DS wants to read Harry Potter but teacher thinks it'not his level.

[KillBing]

Just that really. DS is in Y3 and twice he tried to take the first Harry Potter book home for reading but apparently his teacher said no as 'it's not his level'. He said he was really annoyed and angry as some of his classmates could ( higher reading level?). Since we have a copy at home buried under a ton of crap I told him he could read it and that's we could look up any word he doesn't understand. Not sure if I should have, am I undermining the teacher or should I encourage DS to read it for fun?

[bojorojo]

Years ago when DD was in Reception she brought home the Ladyburd version of The Diary of Samuel Pepys. More words than pictures and quite a dense text. I queried with the teacher about the difficulty of the book for a 4 year old but I was told to read it to her and discuss the contents. Pick out words she could read. She was reading very well for a 4 year old.

Looking back I think DD would not have been happy to be told she could not have a book and the (infant) school had a "choose what you want" policy for the library. We thoroughly enjoyed Samual Pepys and then visited London to see where the Great Fire started. No-one told her she could not have a book so it is a bit sad that the teacher stifled his enthusiasm.

Reading Harry Potter books do seem to be a competitive race amongst some parents and children though. It sounds like the DC has got caught up in this. I totally agree that other books are very good and should be considered and sometimes reading a book that is easier than your reading age is good fun. Not every book has to be a challenge. A wise teacher said this to me too!

[fuzzpig]

Thanks Sleep I am purely going on series 3 of Friends where Joey and Rachel swap books and she tells him that Beth dies!

I was playing an old board game yesterday based on Around the World in 80 days - anyone know if that's a suitable book to read to an 8/9yo? Or 20,000 Leagues? (I've found a beautifully illustrated version of the latter) I've not read either.

On that topic I was a very early reader, and I enjoyed reading. Because of that I was always encouraged to read the classics, really challenging books. But my comprehension was far behind my ability to read the words IYSWIM. So I gave up easily, and stuck to books that were 'too easy' which I read over and over again. It's a shame really and I worry that DD is the same, so I'm not pushing her to read to herself (she usually writes in bed at night instead).

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

Let him read it. I don't think it will discourage him. He can read a bit and always change his mind. My DS is an avid reader and we had a bit of a minor battle where he was reading books at school which he didn't enjoy and then two or three at once from home and the library. Eventually reached a compromise with school.,
He wanted to read Lord of the Rings, we let him, it was beyond him and he gave up but he still reads a lot. Now he is confident that if he enjoys a book he will read it and if not, it's OK to put it down except of it's a school text and that some books have value in other ways.

[Morebiscuitsplease]

My Yr 3 daughter is into Harry Potter..she struggles with reading as words move and she finds it tiring ( seeing an optometrist this week as EP thinks overlays may help) she has listened to the audio versions. We borrow them from the library, they are great Stephen Fry is the narrator. A great alternative to the book. Hoping in time she will read them. She certainly understands them as is very knowledgeable about all things Potter.

[sleeponeday]

The thing about Harry Potter is the story and world creation are so incredible that a child doesn't need to understand all the vocab to enjoy it, and that is what matters most. Reading books are important because they incrementally build literacy skills, but reading for pleasure is important because it means a child has an incentive to keep going with the reading books! IMO, anyway.

[Meow75]

With the decoding/learning new words thing, there are so many invented words in HP anyway, I don't think it will matter too much, and it's a great starting point for a discussion with about interpretation. Yours, his, the movies.

[KillBing]

Hi, thank you so much all for the replies. Currently nursing a killing cold and feeling very sorry for myself. Will try to read and reply ASAP.

[my2bundles]

Let him read it, school reading levels and enjoying books at home are two very different things. My son reads a wide variety at home which are more advanced than the school level he is on, we are not undermining the school as it has nothing to do with school.

[Cuttheraisins]

Read it at home and if he struggles you can read him a chapter, then he reads one chapter on his own or to you. I still do that with DS (10 years old) when he is reading a long chapter book it encourages them to keep going to the end, and it's a nice bonding thing to do!