JK’s Harry so ‘boring’
Filed under Harry Potter, News
retoo
The Harry Potter stories are “boring” and inappropriate for kids, the children’s laureate said yesterday.
Michael Rosen, 62, author of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, said he would not read the books to his own children.
The poet added that JK Rowling’s plots - which have sold 375 million copies - bear no relation to real life.
Speaking during a reading tour of Scotland, Rosen said: “JK is more of an adult writer. My seven-year-old daughter watches the films. I haven’t read the books to her, you don’t want to bore your kids.”
Wow. . . .
Senile
Lydia reply on May 19th, 2008:
rofl I agree!
How surprising that a plot which centres around the world of magic doesn’t bear a close relation to real life…
Going on a bear hunt is surely sooooooo much closer to real life….
While I don’t believe that the whole story of Harry Potter is boring, I do believe that the books are terribly boring and will never read them and yes, I did try. The only relation that the HP books have to real life is that they are, in the end, about friendship, loyalty and love and those are all things that pertain to real life but of course, the story isn’t real life based at all as we all know.
you're stupid reply on May 20th, 2008:
you must be shrooming. If every story we read was exactly like real life than why would we read it. They are not the least bit boring either. You must be an idiot if you think all of them are voring and you only “tried” reading them. The whole friendship, loyalty of love shit is th real-life based stuff.
Amanda...* reply on May 22nd, 2008:
I agree!
I have read all the books more than at least 6 times, and they’re still not boring to me. I think he doesn’t really like the books, but he is saying this just because he is jalous.
Mariela reply on May 19th, 2008:
I couldn´t agree more
I think that the books are actually WAY better than the movies. They’re absolutely amazingly written and the amount of detail and creativity that she puts into them is extraordinary.
But I still love the movies too!
I started reading these books when I was 6 and was obsessed from the minute I started! I think he really underestimates his children and it’s a shame that he doesn’t even let them give it a chance.
And they may not resemble real life in the way that it’s about magic but a lot of the issues it deals with are very much synonymous with things that still go on in the world now. FOR EXAMPLE: the way that pure bloods look down on muggle-borns can be compared to how some white supremisists think all blacks are scum. Or that life vs. death thing that a lot of people in the world have to deal with whether it be a grandparent passing away or having your parents die while you were very young like Harry.
And what the hell? These are FANTASY books, if he wants something that’s true to life he should pick up a realistic fiction. And anyways, when reading HP I always feel as if Hogwarts and magic are every bit as real as they are in the books so I have no idea where this guy is coming from.
well i can sorta see what he’s saying.
I got my first harry potter book when i was 10/11 yrs old and i read the firts few pages and thought it was boring i didnt get wat the big deal was with owls everywhere and so on.
About a half a yr later I picked up the first book and it all made sense to me. I LOVED HARRY POTTER.
MUSC reply on May 19th, 2008:
I agree with you. i started at age 11 and stopped right after the first chapter and when I became 13 I started again and couldn’t get enough of it… It really depends on your age or your understanding of things…
Jess reply on May 19th, 2008:
Yeah,same with me MUSC.I suppose it just denpends on how your kids are.
i thought i was going to force myself to finish book 1 at first but no… i became a potthead.
he’s just making a scene so he can sell whatever that is. >.>
e.c.d.w. reply on May 19th, 2008:
exactly!
We’re going on a bear hunt,
we’re going to catch a big one,
what a beautful day,
we’re not scared.
Now I know that guy is a genius, but really? Harry Potter is not boring. OK, admittedly it may take a bit of patience, which young children don’t have, but it is definately not boring.
hahha!completely..insane!the books are fantastic..and awesome to read..indeed a 100 times over the movies..and i shouldnt be making this comment..lol..but the books are alwiz no 1 to me..then comes the movies…of cuz..some movies r just better adapted than others…but Rosen cannot say hp is a bore?!come on!he’s jealous..of Jo..or HP?
HARRY POTTER IS NOT BORING
Who said this? Some nobody writer? =P Jealous!!
I’ve only got two words to say: Jealous git!
emma reply on May 19th, 2008:
I Agree With You
THE BOOKS ROCK!
SO DO THE MOVIES!
