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JUNE 24, 2005 at 11:00 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: The Los Angeles Times via The Leaky Cauldron
An interesting article
from The Los Angeles Times questions whether readers are still interested in the Harry Potter books. The article wonders if the original fans, now teenagers and young adults, have outgrown the books and if the publishers, Scholastic, have a challenge in trying to keep the series compelling for the original readers who may now heading off to college and jobs.
Scholastic editor, Arthur Levine comments that the books were never for young children:
It's the kind of depth and sophistication that can be appreciated by an older age group as well as a very clear and compelling plot line that draws in the younger children. It's never been a book for very young children. In the early stages we thought it would be mostly 10- to 14-year-olds. The unusual qualities of the book were that even though there's sophisticated wordplay and humor and political satire that is appreciated by older readers, the younger readers are going for the more direct issues of character.
Barbara Marcus, Executive Vice President of Scholastic commented that while they believe they may have lost some fans, that number has been replenished by their parents and extended family:
I believe we have expanded to parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents. And then we have the new readers. The beauty of the children's market is that our readers come into the market and they grow with us. There are new children every year who are ready for Harry Potter.
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Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1208
danradcliffelovr says:
Well I think I did used to be more obsessed with Harry Potter before. But now, I just like it. So the obsession is gone. I'm not a fanatic, but I still enjoy the series.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 3:58 PM EST
Witch
Points: 813
harrypotterfan4eva says:
I will always love Harry Potter!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 4:37 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 91
Duchess says:
They just don't understand. I'm heading off to college next year and I'm more interested now than I was when I started reading them in the sixth grade. Once a Harry Potter fan, always a Harry Potter fan! It's practically a lifestyle for me.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 4:39 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 17
D'sarmy says:
The writer of that article should check out this comment section to see just how interested readers still are. I have found others like me who are in their late 20's to early 30's and we are more than interested in following this through to the end. I recently asked a co-worker if she had read the series and now I have her addicted too.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 4:54 PM EST
Witch
Points: 713
umbridgehater_DanielLover says:
I know im still crazy about harry!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 5:21 PM EST
The Warrior Sorceress
Points: 3333
Devilish Katlyn says:
Pardon my saying so, but what a brainfart! I can't believe the LA Times would write something so rediculous! Have they even BOTHERED to hop on the internet lately? I don't think there's another book series in the world with a following like HP. For goodness sakes, they need to do their homework!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 5:21 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1688
Woodfan says:
Outgrow Harry Potter!!! WHat an absurd idea.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 5:24 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1140
Bex-L-Snape says:
I'm 22, I love Harry Potter and will always will! Even when i'm 70!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 5:31 PM EST
Squib
Points: 136
BonnieWright13 says:
Hello! Is this a dumb question? Of course we'll always love Harry!!!!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 5:47 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2093
rregan says:
haha, I agree, I mean I've out grown alot of things but Harry Potter is definitley different. I was 9 or so when I first starting reading HP and now I'm 14, if anything my love for HP has grown.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 5:53 PM EST
Squib
Points: 188
Triofan4eva says:
Once a fan...always a fan! I will be a fan for ever!!!!!! Plus I think it's the movies that make the books so popular. They're what got me into them. It's easier for a child to watch a movie and become addicted than it is the books. Some can't even read and they can tell you most of what happened! Still diehard fans never aren't diehard fans!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 6:06 PM EST
Student
Points: 203
RavenclawBeauty says:
I totally believe that there are still millions of fans out there! But as with everything in the world-not just books-not everyone will keep their interest in something. There are many people in my school who don't like HP. Me and my friends have grown up with it though, and i know that i will not stop liking it any time soon.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 6:42 PM EST
Ethereal Fairy
Points: 3077
harrypotterfreak_4life says:
Aww I don't think I'll ever outgrow great literature, I mean I love HP.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 6:47 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1076
Daniel's #1 Love says:
I dont know what insane person would have thought that HP books were losing readers but they are VERY VERY wrong.
