[billbears]

And I shouldn't have to point out that at the time the Hobbit was written in 1937, LOTR to follow in the late 40s-early 50s, that it was written for the 10-13 age group. So that tells me several things. One, morality was much more important at an early age than now, and two, the educational level of this nation has fallen so low that we have to read such basic short sentence novels like Potter to children rather than allow them to explore not only their vocabulary but their inner selves as well with Tolkien

[Petronski]

. . . the educational level of this nation has fallen so low that we have to read such basic short sentence novels like Potter to children rather than . . .

I guess if there was one point I'd wanted to make in posting this piece, then this quote is it. Another example of this is in the letters home from the front written by soldiers of the Civil War and those written by soldiers of later eras. The contrast is jarring.

[js1138]

I would imagine that in any era, about one in a thousand 10 year olds would read LOTR. I have never gotten through it (certainly no shame on the book). I did read a parody, "Bored of the rings", but straight fantasy without satire is not my cup of tea. Give me something like "Time Bandits".

Potter is closer to Roald Dahl than anything else -- more parody than straight fantasy. If you never attended a boarding school you can't fully appreciate the humor. You might understand it intellectually, but not feel it.

[2Jedismom]

I read LOTR when I was in the 6th grade. So it really surprised my mother when they put me in low average reading! She had me tested and found out that I read at a "greater than 12th grade" level, whatever that means. Needless to say, she raised a stink and had me placed in advanced reading and I flourished.

My eldest (homeschooled) jedi seems to be following in my footsteps. He began reading shortly after he turned three. I am now reading The Fellowship of the Ring to him and he hangs on my every word. He's six years old.

[Jefferson Adams]

And I shouldn't have to point out that at the time the Hobbit was written in 1937, LOTR to follow in the late 40s-early 50s, that it was written for the 10-13 age group. So that tells me several things. One, morality was much more important at an early age than now, and two, the educational level of this nation has fallen so low that we have to read such basic short sentence novels like Potter to children rather than allow them to explore not only their vocabulary but their inner selves as well with Tolkien

Correct, and extremely well put. Sad, isn't it?