Maru reply on May 19th, 2008:
I agree too =)
RUPERTFAN reply on May 19th, 2008:
DOES FRED WEASLEY DATE ANYBODY IN DEATHLY HALLOWS
WHAT A COCK!
I have to agree with him… i started reading when i was 9 and right after the first page i didn’t get anything from the book i was reading so i putted it away when is was 13 i restarted reading i couldn’t put it away at all anymore. Now i’m a big fan of the books!! So i think he is right.. part of it. i think it depends on the kid… if he doesn’t understand a thing of what he is reading. just put it away for awhile and then start over again.
amy reply on May 30th, 2008:
I totally agree!!!!
I think it was ignorant of him to make those comments, since clearly they are not true - you don’t sell that many books if they are boring and unrelated to real life. However, I do know some kids under the age of 10 who didn’t bother reading all the books because they got bored… so he may be right that they’re more enjoyable for older kids or adults.
I think it depends on the kid. I started reading when I was 15 so I can’t really say whether or not I would have liked it at 11 but my best friend was reading it since she was 12 and she HATES reading. Some kids understand the book better than others
Maru reply on May 19th, 2008:
I totally agree with you =). I start reading them when i was 9, but i don’t really count because i’ve always love reading soo =P
I read all the books and i love them, once i start reading them i can’t stop. So i don’t think they’re boring.
wow what is wrong with you ppl? If he doesnt like books than it is ok has all right to dislake them if he want. But it isnt realy profesional…
Meechie reply on May 19th, 2008:
Yeah seriously though. Who says he has to like harry potter just because we do? he most certainly has the right to his own opinion. It’s not as if he’s the only one who doesn’t like it lol.
This one time, I bet a guy $12 that he couldn’t sit through an entire “Golden Girls” marathon without going to the bathroom once. To make a long story short, I ended up $12 richer, and he died of a urinary tract infection. I felt bad about it for a little while, but all that guilt was wiped away with a trip to the Cold Stone Creamery and a “love it” size serving of Mud Pie Mojo! (Their “Signature Creations” are like heaven in your mouth!)
emmaholloway reply on May 19th, 2008:
HA HA HA HA
if they’re so “boring” then how come they’ve sold 375 million copies?? I he should let his children decide if they’re boring or for adults or not!!!!!! I get he is intitles to his own opinion but he doesn’t have to broad cast it everywhere!!!
Okay whoever this moron was who claimed that the books were boring….dude-COME ON! Everybodies entitled to their own opion sure but to make an opinion like that…an opinion that would cause controversy and attention and then to go and make that said oppinion so public….yea…somebody needs atention. And just so you know…J.K Rowling makes more money than the fricken queen of England..I doubt, very seriously, her books are boring.
hey guys just to let you know he was just on radio 4 saying he was miss quoted on a lot of things so I would believe everything you read.
Yeah, Harry Potter’s boring. That’s why millions and millions of people read it again… and again…
Honestly…
of crouse a 7 year old whouldn’t like them she’s 7 she probley doesn’t understand about the facts that the books bring to older people. i really don’t think the frist thing on a 7 years old mind is love come of it just bacsue one person doesn’t like them there is millions that do. i think it would be funny if when his daughter gets older she loves these books.
i’m going on a bear hunt? come on that book has been boring sence the frist time i read it..
This is where the Harry Potter Zealot’s go on a Crusade to destroy anyone who doesn’t like harry potter.
Some people just can’t stand another persons point of view, grow up!
I didn’t like it when the first book came out. I thought it was boring, and the movies were awesome. Popcorn with your other dear 5th grader friends watching the first movie and blahblah.
Spring break of my freshman year in high school, bored outta my mind I take the 6th book my dad bought me randomly months ago and never touched… and I was addicted.
when I was about 10 years old my dad tried reading the books to me as a bed time story and I’d whine and complain that they were too boring but now I can’t get enough of them! lol. I read them all in under a month and read them multiple times. In my own opinion, I actually think that the entire book series is marketed to the wrong audience. It should be marketed to pre-teens and teens. I find that for the majority of kids, those books (mainly books 4-7) are a bit harder to grasp and understand the true meaning of them and to follow along with all the plot lines. When you’re older, it’s fun because you can notice the little details and make connections and predictions. Younger kids just see the plot line as a whole instead of disecting it. However, there are still those advanced young readers who take on Harry Potter and retain the information even more than some of the teens. It just depends how advanced in reading you are. I do think that the books should be in the teen section of the book store though instead of the kids section.
true dat reply on May 20th, 2008:
that is a very good point you make. The movies are probably better for younger kids. I still think that guy is a bit of a jerk though. I’ve never heard of him, who is he to judge?
