Harry Potter books

[chris138]

Here we go again!
Personally, as someone who is learning to become a teacher, I personally believe censorship of age appropriate books is wrong, but respect your right as a parent in this matter, as long as you don’t try to force this on the rest of the class. The Percy Jackson books are good reads, and are on the same level as HP, but deal with Classical Mythology, so I will leave it up to you if they are appropriate for your son.

As a parent I think it is irresponsible not to censor eveything your children read, watch on tv, sites on the computer, listen to on the radio(MP3 player) etc. especially a young child. As our schools are pushing all this politically correct garbage one needs to be aware of what their children are being taught and what they read. We are responsible for our childrens education first and foremost and we are responsible for leading our children to Christ and towards heaven, certainly not the school–this is not their goal. We will answer to God on judgement day in reguard to this.

 

[Joe_5859]

I LOVE Michael O’Brian’s fictional works (and have a signed copy of one of his books- he’s a wonderful person), but I do disagree with his personal take on Harry Potter. I suggested in another post on this thread (actually the post just before this one) a great book (by a Catholic homeschooling mom) that takes a deep look into HP books (and the movies) and it’s a more balanced approach than what Mr. O’Brien provides. I have “A Landscape With Dragons” also, and it has a great book list in it that includes fantasy fiction choices other than HP. But I still disagree with O’Brien’s take on Harry

I agree with your disagreement () and I also greatly enjoyed Nancy Carpentier-Brown’s book. I thought the OP might appreciate knowing O’Brien’s stance if she’s not up for re-evaluating her position on Harry Potter.

 

[kbachler]

As a parent I think it is irresponsible not to censor eveything your children read, watch on tv, sites on the computer, listen to on the radio(MP3 player) etc. especially a young child. As our schools are pushing all this politically correct garbage one needs to be aware of what their children are being taught and what they read. We are responsible for our childrens education first and foremost and we are responsible for leading our children to Christ and towards heaven, certainly not the school–this is not their goal. We will answer to God on judgement day in reguard to this.

I think there is a difference between monitoring and moderating what children read, and censoring it. The classic question is the censorship of Huck Finn.

I’d rather read and discuss something with the child, and lead them through it, than censor them. That just makes the things on the list more appealing. (I remember someone not being told to eat a fruit once…)

 

[Luna_Lovecraft]

I’d rather read and discuss something with the child, and lead them through it, than censor them. That just makes the things on the list more appealing. (I remember someone not being told to eat a fruit once…)

I agree 100%. Literature is such a powerful platform to discuss all kinds of life issues with children.

My husband and I read HP to his daughters starting the autumn they were in first grade. We finished the the seventh book when they were in third. We as a family had some pretty profound conversations about love, loss, death, re-birth, loyalty, and duty. We cried together. We invented some inside jokes. The Halloween the girls were in second grade my husband dressed up as Valdemort and the girls as his little Death Eaters. It was so cute.

Three years after we finished Deathly Hallows the girls had to write a reflective essay for their teacher about their favorite memory. Independent of each other they both wrote about reading Harry Potter with their dad.

Luna

 

[Catholic90]

I agree 100%. Literature is such a powerful platform to discuss all kinds of life issues with children.

My husband and I read HP to his daughters starting the autumn they were in first grade. We finished the the seventh book when they were in third. We as a family had some pretty profound conversations about love, loss, death, re-birth, loyalty, and duty. We cried together. We invented some inside jokes. The Halloween the girls were in second grade my husband dressed up as Valdemort and the girls as his little Death Eaters. It was so cute.

Three years after we finished Deathly Hallows the girls had to write a reflective essay for their teacher about their favorite memory. Independent of each other they both wrote about reading Harry Potter with their dad.

Luna

I LOVE that you guys have this memory!

I read the first book to my boys the year it came out. Then each time a new book was released, I read it out loud to them. It is a memory we all share, and one that we all value. The last book I read out loud to my teenage boys!

 

[Luvz2travel]

Oh gosh not another HP thread! :nope:

 

[Irish_Eyes_826]

I LOVE that you guys have this memory!

I read the first book to my boys the year it came out. Then each time a new book was released, I read it out loud to them. It is a memory we all share, and one that we all value. The last book I read out loud to my teenage boys!