I love Harry Potter and I know everyone on this site does and that like 3000 people right there and there are other websites that have thousands of people on it and they love HPtoo!
There is also thousands and thousand of people who love reading HP and arent even on a site so I think that we are actually gaining readers. Losing readers, ha! That is such a false statment!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 6:52 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1508
Cute Petil says:
I am part of this age group that they are talking about, and so are all of my friends. I do understand where they are coming from, there are certain aspects of the books and definitely the movie which don't really appeal to us. However again i think that once your a fan of something like this you are always a fan,
'It's the kind of depth and sophistication that can be appreciated by an older age group as well as a very clear and compelling plot line that draws in the younger children.'
This statement is very true, and i think that is why there are such a large age bracket of fans of the HP books.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 6:54 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 464
b34n13 g1rl says:
Of course we're still wild about harry potter! how could you even think such a thing? that's horrible. my fifth grade teacher who was well into her fifties read us harry potter books in class. they might want to research more into that.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 7:21 PM EST
Student
Points: 271
HermioneCat says:
Well pretty much everyone on this site is in the obsessed catagory, maybe there are people who read them and LIKED them but that was it who wouldn't keep reading. My mum being one of those people who read No 1 and got sidetracked and never read anymore. I'll probably cry when book 7 is released because I won't be able to look forward to anymore.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 7:46 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1717
courty says:
At first I thought that article was a joke. I mean, who in their right mind would even suggest such a thing? Apparently the author didn't do much research online - the sheer numbers of us who are avid fans over the age of 18 is unbelieveable!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 7:58 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2185
Potterfan5 says:
I read my first Harry Potter book when I was 14, and I am 19 now.
I think I have grown to like Harry Potter more now, then I did when I was younger, I hope to continue this pattern even after the series is over.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 8:16 PM EST
Student
Points: 232
Moaning Megan says:
Lost readers? Have they seen the web sites? Someone stole the last book and tried to sell it! I started reading Harry Potter when the first book came out and I was 23! I there are a ton of older readers, sometimes I think there is more!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 9:02 PM EST
Prof. of Cultural Literacy
Points: 4499
PowerGranger says:
I expect to see a lot of articles coming out around now with this kind of manipulated twist. Everyone wants to find a hole in the HP series' success. This article discounts almost completely the large base of fans who started reading the books as adults. While it is interesting to consider how the tastes of teens change, I think they're sort of forcing the perconceived idea that teens must let go of "childish" things and that HP is one of those childish things.
I picked up the books at age 30, my brother at 28 and my mom (a grandmother) got hooked at 56! We all have some anecdotal evidence to show this article is missing some crucial data.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 9:02 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 22
Rose_Dragon says:
"
Holy Cow not read these books i have already had to buy three other sets because my 2 children and husband keep taking my books. I only hope and pray that it doesn't end with the 7th book. I know i will not be the only heart broken fan to see the story come to an end.
[b]ROSE_DRAGON
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 9:44 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 83
DOBBY! says:
I will read Harry Potter until i die so take that you stupid magazine!
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 9:52 PM EST
Witch
Points: 955
kab240 says:
I think it's really cool that the books are getting more sophisticated. It's a technique writers have when they know their audience grows up.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 10:07 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1383
Tabitha Black says:
I'll never tire of reading them! I started when I was eleven but now that I'm into my second year of college I'm still a huge fan. I say it's hard to grow out of them. At least for me that is...hahaha
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 10:13 PM EST
Witch
Points: 622
Becky Moody says:
I'm pretty sure that all of us original fan people are still interested in Harry Potter!! Gees...we've grown up with the characters (since I got the first one when I was 11, I'm 16 as the characters in HBP are 16). So we'll be still interested in them. And I think those who wrote the article are wrong. The plot is getting a lot more intense with the deaths and the war and killing. So kids are less going ot be interested (and so are their parents) right? I dunno..maybe that's just me.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 11:27 PM EST
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