopher’s Stone book to my sons just before the summer. They absolutely loved it, we read a chapter, then watched that bit of the film, then the next night the next chapter, and the next bit of the film, and so on.

Both of them became Potter mad. We moved onto Chamber of Secrets, and my intention was to stop after that as I think they’re too frightening for my five year old.

In the summer we were on holiday in America and went to Universal Studios to the Wizarding World, and they were begging me on that holiday to start the third book, which we did. I wasn’t reading it at night as didn’t want them to have bad dreams, but whenever we went out for lunch or dinner or round the pool. They didn’t find it too frightening, and started nagging me to do the fourth book.

We finished Goblet of Fire this morning, and they’re both pestering me now to start the fifth book. What do you think? I thought maybe I could not read the frightening parts to him, and just give him a bit of a summary about what’s going on. When they’re enjoying the books so much, and they’re so keen to read and listen, it feels a shame to stop.

You know your children, if you think they can handle it then carry on. My son would have been fine at such a young age but at least one of my daughters wouldn’t have been.

Books yes.
Not films

My son was fine at that age books and films, but some kids are more sensitive. Also at that age they dont take it all in, he's rewatched them a lot since and no kidding some of the stuff he 'missed' when he was younger is quite entertaining.

You know your kid, but I always took the approach that he felt confident to tell me if something was too much. I guess with an 8 year old in the mix, that might be harder to gauge.

Is the 5 year old turning 6, as in Year 1 age? I did the same with my two, starting when the youngest was in Year 1 and finishing the 7th by the time she finished Year 2. Partly because they wanted to watch the films and I absolutely wouldn't let them without reading the source material 😂

The books are actually better than the films in terms of fewer scary bits. I did heavily amend the first chapter of the last book when the Muggle Studies teacher is suspended over the table... And there were a couple of lines I may have rushed through a bit quicker.

When I read Cedric’s death the little one looked so sad I added a paragraph about Harry bringing him back to life. His brother later told him I’d made it up lol and he was okay by that point.

I think there’s only one significant death in the next book isn’t there?

I think I’ll continue, but leave the films for now, I’d maybe the eight year old can watch those with me. He’s 8 and a half and the little on is nearly six

My 7.5yo (year 3) is on book 6 now (reading them himself) and has been fine - I think he’s too immature to properly understand/imagine the sad and scary parts when reading it, but I haven’t let him watch past the 3rd film as I think he’s too young for 4 onwards.

I used them to encourage him to read so I’ve never read any to him. My youngest is 5 (reception) and I’ve said I’ll take them to the Harry Potter studios once she reads book 1 but that’s obviously a while off yet! DC1 read it in year 2.

My DD read them herself at 7. We are currently taking a page each with her siblings (6). It's nowhere near as menacing and sinister as little red riding hood (gender identity, furries, murder, child luring) or the three little pigs (breaking and entering, murder, boiling someone alive)

I think actually the biggest "danger" reading them to young is some stuff goes over their heads... but they then don't want to read them again when older(as they will see them as babyish) so miss out on a lot of the depth. They were aimed at older Primary/younger Secondary.

I've not long finished reading them all to my dd6, for the books with significant deaths, I told her about them before I started the book, and checked she still wanted me to read it, and then reminded her and checked again before I got to the relevant part. I did this because she got very upset when Aslan died in the lion, the witch and the wardrobe, so I thought forewarning her would make it less distressing for her.

Totally depends on how easily your 5 yo gets scared. My 5 yo watched all 6 films when she was 4. I was constantly ready with my hand to cover her eyes lol but she doesn’t really get scared of things on tv/films and really enjoyed them all. Voldemort is her favourite character!

My 8yo has read or listened to all the books. I've let him watch the first couple of films but won't let him watch the later ones yet. I think the rating is PG for the first 3 films (fine) and 12 for the last 4?

Personally I think 5 is too young to read/listen to the later books. It is dark in parts and there's also dating, kissing etc - all pretty harmless but not age appropriate for KS1.

when ds25 was 7 he read all the books to himself. Ds20 wasn't interested 😩

The only thing with the 5th book is that it starts with the dementor attack. I think my son was about 7 when we first started it. He really didn’t like the start and we took a break for quite a few months before he was ready to try it again.

That’s also the one where Sirius dies…I will admit I cried when reading that. You could skip over those bits but I think, as someone else said, they’ll then miss important parts of the story and may not ever re-read. If they aren’t ready for it all, maybe hold off for a while?

Think they are too young.... just done first 3 with my 10 year old and she loved them but no more for a while. Even though she would love to read more I think they get too dark.....
My son is 8 and will again wait a while.

I'd go for it and see how it goes, definitely for your 8 year old. My nearly 11 year old has outgrown HP now and is only reading to himself (he is reading YA books like Naughts and Crosses or classics like Treasure Island now and thinks HP is a bit babyish/bad writing) - it doesn't actually last long especially if theyre good readers like my son, i don't think teenagers are reading them and you've got to get through the whole lot then by about 12/13. I wouldn't watch the films with the 5 yr old as the imagery and tone for the later ones are dark but the books if you read them you can skip a bit or put on a cheery voice or put it down! Also you don't need to do the same for both, could they be an older thing for the older one?

My DS is 7 and we've just finished goblet of fire, desperate for more. He's read azkaban by himself and is more than capable of reading number 4 but as I did with the others I read it to him first so I can monitor him and how he's coping.
He's seen upto film 3, he is not watching anymore for a long time as they get significantly darker.
We have a rule (with all films not just HP) that we read the books first.
You know your children and what they can take, you can also stop mud sentence if necessary. I always make sure my DS knows this chapter/part is scary and I can stop any time he wants, and we can come back when he wants.
If you're not familiar with the books/films I'd really suggest re watching/reading them on your own so you can make a decision. You are correct there is a significant death at the end and death generally becomes much more of a theme throughout the book. There is also a pretty horrible attack by the snake Nagini.

Funny how when you read a fairytale as an adult you realise how brutal they are. Like the hunter being told to kill Snow White and bring the stepmother her heart.

My second son loved Harry Potter. Luckily he was about 8 when they first came out. They he matured as each one was published and read the last 2 or 3 by himself.
Research says the fairytales of the past were good for children as they actually helped them problem solve and some ofvthem were pretty grim. I think the books would be OK, but maybe leave the later films for later.

I agree to a certain extent but the challenge now is getting them to read it before watching it. Otherwise they come back from a playdate and you find they've seen the film and ruined it all.

We've found my DC go through waves of it. So read them through and maybe listen to the audiobooks for a year and then move on and read other books and then a year or so later return and re-read.

My yr 4 child has already finished reading the entire series to himself including the cured child. I considered not allowing him to read further but he could get the books in the school library regardless.

Yr 2 child has watched the first 4 films with him and loved them but 5th is too scary for them.

My four year old is reading biff and chip!

In fairness the older I get and the more Gen z influencers I see I have a lot of sympathy with the evil queen.

Agree. I read the first 4 to DS1 when he was 7, and while he loved the stories with the magic and adventures, during GoF it became very clear that he didn't understand a lot of the interpersonal issues, the growing up/teen angst, even a lot of the subtle humour. He is autistic, but I think even a NT 7 year old wouldn't "get" all of that, or the complexities of the later story arcs. We stopped after that one, and have said he can read OotP when he is ready to read it himself - currently 9 and hasn't gone back to it.

Haha