I also have these memories regarding HP. My dad started to read it to my brothers and I when we were little. We had a lot of great and really deep discussions about them as time went on.

HP iwas also a big part of my final year of high school. I took AP English and the class was full of HP nerds like myself (AP Lit, go figure ) We often got very sidetracked discussing literary terms in relation to HP. I also took a theology in film class. Since my teacher is a pushover for fantasy we convinced him to take the class to see ‘Deathly Hallows Pt. 1,’ purely for academic reasons . Then ‘Deathly Hallows Pt. 2’ came out right after I graduated and that was great to go and see with friends. We like to say that we graduated at the same time as HP. Really, the books are such a bonding point for me and my friends and brought a lot of fun into our lives.

 

[Luna_Lovecraft]

Oh gosh not another HP thread! :nope:

I know. If you just went by these threads you’d think there were no other children’s books but HP. I wonder what other members would make of like Lois Lowry or Neil Gaiman.

Or wait, maybe that would just depress me…

Luna

 

[Catholic90]

I also have these memories regarding HP. My dad started to read it to my brothers and I when we were little. We had a lot of great and really deep discussions about them as time went on.

HP iwas also a big part of my final year of high school. I took AP English and the class was full of HP nerds like myself (AP Lit, go figure ) We often got very sidetracked discussing literary terms in relation to HP. I also took a theology in film class. Since my teacher is a pushover for fantasy we convinced him to take the class to see ‘Deathly Hallows Pt. 1,’ purely for academic reasons . Then ‘Deathly Hallows Pt. 2’ came out right after I graduated and that was great to go and see with friends. We like to say that we graduated at the same time as HP. Really, the books are such a bonding point for me and my friends and brought a lot of fun into our lives.

That is awesome!!

 

[Catholic90]

Oh gosh not another HP thread! :nope:

We have not had one on here for what…a month maybe?

I guess she thought it was time.

Why, I don’t know.

Just how many times can the horse be beaten to death? In fact, I think this is all that is left of the horse:

http://images-en.busytrade.com/62691600/HORSE-HIDE-.jpg

It is almost ready to be made into this:

http://hondoboots.com/hondo/catalog/medium/08.jpg

and this:

http://images-cdn.ecwid.com/images/362020/9863641.jpg

 

[Castello]

I’d like to announce my new book… “Harry Potter and the Headcovering Non-Vaxed Tattoo Artists vs Santa Clause” - I will be signing copies in the lobby.

 

[JoArtist]

Well, I am fine with the books mentioned in the OP, but if you aren’t, you may want to try
Madeleine L’engle. I believe she is a Protestant, but she has books that are more fanciful. I know my very young Sister in Law liked her books. I don’t remember how old she was when she read them though.

 

[Catholic90]

I’d like to announce my new book… “Harry Potter and the Headcovering Non-Vaxed Tattoo Artists vs Santa Clause” - I will be signing copies in the lobby.

I would buy one!

 

[mandajane]

I’m not sure what, specifically, about the Harry Potter books you object to (the magic, the lack of any mention of a God, Dumbledore’s sexuality, etc) nor do I know your son’s reading level, so it’s hard for me to make a good recommendation. That being said, I agree with other posters who mention reading books with controversial subject matter to their children, and discussing them as a family.

 

[severus68]

Let me try another tack: I don’t think a teacher should be put into the position of censoring or otherwise controlling what legitimate books (i.e., not porn obviously) that a child may read during free reading time at school. If the parent feels strongly about a specific book, that direction and rule-setting should come from home and the parent, and not put the teacher in the role of reading police.

Exactly.

 

[severus68]

If I were you I would just be grateful that my kid is reading.

Agreed.

 

[severus68]

There is nothing wrong with Harry Potter it’s actually a very Christian message much like most of CS Lewis’ works. Don’t listen to the protestant fundies who continually look for the devil in everything rather than focusing on Christ and find His message.

Harry Potter, the series, is about sacrifice, faithfulness, friendship and how our actions actually matter… all in all a pretty Catholic series IMHO.

