I thought since this is a YA group we could have a discussion on HP. I know there is a group out there on it but they don't seem to actual discuss stuff. I am getting excited about the new movie. Here are some pics from the new movie:

http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/movie-sti...

Thanks so much for giving the link Angie. I can't wait until the movie comes out. Hope they dont leave out any scenes.

I also hope they don't leave stuff out. I went to Batman last night and they had the teaser trailer for the new HP movie. Has anyone seen this trailer? It is an AWFUL trailer!

I dont plan on seeing that movie. I'm sick of the remakes.

Here is a link to the trailer then so you can see it:


http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews...

I think of Harry Potter more as childrens than ya. Of course all ages, including me!!!, love the books.

Movies from books, especially those long HP books, leave out tons. There's simply not room to put everything in; they'd be 24 hour movies. Which would be fine with me but not very feasible. Too bad. I have seen all the movies and I think they've done a great job. I wasn't going to see the first one because I loved the book so and didn't want it ruined, but when I saw stills & trailers from it and the people & scenery all looked pretty much as I imagined, I was willing to see it. And I enjoyed it.

After I've seen all of the movies, I definitely want to go back and read HP 1-7 one right after the other, all as one book.

I agree with Lisa -- I think the HP books, even the later ones, are still firmly Childrens/ middle grade rather than YA. Look at the way the violence, love, and coming of age themes are handled. Yes, they're there -- but they're distinctly stylized and/or glossed over, which I wouldn't expect to see in a YA book.

I'm thinking that there is love and violence in HP in the great tradition of other fantasy adventure middle grade series like The Black Cauldron. Plenty of stabbing and love going on in there -- but it's not as tightly and realistically drawn as in a YA like Holly Black's series or Richelle Mead's.

I am getting excited about the HP theme park! I hope it really lives up to the hype. Here are some pics from the park:

http://www.ioacentral.com/resort_updates...

The Batman flick is can't miss! If you like the first two by Tim Burton, this has the same dark humor and action.

The new Batman movie is one of the BEST movies I have seen in a long time. One thing I like about it is that all the actors do such a good job.

I want to go see it.

Did anyone else read the prequel to the HP books that JK did?
Here is a copy of it if you didn't get to read it. Wish that it would be a book!

http://www.hpprogs.com/2008/06/11/jk-row...

Yep, I read it. It was awesome.

Thanks Angie. Now I've read it. Will pass on the link. I also wish that it would be a book.

New HP trailer.. this movie looks so good.


http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harryp...

How crazy is it that this movie is now not coming out until July 09??? "After-effects of the writers strike"? "Widest possible audience"?
I think anytime you release a HP movie you will get the widest possible audience.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12208336...

Potterheads are mad!

eh. no comment. i don't like harry potter...

Um... OK?

Let's start a discussion... what is it about Harry Potter that you don't like? Don't meet too many people who don't like it a little bit. So it would be interesting to see what you don't like. How many books have you read?

you mean how many of the books in the series?

Yea I am curious how many books from the series did you read (did you get past the first one). Sometimes if a series is real bad I won't even get past the first one. It just feels like a waste of time. My favorite books in the HP series happen later then the first book.

I read the first two and a half books, and I decided that it wasn't worth it. I just didn't get what the hype was about. The writing style was amateur, and I didn't feel for the characters. The story didn't appeal to me. Maybe someday I'll try them again. But I find a series kinda pointless if it doesn't hook you from the beginning.

I LOVE the Harry Potter books! I think the entire series is fabulous and I can't even begin to imagine how JK Rowling came up and executed it all so brilliantly!
I think one of the reasons the books do so well is because both the plots AND the characters are fantastically detailed! Plus, we never know what information we are learning because it's pivotal to the plot or to Harry's personal growth.
Frankly, I'd be happy to just read about a whole summer of Harry, Ron, and Hermione even if there wasn't any Voldemort because I love the trio so much!:)
I've reread all 7 books now, and plan to start through the set from the beginning.
Also, I adore the movies!!! I think the casting is great and (for the most part) have been satisfied with what's been cut for the movies. I mean, I'm always sad when something is left out, but I understand that everything can't fit into a movie. But, for me, I have to say, that Richard Harris will always be Dumbledore in my mind.
Also, regarding the HP YA/children's subject... I kind of think maybe the series crosses over from children's to YA...??? Anybody else have thoughts on this? I can see the first two books as being more children's than YA, but I just finished DH and I don't really think there's much "children's" in that. It would make sense though, that as Harry ages so does the reading "level" of the book. Not that it really matters, I'm no longer a YA and HP is some of my all time favorite books to read and movies to watch!:D

