If David had any social media account, this should be his profile picture.
It so well captures him at this age — always bent over a book.
Actually, either this picture or one of him sulking Charlie Brown-style because I just asked him to put his book down because it’s time for dinner, or bedtime, or time to put on pants and get to school, please.
Then, refusing to put his book down, he stumbles through walking to dinner, going to bed, and getting dressed for school. One must have priorities. We eat dinner every night, but I’ll only finish this page once, MOM!
These illustrated versions of the Harry Potter series are our favorites. The beautiful illustrations make them perfect for reading aloud as a family, and fascinating to look through even for pre-readers.
David reminds me of my sister, who read Gone With the Wind when she was like eight years old. I have vivid memories of her with my mom’s giant blue hardcover copy. Ok, maybe she was 10. (I read it later when I was 30).
Or of his father, who read Siddhartha while we were on vacation. To relax.
David is rounding the corner on the third Harry Potter book. He just started, but he’s already reading it faster than I did. I haven’t read past book three, so I’m taking the advice of others who say it’d be wise for him to stop here and wait until he’s a bit older to read book four — he’s only seven now.
David is hooked; a full-on Harry Potter fan. Since (from what I’ve been advised) he’ll have to wait several years for the next book, what do we do next? What do parents of Harry Potter fans do to help their kiddos while they paaaaaatiently wait to mature enough to handle the themes of the series?
Or am I being crazy and over-protective? Should we just let him read book four?
What are your experiences with your kids?
You should read 4 before someone spoils it for you and then decide yourself. Although, my guess is once you read 4, you won’t be able to stop until you are done!! And you’ll probably decide he needs to wait. But I don’t know, b/c I took my 3 year old to see Star Wars last year. My biggest fear in waiting is that someone will blow it for her and show her a movie before she’s gotten a chance to read them herself. This low-key stresses me out! 🙂
So, totally lied. John got invited to a Harry Potter party the day after I initially commented and it’s his best buddy from school, so I can’t not let him go, just because I don’t want the surprise to be spoiled. So we’re going to read the first one this week … dying here!
Common sense media is one of my favorite websites when I’m considering content for children. Here are there recommendations. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/search/Harry%20potter?f%5B0%5D=field_reference_review_ent_prod%253Atype%3Acsm_book Personally, as an English teacher, I tend to be pretty liberal. I think the heavy content in the later Harry Potter books are the type that addresses mortality and morality but don’t expose children to things like sex and language. Personally, if my child were sensitive and a worry wort, I would wait. If they were curious and a little tough, I would let them decide. While it is important to monitor literary content for our kiddos, I have always felt that it is wise to be a little more liberal with reading allowance than video allowance. Then they feel like a big kid reading a grown up book! It attaches a really nice positive connotation to reading. Read common sense media and follow your instincts! Either way, good for him. Harry Potter is my fav!
Add in a few good series while he waits? Epic order of the seven by Jenny Cote is wonderful! Chronicles of Narnia if he hasn’t started those. Peyt just read The Land of Stories, one topic mentioned in last book that brought up a brief conversation but she loved them. She also enjoyed Series or Unfortunate Events, though I was not a huge fan.
I have been trying to decide when to start them with mine too.
Have you considered collecting the Tom Swift series? Grosset and Dunlap published them, as well as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Key to all of the series was educational content woven into them. I still remember shocking my high school English teacher with my knowledge of Greek gods (pre Rick Riordan) and a science teacher with my knowledge of gold. But, the Tom Swift ones were awash in science. I’ve always suspected MacGyver was based on him. For lack of a better description, think the Hardy Boys with a science theme. But, he might like the Hardy Boys too. There was also a similar one, Rick Brant.
There is also another series they published called “We were there.” They were written from the standpoint of a child 10+ who was present at major events, such as Gettysburg. A companion series was a collection of biographies of historical figures. I think Scholastic has republished a couple of the “We were there” stories.
People tend to think of the Little House books as “girl” books, but she did write about her husband’s boyhood on a New York farm.
Also, Encyclopedia Brown? I know they are still published.
If he likes Harry Potter, he might like the Rick Riordan books, starting with his first ones about the Greek gods. Rioridan initially created the stories to teach his own children, and his students about Greek mythology. Many of the adventures of his characters are based on stories from mythology, as he tried to incorporate the adventures of the gods, not just their names, into his work. I’ve been less impressed with the Norse god series, as he has worked too hard in being inclusive.
I always had a book in hand. I think it is one reason I love history.
Also, for what it is worth, there are a lot of bilingual children’s books, like Dr. Seuss, with both languages appearing on the same page. The children’s books are good because the words are still simple, and one can match the English to the other language.
And, with Christmas coming… National Geographic has a children’s version of their magazine. He might enjoy it.
I was always reading. I can always tell which of my students likes reading, as they have outstanding writing skills.
If girls read Nancy Drew, they also read the Hardy Boys, but I’ve yet to have a male student who read the Hardy Boys admit to reading Nancy Drew. And, poor Cherry Ames. The women’s movement ended the series, which began as a recruitment tool for women into the nursing corp during WWII.
As an adult, I have a hard time finding things to read. I don’t want sex and profanity, which eliminates many adult offerings. I like history, but I don’t always want to read something serious. Oddly, the young adult books don’t always provide a respite from sex and profanity. But, I also like a well written story, not formula fiction. I’ve enjoyed the Elm Creek Quilt series, and some of the cozy mysteries. But, it is difficult finding well written interesting work devoid of sex and profanity.
You can generally find the ones I mentioned on ebay and thrift shops. I found many of them going with my grandmother to garage sales. And, while on vacation, it was fun to visit the places about which I had read.