Tolkien, Lewis, as other have pointed out, have pretty much the same themes just a different story. Think of Star Wars? Do you have a problem with that? It’s almost the same story as HP… orphaned boy meets aging Wizard (call a Jedi) who helps him fight off an evil wizard (Vader called a Sith) to eventually become a great wizard himself by choosing good over evil to save his friends and the galaxy (rather than a wizarding world).

These are myths that run throughout human history in pretty much every single culture. The Protestants who are freakin’ about HP and have made the biggest stir over the year are the same people who usually say Catholic’s are going to hell because they don’t understand the Church or God’s greater message for humanity so that they could recognize Christ.

Those people say that because we have statues and see a greater place for Mary that we resemble an Isis / Osiris cult. What they ignore how the OT talks about Bathsheba’s place in Solomon’s empire. They tend to say because we ask members of the Mystical Body of Christ (the Saints who are alive - remember Christ said we will never die) that we are breaking OT rules regarding idols and contacting the dead. They fail to note that God told Moses to put “things from Heaven” on the Ark just a few chapters after the 10 commandments and they obviously ignore Christ’s message about Christians not being “dead” spiritually after their body passes. They also fail to see that God enabled Pagans to find the Christ Child while the leader of the Jewish state could not… because the pagan’s were looking for the truth and he, Harrod, was not but rather filled with greed and paranoia (much like Voldermort in HP or the Emperor / Vader in Star Wars)…

Many people fear what they don’t understand, it’s often much easier to bask in ignorance than do research and try to understand the greater picture. God has a plan for humanity and He has laid clues to the Truth of the Christ’s message and the Church throughout human history. I would encourage the OP, and others, to embrace the beauty and glory of that rather than to fear it… and that includes modern day examples of it, like HP, as well.

Joe

Wellsaid. Unfortunately, some Catholics are on the same page as those fundamentalist Protestants.

 

[severus68]

I agree 100%. Literature is such a powerful platform to discuss all kinds of life issues with children.

My husband and I read HP to his daughters starting the autumn they were in first grade. We finished the the seventh book when they were in third. We as a family had some pretty profound conversations about love, loss, death, re-birth, loyalty, and duty. We cried together. We invented some inside jokes. The Halloween the girls were in second grade my husband dressed up as Valdemort and the girls as his little Death Eaters. It was so cute.

Three years after we finished Deathly Hallows the girls had to write a reflective essay for their teacher about their favorite memory. Independent of each other they both wrote about reading Harry Potter with their dad.

Luna

I agree. I have seen the differences between those who were not encouraged to read when young and those who were.

That is great family time creating memories for a lifetime.

 

[jilly4ski]

OP, Harry Potter seems pretty advanced for a 3rd grader. Is your child especially interested in that series or reading at an exceptionally high level for his age? (Not that HP is difficult reading, but the length seems to put most younger kids off).

You could try the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques, my little brother loved these.
I really enjoy the Ranger’s Apprentice series, but again that would be for a slightly older boy. (5th grade as the main character is about 10 at the start of series).
These are in the fantasy genre.

Otherwise Encyclopedia Brown is always good for boys that age, as well as Hardy Boys.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

OP, Harry Potter seems pretty advanced for a 3rd grader. Is your child especially interested in that series or reading at an exceptionally high level for his age? (Not that HP is difficult reading, but the length seems to put most younger kids off).

You could try the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques, my little brother loved these.
I really enjoy the Ranger’s Apprentice series, but again that would be for a slightly older boy. (5th grade as the main character is about 10 at the start of series).
These are in the fantasy genre.

Otherwise Encyclopedia Brown is always good for boys that age, as well as Hardy Boys.

Nah, HP is a pretty simple book (or series of books). I read the first one and wasn’t too impressed. :yawn:

A 3rd grader who reads fairly well can do just fine. They can take it in stages.

It’s not great literature, but it did make some exciting movies (and a LOT of money for the author!). To me, it’s a simple story of good v. evil, just in a somewhat different setting with sympathetic characters. I wouldn’t get freaked out about it. And if my kid wanted to read it, I might read it aloud at bedtime.

I did this with The Hobbit and my sons loved it. I wanted them to know the book before they could comfortably read it. And I got to go through and speak all the characters’ dialect/accents. It’s terribly fun.