Lol, yeah right!!! And I bet this guy’s book is a real page-turner! Crazy old fool.
emma holloway reply on May 20th, 2008:
his book is amazing! It’s all about going on a bear hunt, and going to catch a big one, and its a beautiful day, and they don’t care, and they come across all these things that prevent them going on a bear hunt, but they can’t go under it, they cant go over it, so they have to go through it!
It’s truely traumatic.
I agree with the people who say he’s half-right. My aunt gave me the first four books for Chhirstmas eight years ago, and I thought that the books were SO boring. Now, however, I’m so addicted to the series that sister has attempted to duct tape my mouth shut whenever I talk about it.
can someone say bitter, i don’t rember hearing that he sold 375 million books.
panda reply on May 19th, 2008:
rofl. he’s just jealous. poor old guy.
I love harry potter books!!! are amazing!! that women is jealous!!! and she said that they don’t have nothing of real life in!! but please!!! come on is a FANTASTIC story!! they told about MAGIC!!! if you want something real see the news on tv!!! THAT is real!!! i know that the magic is not real…but im like think that is REAL!! arggg i hate’d this women…she’s only jealous ¬¬
I really don’t understand what all the hype is about really. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion are they not? Sure the books are hugwly popular and are known all around the world but that doesn’t mean that EVERYBODY is going to like them. It’s nothing more than an opinion and having an opinion is okay, that’s what makes us human is our thoughts, our ideas, our decisions, and our beliefs…
Fern reply on May 20th, 2008:
Thank you for being sensible. So one person voices his distaste with the books, big deal, I’m sure there’s lots of others who don’t like them as well.
Well, you know…hunting and killing an innocent bear is way less inappropriate for his children. Pfft…he’s just jealous. And, clearly dumb. How would MILLIONS of copies be sold if the books were boring and no good?
oh okay matie……… speek for yourself. Im pretty sure the fact that most of the world has taken its time to read the Harry Potter series and most of it’s children have finished the books almost in tears wishing there to be more proves that the books are not boring and that your opinion (although every one is sntitled to one) is intirely WRONG.
You may be some poet/genius/retard (of whom by the way i have never before heard of in my life)but that doesnt mean you can go about critizising what has proven to be great work and maybe instead of not reading the books to your children mabye to should let them decide to read them themselves.
DONT TRY TO PUT DOWN HARRY AGAIN OR ILL COME AT YOU WITH A CHAINSAW WHILE YOU SLEEP…….BASTARD
Oh and by the way all the people on here saying that they dont like harry potter & are agreeing with this fool go get some anal sexual intercorse and get off this site. Im pretty sure this site is for fans of harry potter & the like not haters.
Meechie reply on May 20th, 2008:
Who’s on here saying they don’t like Harry Potter? I haven’t seen anyone say that. If anything, all we’re saying is that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Who cares if he doesn’t like it. he isn’t the only one. I bet you don’t like certain things. Does that make you senile, or jealous, or in need of some sexual healing?
boo_xxx reply on May 21st, 2008:
well meechie i saw a couple of people agreeing with the fool at the top of these comments.
>These people say they agree with him
uh oh May 19th, 2008 at 2:34 am
While I don’t believe that the whole story of Harry Potter is boring, I do believe that the books are terribly boring and will never read them and yes, I did try. The only relation that the HP books have to real life is that they are, in the end, about friendship, loyalty and love and those are all things that pertain to real life but of course, the story isn’t real life based at all as we all know.
emma May 19th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I have to agree with him… i started reading when i was 9 and right after the first page i didn’t get anything from the book i was reading so i putted it away when is was 13 i restarted reading i couldn’t put it away at all anymore. Now i’m a big fan of the books!! So i think he is right.. part of it. i think it depends on the kid… if he doesn’t understand a thing of what he is reading. just put it away for awhile and then start over again.
