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Harry May Not Cast Spell on Young Readers

Series' impact on number of kids who read for pleasure is negligible

By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 11, 2007 9:55 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Part of the "Harry Potter" series' claim to fame has been the way it reintroduced kids to reading for pleasure, but some educators are skeptical. The percentage of children who read for fun decreases every year as they age, with no measurable impact from Harry. Still, teachers and parents swear that for individual kids, the boy wizard made reading cool.

Part of the problem may be that kids who read Harry Potter books don't necessarily read anything else. Another may be that the longer and longer books turn off some kids who got hooked on the 300-page first volume. And a Stanford professor say reading novels isn't that important anyway—"we’ve overemphasized it."

Seven-year-old Japanese Potter-mania Moka Suzuki smiles at a preview of the Harry Potter's World exhibition at a Tokyo department store Tuesday, July 10, 2007. The six-day event will start Wednesday, July 11 to mark the July 20 release in Japan the fifth adventure for the teen wizard, Harry Potter and...
Seven-year-old Japanese Potter-mania Moka Suzuki smiles at a preview of the "Harry Potter's World" exhibition at a Tokyo department store Tuesday, July 10, 2007. The six-day event will start Wednesday,...   (Associated Press)
This undated photo, supplied by Warner Bros. Pictures, shows Daniel Radcliffe who plays Harry Potter in a scene from Warner Bros. Pictures' new fantasy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The movie opens in theaters around the world starting Wednesday, July 11, 2007.( AP Photo/Warner Bros.Pictures,...
This undated photo, supplied by Warner Bros. Pictures, shows Daniel Radcliffe who plays Harry Potter in a scene from Warner Bros. Pictures' new fantasy "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." The...   (Associated Press)
This image supplied by Scholastic shows the cover of the U.S. edition of the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling's seventh and final Harry Potter book due in stores just after midnight on July 21, 2007. (AP Photo/Scholastic)
This image supplied by Scholastic shows the cover of the U.S. edition of the highly anticipated "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, " J.K. Rowling's seventh and final Harry Potter book due in stores...   (Associated Press)
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Blog reactions

It's the responsibility of parents, not wizards
Below the Beltway

And then there's the crazy witchcraft thing
Shirley Buxton

Potter worked for this woman's daughter
A Suburban Mom Blog

Related coverage

Series is a mixed blessing for everyone who cares about kids' reading habits
Boston Globe

The positive effect carries over
Galveston County Daily News

 
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