I can't wait for the new book in December, Tales of Beedle the Bard. I preordered it and got the Deluxe edition from Amazon which is:

Tucked in its own case disguised as a wizarding textbook found in the Hogwarts library, the Collector's Edition includes an exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction, as well as 10 additional illustrations not found in the Standard Edition or the original. Opening the case reveals a velvet bag embroidered with J.K. Rowling’s signature, in which sits the piece de resistance: your very own copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, complete with metal skull, corners, and clasp; replica gemstones; and emerald ribbon. As a special gift for fans, the Collector's edition also includes a set of 10 ready-for-framing prints of J.K. Rowling's illustrations, enclosed in a velvet-lined pocket in the lid of the outer case.


Can't wait to get it. I would also like the 10th anniversary edition of the Sorcerer's Stone. It has a few neat things that are different then the 1st edition. Has anyone read it? I am hoping my library gets it, or I'll just go and buy it. This special anniversary edition features an original sketch of Snape and description from J.K. Rowling as well as new cover art and a four-color frontispiece by Mary GrandPré.

And I do agree with you Ann I think the Harry Potter books do become more YA as they go on. I think the books grow as Harry grows. I mean even look at the lengths of the books. I think Rowling grew into the series as she wrote them. Fabulous reading!

Sigh! The special edition Beedle the Bard sounds WONDERFUL!!! Perhaps I'll have to think about that more seriously! Same with the special edition of SS - I didn't realize it had all that extra stuff in it! How lovely!!:D I'm so pleased that Beedle the Bard is going to be made available to everyone to read! While I thought it was a really neat thing that she made those seven special ones, I'm glad that the replicas will be available for anyone else who wants to read the wizard fairy tales:)

Ann, I was thinking of Harry Potter as more of a children's series, but I agree with you about it moving from children's to ya. #3 gets very dark and #4 has the first death. So, maybe only those first 2 books could be in the children's category.

This all said, I love adult, ya, and children's books and always have. I'm well into adulthood, far from ya , and I adore the Harry Potter books. #s 1 & 3 & 7 made my favorites shelf, which is a small shelf, and all 7 of them are great books.

I also think that they've done a good job with the movies and I'll see the rest of them, but the books are what hold a special place in my heart.

Lisa, ditto. Aside from some classics I mostly read YA/children's books myself. I love the fantastical elements of the YA/children's fantasy books! What are your other favorites? I've yet to find a fantasy series to rival HP - IMO - but I'm always up for trying something new:)

Ann, I really loved Susan Beth Pfeffer's books Life as We Knew It and then The Dead and the Gone. They're more science fiction than fantasy.

A lot of the books I read are not series books.

I still like a lot of books from my own childhood, some of which are dated for today's kids.

I agree that Harry Potter is in a class by itself.

I'll have to think about what I've read more recently...

When I was younger, ya wasn't as much a category as it is today. When I was about 12 I jumped right from children's to adult books, although I never stopped liking books for kids. And now ya is a whole genre, although some of those can be enjoyed by children and most all of them can be enjoyed by adults.

Thanks, Lisa!! I'll have to look into those!:D
Have you read the "Penderwick" books by Jeanne Birdsall? They remind me of "old fashioned" children's chapter stories, but are set in modern times, but they have a classic feel to them, I think:)

Ann, Thanks. Not the my to-read shelf needs any help but those sound intriguing. I'll look up the Penderwick books and I suspect onto my shelf they, or at least the first one, will go.