I didnt read there whole comments. but in my opinion if you in any way agree with this guy then you should go else where and stay away from harry potter FAN sites because “potheads” are lyable to get very angry with anyone against harry. Yes there are certain things in this world I dont like (such as murders, rapists, war and bullys. etc) but I go out of my way to give everything and everyone a chance and will never use the word hate for anything if i can help it. (but you wouldn’t know that as you DONT KNOW ME) I didnt once in my comment say he was senile or jealous and (probably as you, again, dont know me or the way i speek) the comment about going and getting some anal sexual intercorse is not suppost to be take literally but simpley means to go away (however I thought my point was quite clear), but sure if u want some sexual healing then go ahead and get some if u can. I recomend doing it anywhere other than a beach (the sand is a nightmare :S). and finally Yes I am aware that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but facts prove his wrong.
thanks
your a tool :]
goodbye.
Meechie reply on May 25th, 2008:
That doesn’t mean they don’t like Harry Potter just because they find the books boring. They are obviously still fans of the movies/story in general so they are entitled to come to fansites should they so choose. Who cares if the “potheads” get angry, they should grow up and learn to take others opinions. I also know you didn’t say that he was senile or jealous, that’s just what many posters have been saying so I decided to include them to show how stupid they sound. And duh dumbass I realized that you didn’t intend for that comment to be taken literally
love harry potter and his friends and supporters reply on May 25th, 2008:
you people who have suported jo throughout the books, i appreciate ‘em!
I mean who the hell wouldnot LOVE to read harry potter books. they are fantasy but they have got a deep relation to life. lesson of: LOVE,SACRIFICES,FRIENDSHIP,VALUE OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP,CARE,FREEDOM;look at fleur and bill’s couple, she didn’t even leave him after he was scarred.
The books show braveness and loyalty. and THESE are the real meanings or life.
so the git who said those insane things about jo and her books, i must advise her to visit a mental hosp. and if not that, just try not to be jealous.
By the way i am 15 now and i have been reading the books siince 11. i JUST LOVE ‘EM!!!!! and if the git who ever says anything about jo, i will make sure that they are blew apart into smithreens by me.
the man is clearly on crack. what is he on. like his book bears much relation to real life.
he is senile lol.
But i guess some people have to hate it for LOADS MORE people to love it. but you’d be crazy not to
This man honestly needs to get her head on straight. But, everyone has their own opinions, and this one is his. The only thing is, he really shouldn’t tell parents to not read HP to their kids, just let them watch the movies and such. HP is anything but boring. If he doesn’t let his kids read HP, he’s cheating them out of having a huge imagination, having a fun time, building a huge vocabulary…and making fanfics about Ron and Hermione(or whoever those kids will eventually ship) and all of their sexual behaviour and life and such… Hey, that’s what we do, I won’t deny it!
I could just imagine, his kids coming home one day and saying, “Dad, I just read the first HP book. It isn’t boring, why did you say that? Are you crazy?”. I could just imagine him going into a fit because his kid read the book and he was totally wrong!
okay how is the harry potter books boring and another how are they innappropriate i dont think that old man knows the difference between boring and fun and why wouldnt he read the books to his children its just entertainment sounds like this man needs his head examined and one thing he needs to go fuck himself
what a betch.
Some really interesting points. I didn’t say the books are boring. I said that my own children (3 and 7) are a bit too young to get the point of the HP books. This seems to be what people are saying here too! Every grown-up makes a choice to help their kids find books that they like. We have the HP books in the house and I’ll be delighted when she gets interested in them. I’ve always said on radio and TV how good the books are for children of the right age. The reporter who reported my story didn’t mention that! As for me, I’m an adult and I’ve read 2 and a half of the books, and that’s enough for me. I read all kinds of books - quite a lot of history, some classic novels by people like Dickens and Hardy. I don’t have to read JKR, do I? As I say, I’ve defended the books many times from people who want to say that they’re no good. I’ve tried to point out why people like them. But that doesn’t mean that when I get back home from work, I want to sit down and read them. And that’s OK.
That said, I’m passionate about anyone, anywhere finding the books that they like, and that they want to read. Good luck.
