Harry Potter Anyone???

[libertysuzanne 1]

I don't think that JK Rowling is intentionally trying to help children deal with death. It's just a story.

I agree with you Doug that children can and do experience tragic deaths,which we wish they wouldn't have to.

In the case of JK Rowling actually dealing with death intentionally. It is fact not my own personal opinion. During one of her interviews she made it perfectly clear, that she wanted to deal with 'death' as it is something children writers do try to avoid and it was insulting to children.

Of all books I read as a child, there was never any use of death in a realistic fashion, it was all mystical and inside you just knew that this character hadn't died. If there was death it was never a main character, it was someone 'dispensable'.

From the beginning, death has been a huge part of Harrys life. It isn't a case of everything will be rosy by the end of the 7th book, youjust know book 7 is going to be seriously climatic! Well one hopes so, I just hope JK isn't exhausted by it all, to spoil it. Although she has always said that this was going to be a series of 7 books, so she knows where it is going.

[Piper 0]

Of all books I read as a child, there was never any use of death in a realistic fashion, it was all mystical and inside you just knew that this character hadn't died. If there was death it was never a main character, it was someone 'dispensable'.

Charlotte's Web

Old Yeller

(as examples where main characters die in children's literature)

Sure, they were non-human, but it's still a precedent of sorts.

Then there was Little Women.

Death of main non-dispensable characters in not completely unheard of in children's literature. I'm sure I'm missing some other examples. The above were just the first to come to mind.

[libertysuzanne 1]

Personally I would not put 'Little Women' as a children's book.

The same with the Ring Trilogy. THe Hobbit is definitely children orientated (I read it when I was 8) and then they go on to the Rings and it completely moves from child to adult literature.

As you have pointed out the main stories you recall it is non-human characters who die. I am still trying to think of some books that I read as a child where people died and coming up with nothing of any merit.

Isn't it wonderful, how we can get the old brain matter working for us, with interesting discussions.:clap2:

[Wheetsin 714]

I am still trying to think of some books that I read as a child where people died and coming up with nothing of any merit.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. My favorite book when I was a child, I literally read it over and over until it fell apart. The heroine's brother gets mauled to death by wild dogs. Been a while since I read it, but I believe she watches them drag his body away and has to fight them off. Then she has to bury his body. All of this is after watching her tribe's leader get killed on the shore, and the slaughter of several others. Named one of the best American children's books by the CLA.

[Wheetsin 714]

It's been a long time since my "Death & Dying in Children's Literature" class, but there are a LOT of books out there that deal with the subject.

Oh another I just thought of two more that were personal favorites - Bridge to Terabithia and The Last Day of April.

[DouglasP13 0]

Well, this has been very enlightening so far. I hadn't heard that interview with JKR. I guess I'm one of those who watch, or read, things like this to get away from reality for awhile, and I just take things for what they are. It's great to hear everyone's point of view. No matter what everyone's own opinion is, the story still brings us all together.

Oh, and it's good to hear from you wheetsin. I'd love to chat with you sometime. PM me if you want.

[NewBeginnings2018 81]

Douglas - I completely agree that Richard Harris was a much, much better Dumbeldore. The new actor is not calm and collected and angers too easily. Truthfully he almost ruins the movies for me.

Wheetsin - the curtain was a pretty interesting phenomenen in book 5. I'm not sure if it holds any greater signficance, but you never know.

I am going to start re-reading the sixth book. It was not my favorite by any means, but I liked the fact that it gave us some history on Voldemort and tied up a few loose ends. I read through it so fast the first time, I wonder if I'll pick up on anything new this time.

[Turner24 0]

Douglas,

I love the Harry Potter books! I have read all of them at least twice and seen all the movies. I admit it:p

turner24

[DouglasP13 0]

Glad to hear there are several fans out there! Welcome Turner24! And I do agree that the new Dumbledore almost ruins the movies. That is one thing that I actually look forward to at the end of #6, his death. And to be honest Wheetsin, I didn't get the curtain thing either. I listen to the books on tape, and I had to re-read that chapter a few times. Not sure where that one came from.

[angie92 0]

I am a HUGE Potter fan. When book 6 came out my 7yr old and I were at Walmart at midnight. Of course had to have it cause we were leavin for vaca the next mornin.

I personally like the old Dumbledore also.

[piercedqt78 658]

The guy that does the books on tape is great. I loaded them onto hubby's ipod and he listened at work. He has zero time to read so that was a great option for him. He too is hooked on the books. ~Mandy

[dezadoo 0]

hello fellow harry potter geeks!

i love the books and the movies, much to my surprise and movies are never as good as the books! i think dumbledore is dead and will/should remain so. harry needs to meet voldemort on his own, i am unsure of the outcome!

i agree about neville! he is beginning to come into his own and i think will be a MAJOR figure in the last book.

does anyone know when it is finally sched to come out?

one last thing on the movies, i want them to keep the orig cast for the series, if ralph macchio can be the karate kid at 35 then the hogwarts gang can surely be 17 at 25!!!!

[DerickM 1]

"Hatchet" by Harry Paulsen comes to mind. The pliot dies and the boy has to confront the death early on and later in the book as well if I remember right.

There was also this one book...a shipwreked boy and black man from the carribean are marrooned on some island and the boy goes blind and learns with from the man to survive but he man is killed in a hurricane. I can't remember the book or author at all for the life of me right now though. Ring any bells for anybody?

[DouglasP13 0]

Oh yes, the guy that reads the books on tape is Jim Dale. He is amazing. he is actually in the guinness book of world records for creating the 134 different character voices in 1 book, and that would be 'The Order of the Phoenix' If you like himk you should check out some of his other books. I have, and they are just as wonderfully done as the Harry Potter series. His web site is: http://www.jim-dale.com/ They are all wonderful!

And, have you seen the trailer yet for the new movie? It is incredible. Release date is July 13th, and book 7 should be out about that time as well. So much excitement for our world!!!

[Devana 0]

I have really enjoyed all the Harry Potter books. I bought and read The Philosopher's Stone when my son was three, but waited until he was almost eight to read it to him. And I think I've read it to him at least two more times. I've read all the subsequent books to him two times each until the last one. That I only read once. He's 14 now and totally uninterested. He says he would rather not read anything with wizards in it ever again. Bear in mind the multiple readings of the books have been at his request.

Speaking of reading to him, he tells us he doesn't want us reading to him anymore. I can understand that well, however it doesn't stop me from mourning the passing of a wonderful family activity. My husband and I still read aloud to each other, so maybe he'll come to appreciate it again in the future. Right now he says he feels like we're treating him like a baby when we read. I tell him it's just like sharing a movie, only we happen to be in his room, and as well we only read books that all three of us like.