Edit: Oh. Already there. That just shows how unmanageable my to-read shelf is. i can't even keep track anymore of all that's on it.

What is Penderwick about?

I agree and appreciate the HP discussion and I also agree that HP moves from children's to YA as Harry himself matures.

And I second "Penderwicks" for anyone wanting a cozy, "old-fashioned" tale set in present day. The girls are maybe a bit young for it to be a YA book (I think the oldest is 12) but it is SO sweet and perfect for those of us who wished there were a new Louisa May Alcott or LM Montgomery book to read. Thanks to author Jeanne Birdsall, we have the next best thing!

That's a good point, Kathryn, about "Pederwicks" not being truly a YA book. And great description of the feeling of the books!
In the first one, the four sisters and their widowed father and their dog go to stay at a country cottage for the summer. The book's about their summer but also the character arcs that each sister has. Nothing major, but fitting for their ages. And for whatever reason I felt engrossed in what would happen! They befriend the neighbor boy and help him with his slightly estranged relationship with his mom, they befriend the grounds keeper Cagney who's starting college and has two pet rabbits, there's "adventure" after "adventure" and it's all just really sweet and well written (IMO at least:>). I wasn't *quite* as in love with the sequel, but it was still really good!

My sisters read that and really liked it ...

Did anyone read the Tale of Beetle the Bard? What did you think?

Not yet - probably over the holidays. I'll be sure to post my thoughts though! :D

Angie wrote: "I also hope they don't leave stuff out. I went to Batman last night and they had the teaser trailer for the new HP movie. Has anyone seen this trailer? It is an AWFUL trailer! "

The Twilight Previews had an awesome HP 6 Trailer XD

♥ Brigid ♥ I WON NANOWRIMO!!! wrote: "I read the first two and a half books, and I decided that it wasn't worth it. I just didn't get what the hype was about. The writing style was amateur, and I didn't feel for the characters. The sto..."

I seriously think that in order to get as into them as most people are you would've had to read them in Elementary School. I know adults like them, but its partly because they didn't have books like HP growing-up(thatz what I think at least).

Yea, the trailer I was talking about was one where it was only Dumbledore speaking. There are much better trailers out now!

I only liked movie's 1 & 3. The rest either move too fsat or aren't detailed enough, or they change them too mucho for me.

Has anyone read Quidditch through the ages or Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?

No. I dont think J.K. wrote them. Therefore, I'm not reading them.

J.K. Rowling did write them. I read them and didn't think they were that great. I'll read TTOBTB but I'm not expecting much. I love the 7 Harry Potter books and hope to like Rowling's future books, whether they're for kids and adults. But the HP spin off books don't thrill me; I like the real books/the 7 book series.

She did? I might read the Fantastic Beasts one then...

Yep. She wrote both:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41899...

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11145...

I read both Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts. I really enjoyed both, actually! I mean, they aren't as excellent as HP, and wouldn't stand alone, but if you're an HP fan then I found them great fun! Quidditch I've only read once, but it was interesting enough. But Fantastic Beasts I've read twice and it is highly amusing! If nothing else, the "additions" Ron and Harry have written into the text are hilarious!!!:D (plus, I think the proceeds from these go to charity as well.;>)

Yes, the 3 companion books Rowling's proceeds have all gone to charity so I've been happy to buy them. I'd rather reread HP though. But I'm glad some readers enjoy these companion books.

Yes, I agree Lisa - if I had to choose, I'd rather reread the actual books, too!! But, if you do have the time to partake of the companion books, I think they can be fun. :)

I have read Quidditch Through the Ages and enjoyed it until JK started describing each team. But that was to make the book like an authentic library book. I just picked up Fantastic Beasts from the library and if you are going to read Tales of Beetle the Bard then you will see JK references the Fantastic Beasts book a lot. And the two books I have read (Quidditch and Beetle) only took about an hour to read so they are short reads so worth the time.

I started Beedle last night, and am thoroughly enjoying it! The fairy tales are delightfully amusing, and Dumbledore's comments even more so. I'm trying to savor it and spread it out to the best of my abilities;>