HP Book Set - Which One?

[ssmjlm]

I know, I know, JK Rowling is awful, but my kid is interested in reading the books together.

I'm good with the paperback set, right?  I don't need to spring for the hardbacks?

I grew up on the original Worst Witch, so I have never gotten into all the HP stuff.  I hope I can get through the books with her.

[ilikedonuts]

My oldest likes the illustrated versions (first 4 have that version). Though they are huge and hard to travel with so she’ll grab my paperback copies if need be.

[aspentosh]

We have both the paperback set that H and I read many years ago. But for DD we have been buying the illustrated versions as they come out. It's worth the splurge, IMO, because they are truly beautiful.

[dulcemariamar]

We have the regular paperback books before my DD was born but we bought her the illustrated versions because it was a way to get her interested in the books. She was 7 when we read the first book and the regular chapter books did not hold her interest so I went out and bought the illustrated version

[AdaraMarie]

My dd has a set of paperbacks and they are destroyed. She is hard on her books in general, but also she has read these ones over and over and carried one everywhere she went for a while. The spines of the really thick paperbacks can't really hold up to that and at least one of hers is split all the way in half.

I think it really depends on the kid if a hardback set is worth it. Even though hardbacks may have held up better for my dd, I have no confidence that she wouldn't have destroyed them (with her love) as well.

[abs]

I have the original paperbacks and the illustrated versions. When DD went through her HP phase she definitely preferred the illustrated versions. They certainly aren't necessary and they are big and heavy but they are beautiful and special.

[ssmjlm]

Thanks, I'll grab the 1st Illustrated for Christmas and see how she does. We've been doing more her reading her books, but still wanting us to read aloud some older chapter books.

[cjcouple]

Oct 23, 2020 7:59:21 GMT -5 AdaraMarie said:

My dd has a set of paperbacks and they are destroyed. She is hard on her books in general, but also she has read these ones over and over and carried one everywhere she went for a while. The spines of the really thick paperbacks can't really hold up to that and at least one of hers is split all the way in half.

I think it really depends on the kid if a hardback set is worth it. Even though hardbacks may have held up better for my dd, I have no confidence that she wouldn't have destroyed them (with her love) as well.

On the other hand, I have all of the hard covers (bought for myself years ago as they came out) and those are destroyed as well.  And I am an adult. I am super disappointed how poorly they held up.  

[ellipses84]

We are reading them, but we have been checking out hardcovers from the library. Even those are quite large and I can see why a paperback wouldn’t hold up that well.

I was a little old for it when they came out and DS1 wasn’t interested for a long time. Now he’s pretty into it and may read it again on his own sometime. IMO the writing is meh and I like the movies better, if only for the amazing sets. We read the Narnia series before this and it was a more challenging read, but DS1 really liked it. HP chapters are long. I’ve also got some of the Usborne illustrated classics to read next, and those are full text paperback with beautiful illustrations, some full pages and some vignettes.

[katiecj6]

My DS has been reading them on his kindle via kindle unlimited.

He did read the first 4 with the illustrated version. But he prefers his kindle.

[yellow23]

We had the hardback versions before we had kids and that’s what my oldest read. My mom bought him the first illustrated book, but he said it was too big and heavy to read so he has stuck with the hardbacks. He would actually prefer the paperback versions since they are easier to hold, so I might buy him those for Christmas. He was fine with the hardback for the first few books, but complained they were hard to hold as he got to the bigger books.

[dochas]

Oct 23, 2020 8:05:41 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Thanks, I'll grab the 1st Illustrated for Christmas and see how she does. We've been doing more her reading her books, but still wanting us to read aloud some older chapter books.

We do the illustrated as they come out as Christmas gifts each year. They are beautiful and my son loves them. If you find they're too big to read over and over, maybe she could have those as special ones, and check soft cover out of the library when she wants to re-read. 

[bugandbibs]

If you have kindle freetime, the books are on there in English and Spanish.