Birdie93 reply on May 20th, 2008:
Well dude, I thank you for clarifying your statement, and I hope that your kids will love the books as much as we do.
B.T.W, how did you find this site?
Michael Rosen reply on May 20th, 2008:
google blog alert and I put my own name in double quotes.
boo_xxx reply on May 21st, 2008:
just so you know im not really going to come at you with a chainsaw while you sleep. Its a figure of speech and just means that im not happy with the things you were reported saying. It is good to hear that your kids have the option of reading the books if they like & i know that when my mum read them to me when I was six i couldnt get enough of them & made my mum read until she was horse. I guess i was just a very emotionaly mature child hehe. No as an adult you are perfectly welcome to read whatever you wish and if you choose not to read the harry potter books then so be it, but you cant call them boring. Boring to you mabye but they are not in general boring and seeing as you have only read 2 and a half out of 7 of the books your self i cannot see how you have come to possess the knowledge of the books to say so. If you truly didnt say that they were boring and that you said only that your 3 year old was to young to understand the point then i would forgive you but at the moment i am very defensive of my harry who I hold very dearly in my heart and give alot of fantastic childhood memories to.
thanks for clearing up your statement.
well this is quite funny.
harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone was the first chapter book i ever read and that was way back in 3rd grade. it was interesting enough to me that i was able to sit down and read and read and read when before this my parents could not get me into any books at all.
I can see that JK is very much an adult writer, and many of the themes and morals can portray more to an adult’s life i still believe that the books are engaging enough for children of all ages. even and especially seven year olds.
Rae reply on May 21st, 2008:
I wasn’t a reader until I picked up an HP book which wasn’t until I was 17… so came late into the literary world because when I was a kid, I thought the books were incredibly boring. But that’s just me. (I’m obsessed with the books now haha). So I can see how the books can be boring for a lot of kids because they ARE quite difficult to read if you aren’t an advanced child reader. Like I said in a previous comment, I think this entire time the book series was maketed to the wrong audience. It should be marketed to pre-teens and teens even though there are some ADVANCED kids that pick it up and enjoy it. The movies, are definitely kid friendly. The books? I’m sorry. I’m 19 and got an A in my college English class and I even have to re read things in it to fully understand the complexity lol. I doubt a 7 year old will be able to understand it perfectly. They may understnad the general idea, but it’s rare for them to see what we, as older readers, see.
Funny how popular it is with children. lol i bet you anything his children will read it by themselves and fall in love with it.
I find it hilarious that his book is “Going on a Bear Hunt” OOooooo!! I AM DYING TO READ THAT BOOK!! IT SOUNDS SOOOO EXCITING!! …ha not! poor man..I really feel bad for him.
thats completely rubbish!! harry potter series are totally amazing!! and it really is not boring! lol. and harry potter is the thickest book i’ve ever read! but i could finish it in only 3 or 4 days! because it’s thrilling. and not boring! lol.. school books are boring, but harry potter books are NOT boring!!
This is a fucking lie!
i mean, i started the bookswhen i learned how to read!
omg
so angry..
Oh hellll no,rofl. The HP series are amazing.
RUPERTFAN reply on May 22nd, 2008:
i agree
i was just confirmed of a new harry potter and the half blood prince picture at emma watson. net
RUPERTFAN reply on May 23rd, 2008:
okay i will go there later
Jessie(the biggest emma watson fan) reply on May 30th, 2008:
Who evr said this crap needs to shut up
lol…i like HARRY POTTER books…but this guy whatever his name is,surely write something “more interesting” than JK ’cause nowone heared about him…or even if somewone did,his book didn’t had big succes,huh? so…if he is worse,he should shut up!
i think hes just jealous of her
Well who ever said that crap needs to grow up and face the facts that evryone else likes her stories instead of his.Hes jealous.
The Dude is a toaltal ass.im sorry but hes jealous.
I LOVE YOU JK !!!!
I think he’s right about ‘Harry’ being a boring character ,Ron & Hermione seem more interesting but as for the books, NO WAY. The books are works of genius.
I think it’s been established though, that this bloke didn’t actually say that in the first place or it was just it wasn’t his type of book, which is fair enough.