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[CCBC-Net] Harry Potter and Star Wars
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From: Patricia L. Jarrach, Esq. <trish>
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 11:51:33 -0400
Absolutely, HP is first and foremost an amazing series of books...however, do not under estimate the power of the SW books which routinely hit the best seller lists. In fact, I know people who ONLY pleasure read HPs and the SW novels that come out about once every three months. Okay, the SW books might not have the wide appeal of the SW movies (unlike the HP market being so strong in both)...but the SW novels still get reluctant readers to get out there and read. And there is no end in sight for the SW books....also they are written by multiple authors, whose books almost aways get a big boost in sales after a new SW they wrote comes out. SW is more of a silent chain-reaction which pushes struggling readers to read.
I love the HP books and worship JK. What she has accomplished is amazing! But, now that the book portion of the series is over...we need to find other things for these reluctant readers to latch on to. We do not want them to stop reading all together because there is no book 8. Maybe the Young Jedi series is an alternative that should be considered...especially once the rumored SW TV series starts.
Just a thought...Trish Jarrach
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu]On Behalf Of Kathy Johnson Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 10:00 AM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] Harry Potter and Star Wars
I agree with everyone about the widespread appeal that Harry Potter shares with Star Wars. However, one of the things that makes it different is that Harry Potter is first and foremost a book and I have witnessed first-hand it's effect on struggling readers. I will never forget this one boy in particular. As a second-grader he'd been a "big book" kid--checking out a book because of it's size. Reading was clearly a challenge for him. But through that year and through third grade he moved from easy readers to chapter books and then, one day, he returned Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the expression on his face said it all. Not only had he read the book and liked it, but he was now a member of "the club." He could talk about the books everyone else was talking about.
While I'm sure there will be other epics with widespread appeal, I wonder if there will be more books of this scope. The last author I know of with this kind of appeal is Dickens.
Kathy Quimby
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Received on Mon 06 Aug 2007 10:51:33 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 11:51:33 -0400
Absolutely, HP is first and foremost an amazing series of books...however, do not under estimate the power of the SW books which routinely hit the best seller lists. In fact, I know people who ONLY pleasure read HPs and the SW novels that come out about once every three months. Okay, the SW books might not have the wide appeal of the SW movies (unlike the HP market being so strong in both)...but the SW novels still get reluctant readers to get out there and read. And there is no end in sight for the SW books....also they are written by multiple authors, whose books almost aways get a big boost in sales after a new SW they wrote comes out. SW is more of a silent chain-reaction which pushes struggling readers to read.
I love the HP books and worship JK. What she has accomplished is amazing! But, now that the book portion of the series is over...we need to find other things for these reluctant readers to latch on to. We do not want them to stop reading all together because there is no book 8. Maybe the Young Jedi series is an alternative that should be considered...especially once the rumored SW TV series starts.
Just a thought...Trish Jarrach
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu]On Behalf Of Kathy Johnson Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 10:00 AM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] Harry Potter and Star Wars
I agree with everyone about the widespread appeal that Harry Potter shares with Star Wars. However, one of the things that makes it different is that Harry Potter is first and foremost a book and I have witnessed first-hand it's effect on struggling readers. I will never forget this one boy in particular. As a second-grader he'd been a "big book" kid--checking out a book because of it's size. Reading was clearly a challenge for him. But through that year and through third grade he moved from easy readers to chapter books and then, one day, he returned Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the expression on his face said it all. Not only had he read the book and liked it, but he was now a member of "the club." He could talk about the books everyone else was talking about.
While I'm sure there will be other epics with widespread appeal, I wonder if there will be more books of this scope. The last author I know of with this kind of appeal is Dickens.
Kathy Quimby
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Mon 06 Aug 2007 10:51:33 AM CDT
