Harry Potter ... love it or hate it?

[Geneviene]

There are soooooooo many books out there that are great kids books, but they don't have the big media hype machine behind them like Harry Potter so they get overlooked. Most of them predate HP by a wide margin. When I was a kid our school had a book club, you had to read a certain number of Newberry award books and write a brief review of each book. If you met the quota of books by the end of the year you got a trip to Six Flags. I found that was an awesome motivation to read, personally- I always had my quota of books done by Christmas break, lol. I read a shitton of books, all either Newberry winners or Newberry honors. That's a whole lot of good kids books. Some are fantasy stories that have been made into movies following the Harry Potter craze (though I doubt they'll keep the original ending to A Bridge to Terabithia, or at least I'll be VERY surprised if they do).

Everybody who says that kids books are dumbed down and Harry Potter is refreshing because it tackles harder issues; you've been reading too many Goosebumps. There's no way you could read a book like Where the Red Fern Grows and say that kids books don't tackle hard issues. The problem is that too many kids (and adults!) are inundated by shallow, vapid media, and it takes a good dose of media hype to get them interested in anything other that schlock stories. Harry Potter has gotten that hype, and while the stories are good, they're not the savior of America's youth either. I'm not sure how many kids will be encouraged to seek out other books beides HP, since those books don't have the hype and "coolness" factor. I'm sure that some kids will continue to read good books, but odds are a lot of those kids would have been reading anyway.

Harry Potter may serve to push a few kids into reading, but it's not panacea for America's youth. The best motivation for kids to read is always going to be the involvement and example of their parents. My mom is an avid reader (she seriously has a stack of books in her room almost as big as her dresser) and through her guidance and example I began reading at an early age. My daughter sees me reading all the time, and has already begun to learn phonics and read simple words a full year before starting Kindergarten.

great response! This is the kinda post I was looking for!!

Anyway, I absolutely agree with you. I would hope that parents would use the books as a gateway to more. I know personally, my daughter has expanded her book reading. She reads Narnia chronicles, bridge to terebithia, etc. Books that I refer to as classics.

I also agree that the most important thing with children is example. I am the same, I read constantly (drives my hubby nuts). My local library laughs at me because I keep outreading them!

 

[Excalibur]

The animated version of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is still one of my favorites. I stole the entire series of books from my teacher when I was in 3rd grade; thankfully, I can afford to buy my own books now.

Wasn't talking about the animated version, but yeah, that was good too.

 

[Fellina]

I was bored and looked up a list of all the Newberry books I read as a kid. I'd recommend any and all of them to people who have kids of their own.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (1982 honor)
The Bridge to Terabithia (1978 winner)
Ramona and her Father (1978 honor)
Julie of the Wolves (1973 winner)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1972 winner)
From the Mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968 winner)
The Egypt Game (1968 honor)
The Black Cauldron (1966 honor)
A Wrinkle in Time (1963 winner)
Island of the Blue Dolphins (1961 winner)
My Side of the Mountain (1960 honor)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1959 winner)
Charlotte's Web (1953 honor)
These Happy Golden Years (1944 honor)*
Little Town on the Prairie (1942 honor)*
The Long Winter (1941 honor)*
By the Shores of Silver Lake (1940 honor)*
On the Banks of Plum Creek (1938 honor)*

*All these books were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, along with 3 others that didn't get Newberry mentions. Wilder also became the first recipient of an award in her name for lifetime achievement in children's literature. The Laura Ingalls Wilder medal is now given out every 2-5 years to distinguished authors or illustrators.

I read more than just these books of course, but these are the ones I'd actually recommend, lol. For every book I've read there are at least 5 more phenomenal kids books I haven't read, and that list keeps growing every year.

I think the best kids books are the ones that prompt kids to go beyond the book, and learn more. I remember after reading The Egypt Game I spent a good year learning all about ancient Egyptian history, to the point where I could actually read some of the heiroglyphs and knew the names and depictions of all the major gods. THAT, to me, is what constitutes a good kids book.

 

[Rappa]

There's no way you could read a book like Where the Red Fern Grows and say that kids books don't tackle hard issues.

Greatest book ever. Okay, carry on.

 

[Zephayra]

I was looking through the list of books that won Newbery Medal and I couldn't help but think a majority of them had some pretty sad themes. I kinda got weepy looking at the titles, like Where the Red Fern Grows, and Bridge to Terabitha.

I grew up on a horse farm so I used to read all the Margeurite Henry books (Misty, Black Gold, Justin Morgan had a Horse, etc). I wonder if they're still being read.

 

[Bustaballs]

Harry Potter

Books = awesome
Movies = suck
Games = meh.. worth bargin bin prices

 

[Arctyrael]

I will have to agree with Fellina, with however a lighter side to Harry Potter. Harry Potter grew to fame because of the number of kids that started reading it. It wasn't until the media caught wind of the firestorm of HP sales that it was too late, kids were telling friends "Hey, read this book." Yes, definitely not the only book out there, but I have no problems with it because it did come of its own.

A book probably only recommendable to 14+, The Fifth Sorceress. It has like 1 crazy sex scene in it, but other than that, a good read.

 

[Mariox]

Bound to be some kids that become satenists (as Rowling studied real satenists to write her book).

Bound to be some teens that smoke pot so thay can fly on a broom stick like pothead.

I hate it cause its a kids book and after reading adults books, Hp seems only a shell of a story.

I just think its funny that people assume that kids/adults will suddnly enjoy reading boots (other then HP) by the masses after reading Hp books.

HP books will be a series that people look back on, and wonder what was the big deal. Its not going to change the fact that most kids hate reading, narnia was a much better series and thats mostly forgoten now.

PS. Rowling says harry dies in the last book. But I'm shur any real fan of the series has heard that already. (thats no joke)