Books and Movies - Non-Period [Off-Topic]

[LadyViorica]

So we don't clutter the main costube thread when the conversation starts to wander.

[herewego2]

To continue the JKR conversation, I have really thought about how to share the HP books with my son when he's old enough. I already knew I didn't want to be reading them to him when he was three, like I've known people to do. Then everything happened with JKR and it made me really think about what I want to do. I think children typically aren't super interested in the lives amd views of authors unless it's based on the author's life. I think, while he's young, I can focus on the good lessons within the story, not on the author's hate. If the topic comes up, we can talk about it in an age appropriate way that he'll understand. I talked to a four year old who clearly didn't have it explained to him in a way he understood (claimed the guy who played Harry Potter hates gay people, which to my knowledge is the opposite viewpoint of Daniel Radcliffe). I'd rather explain it simply than have something like that happen.

I think I'd rather he be shocked that someone awful wrote so beautifully about love and acceptance like I was than have him not read the stories at all or have the good lessons I want him to learn tainted by hate.

[DorisWildthyme]

In the meantime, I guess there's always The Worst Witch, which I grew up reading back in the 80s. Obviously they're pitched a bit younger than the HP books (ages about 5-8), and are much shorter, but they are very good. Plus there are a few similarities to HP. A main character who isn't exactly the best student, a kindly headteacher, a strict potions teacher (though not one who bullies kids and is made out to be a "tragic figure"), a snooty rival from a "superior" magical family... As far as I know, the author Jill Murphy didn't have any problematic views (or if she did, she kept them to herself).

There are also several screen adaptations. The notorious TV movie from the 1980s with Tim Curry's "Hallowe'en Song", the 90s TV adaptation (my personal favourite) and the most recent one on the BBC/Netflix.