Did you know that

[Archaea]

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, studied Classics and frequently uses classical terms in her books. The first Harry Potter book has been translated into both Latin and ancient Greek?

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, studied Classics and frequently uses classical terms in her books. The first Harry Potter book has been translated into both Latin and ancient Greek?

Yes, the books are very well done even from a (non-children's) literature standpoint. I love the references she works in.

My only complaint is that the later books and films are marketed toward children but are really too scary for a lot of kids.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Yes, the books are very well done even from a (non-children's) literature standpoint. I love the references she works in.

My only complaint is that the later books and films are marketed toward children but are really too scary for a lot of kids.

Scary for what age?

They're marketed to the kids who first started reading them over ten years ago, IMHO.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

My only complaint is that the later books and films are marketed toward children but are really too scary for a lot of kids.

I honestly think this has something to do with her realization that at least half of her audience is over 18. I can't back up that figure, but it sounds good.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Scary for what age?

They're marketed to the kids who first started reading them over ten years ago, IMHO.

I agree with your assessment, which is part of the brilliance. That she wrote the characters and the books knowing her readers were aging just as Harry is.

So this works for the kids who read the first book when it first came out and they were nine. But what about the kids who read the first book at age eight just last year, and now want to see all the movies? They're only nine!

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

I agree with your assessment, which is part of the brilliance. That she wrote the characters and the books knowing her readers were aging just as Harry is.

So this works for the kids who read the first book when it first came out and they were nine. But what about the kids who read the first book at age eight just last year, and now want to see all the movies? They're only nine!

You need to terrorize them so that nothing scares them. My nine year isn't scared of anything.

I remember my oldest boy would watch Jumangi when it was first released, only to be terrorized by the Easter Bunny, which FMCoug saw murdered by the roadside.

[Solon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, studied Classics and frequently uses classical terms in her books. The first Harry Potter book has been translated into both Latin and ancient Greek?

Amazing. I figured she had some Classical training since all of the magic words are Latin (funny how Latin gets to be the language of the spiritual and mystical - like the Roman Catholic mass or in the movie Constantine where Latin prayers repel satanic forces more easily - it's not like Moses or Jesus ever spoke Latin but I digress . . . ) but to think of translating something like that INTO ancient Greek makes my stomach hurt. It's hard enough to turn it into English.

Madness.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Yes, the books are very well done even from a (non-children's) literature standpoint. I love the references she works in.

My only complaint is that the later books and films are marketed toward children but are really too scary for a lot of kids.

Rowling is like Stephen King. A lot of folks look down their noses at their work as trashy fiction, but the truth is they have huge audiences for a reason: they are excellent writers.

[il Padrino Ute]

Ned Flanders reading the latest Harry Potter adventure:

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Yes, the books are very well done even from a (non-children's) literature standpoint. I love the references she works in.

My only complaint is that the later books and films are marketed toward children but are really too scary for a lot of kids.

They definetly carry a considerably darker tone as they progress.