I have, as I expect many of you have, already gobbled up the sixth Harry Potter book. Those of you who have not read it as yet, please relax. I do not plan to give away any of the plot. But I do want to talk a bit about this book, as well as the series as a whole.
In honesty, having waited what seemed a good long time, I wondered if perhaps I had outgrown my desire to read another Harry Potter book. The edge of my seat anticipation seemed a bit missing this time around. The good news is Rowling had done it again, for once started I was enthralled to the end.
The most intriguing thing to me about this series, is that unique in "children's" literature, these books are not a static entity. As I think back on other classic series such as Mary Poppins, My Friend Flicka, Little House on the Prairie, (and yes I know my examples here date me!) it occurs to me that all of those books are, far more than the Harry series, of a piece. I remember at 10 or so reading the first Flicka book--and then rushing to the library to read every single book in the series. Yes, Ken grew up in those books, but somehow no more so than I could understand while staying the same age myself as I read them.
But what Rowling has done, and quite astonishingly well, is to produce a series that grows right along with her cast of characters in both plot and the subjects she addresses. And the thought in my mind is that as a result this may well mean that these books just might not be suitable for any child to slurp down in an all at once close time frame. A six- or seven-year-old for sure is going to love the first book or two--and the others that come after them too. But my question is--are the latter books suitable for that age to gobble up?
My personal answer is no.
Of course they are going to want to gobble them up. There is absolutely no doubt of that whatsoever. But book six, with its echoes of 9/11 and the battle of good versus evil, and the prices we pay for that battle--well it seems to me that that theme requires an older audience both in terms of the ability to assimilate the subplots, as well as the ability to deal with their implications. A long while back Rowling promised that the books would become darker. And as promised they are becoming darker. Very dark.
So what do you do? I have no idea. Withholding a Potter book from a six- or seven-year-old who wants to know what happens next is for sure the literary equivalent of marching through the sugared cereal aisles en route to the whole grain cereals, without yielding to pressure as only a young child knows how to exert on a too-busy guilt-laden parent.
In the best of worlds I would dole these books out carefully spaced by age. In the world we inhabit however, I can only wish you the best of luck in doing that--and, of course, some very good, fun and thoughtful reading yourselves.
For myself, I don't think I will ever prefer Harry to Ken in Flicka--but for sure I enjoyed this latest book very very much. I even managed to read it first in my family--by hiding it as it came in the door, and reading, very carefully. In return I received when done, some very dirty looks from them all when I revealed my perfidies!
Happy Pottering folks!