How Harry Potter turned children into readers
How many of us either know children who were completely turned into readers by the Harry Potter series, or were turned into readers ourselves? Here’s an article about this phenomenon:
For everyone in the business of getting kids into books, Harry Potter remains a phenomenon. It was a revelation that fourth through seventh graders would read 600- and 800-page books, let alone reread them. That they would stand in line in the middle of the night - in costume! - to buy a book. That they would endlessly toss back and forth details of the lives of fictional characters, as if they were popular classmates or sports stars. The enormous excitement generated by the series has made publishers see a generation of readers who, even if they are identified as reluctant readers addicted to other forms of entertainment, can be reached with a thrilling enough read.
Since J.K. Rowling’s first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was published in the United States in September 1998, Harry Potter has “persuaded a lot of kids that reading can be fun - an entertainment, a captivating experience,” says Michael Cart, a children’s book author, editor and critic. Despite statistics showing that reading drops off in adolescence, particularly among boys, Cart adds: “It may be true that after volume seven some may never pick up another book, but they have discovered something that might have remained foreign to them all their lives.” And who knows what effect that one intense reading experience will have?
Who knew reading was cool?
Since J.K. Rowling’s first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was published in the United States in September 1998, Harry Potter has “persuaded a lot of kids that reading can be fun - an entertainment, a captivating experience,” says Michael Cart, a children’s book author, editor and critic. Despite statistics showing that reading drops off in adolescence, particularly among boys, Cart adds: “It may be true that after volume seven some may never pick up another book, but they have discovered something that might have remained foreign to them all their lives.” And who knows what effect that one intense reading experience will have?
Since J.K. Rowling’s first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was published in the United States in September 1998, Harry Potter has “persuaded a lot of kids that reading can be fun - an entertainment, a captivating experience,” says Michael Cart, a children’s book author, editor and critic. Despite statistics showing that reading drops off in adolescence, particularly among boys, Cart adds: “It may be true that after volume seven some may never pick up another book, but they have discovered something that might have remained foreign to them all their lives.” And who knows what effect that one intense reading experience will have?
Tags: Harry Potter, harry-potter-booksRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Harry Potter
0 opinions for How Harry Potter turned children into readers
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: