Younger Readers and Reading

Is Harry too hard for some readers? USAToday.com has an article on children and reading that includes mention of Harry:

Didn’t the best-selling Harry Potter series reignite interest in reading, especially among boys?
Researchers say it did, perhaps for millions of kids. But Richard Allington, an education professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville, calls the series’ popularity a “good reader” phenomenon. It appeals to kids who already read well or who are lucky enough to have a parent or teacher read it to them. “I don’t know that Harry Potter is capturing many of those 15- and 16-year-olds reading at a fifth- or sixth-grade level,” he says.

For struggling readers, the series can be intimidating. It’s written at about seventh-grade level, beyond many middle-schoolers. And at 870 pages for the latest book, that’s akin to the average adult reading The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire for fun.

Much thanks to TLC reader Complexity for the link.