Harry Potter

[Paula]

During the Easter, my son complained that he has nothing to do. So I gave him Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone (well, the finish translation) to read. He finnished it last sunday and is now reading The Chamber of Secrets. At this rate it won't take him long to read all the books.  
What I'm hesitant about is, if I should let him read the later books. The stuff gets bit grim in the last books. He's eight.

[emma]

The books get thicker as they go along... maybe he won't be 8 when he gets to book 7. Or... you could spend loads of money and get a copy of the fairy tales she wrote and sold for charity.

[PastMember]

It depends on how well you feel he would be able to handle it.  My older cousins are eight and nine, but because they didn't have the best life growing up, they get scared easilly.

[Amanda N]

You know your son best and you know his maturity level.  Personally, I wouldn't, but then again, I may change my mind depending on how my children grow develop.

[Jane]

Get him into another series to read in between Harry Potter episodes, thus delaying the reading of the later books a bit.

Is Artemis Fowl available in Finnish?

[Amanda N]

I've never read that series, but my little brother in law has and he really enjoyed them.

[Dana]

The later books get scary, especially for kids.  But each kid is different.  I've known kids who got scared, and some who didn't.  Maybe you should read them first and see if they're appropriate for him.

[Paula]

Yes, we have Artemis Fowl in Finnish. We are also middle of Belgariad, but the library didn't have the 4th book... And he though Jules Verne boring.

[emma]

My cousin who's nearly eight adores 'Horrid Henry' and a series called the 'Secrets of Droon' is going down well. I don't know if the Droon books would be out in Finnish, he had to get some brought from America to complete the series.

[Amanda N]

And he though Jules Verne boring.

BLASPHEMY!

[Cali]

It probably just depends on how sensitve he is.  My son is almost 8 and he loves pirate stories where they make people walk the plank and knight stories where they have big battles.  He also didn't bat an eye at the darkness or death at the movies when we saw Harry Potter 5.  But I don't think he's mature enough yet to understand it all yet, it might bother him more in a couple years... or he could just keep on thinking it's cool, some boys are like that ;)

[PastMember]

My little sister was about that age when she started getting into Harry Potter. It did scare her a little bit, but she loved it at the same time and really enjoyed the books.

[Paula]

Well, he just finished the Chamber of Secrets last night. (Read it in secret after I had tucked him to the bed, 'till 9.)