Why do children prefer Harry Potter to the Lord of The Rings books?

Question

I have read both of them and I feel that Tolkien's fantasy cannot be paralleled ever. I was almost lost in his universe of Middle Earth and it's characters but Harry Potter didn't attract me that much. But its astonishing that children are now drawn by Harry only. I think that Tolkien's is a legacy which defines fantasy and how broad the scope of imagination can be.

Answer 1

Simple: because they are children!

Instead of that question, try asking yourself, why do parents read "Cinderella" or "Sleeping Beauty" or "Snow White" to their kids instead of for example, the Da Vinci Code?

Because kids are still young and doesn't understand complex things from their age. Sure, Tolkien's books are far much more imaginative and far more into the fantasy than the Harry Potter books, but imagine, kids would be asking a lot of question when they read LOTR because for them it's hard to keep up with the characters, the languages and the plot in itself. While Harry Potter is only focused with one person, with two good friends and a whole other lot of characters that can be easily defined and understood. That's why it's called a children's book.

Besides, the idea of being a wizard/witch and doing magic is popular among kids, almost everyone thought of doing magic and that might have contributed to that. Also, Harry Potter is today's book, kids today of course would go with the hype of the book.

Answer 2

I like Harry Potter because it is a riveting story line and it is very well written. I was 11 in 1997 when the first book came out and I read it then. I am now 21, married, and I have 2 kids of my own and I loved Harry Potter then, and I love Harry Potter now. Honestly I tried to read the LOTR's, but I couldn't get into them. They were too boring for me. I tried to watch the first 2 movies and fell asleep within the first 20 minutes of the movie. It was just so boring to me. My husband disagrees with me and he absolutely LOVES LOTR's, but it just isn't my cup of tea. JK gives us more characters and back stories on them and adventure and a better story plot in my opinion. Harry Potter has been and will be a part of my life until I die. I am not a fanatic (meaning I dont dress up or nuttin), but I would go crazy if I wasn't the first one to read the next book in my city. LoL. I hope that one day my kids will enjoy HP just as much as I do. My daughter is almost 2 and my son is almost 6mths old. I hope maybe I can read them a chapter when they go to bed at night when they get older. I think JK has taught us all the power of imagination and has helped people all over learn that reading can be fun.

Answer 3

children are not drawn to harry potter only. harry potter is the here and now, and children(and adults to, mind you) get hyped up because the books are fresh. LOTR have been out for years, you can get them anywhere, anytime you want, and read them at your leisure. soon the harry potter hype will be down, and it will be time for the next great series to take its place. remember, there was alot of hype when the LOTR movies were coming out. There probably wasnt that much for the books though, because fantasy wasnt nearly as popular when they were written. I personally didnt read the hobbit until 7th grade, because it was a required book. I read the LOTR shortly after, in 8th grade. But, I grew up on C.S. Lewis(who was a good friend of tolkien btw), and the Harry Potter books I think rival the C.S. Lewis books quite well.

Answer 4

I think you'll find that if you were a child when the books started then you got attracted to the whole witches and wizards thing and becasue you liked them when they first came out your more inclined to buy the other books in the series. Also I've read both series, and Harry Potter is less mature then Tolkien's books, besides who didn't want to be a wizard when they were a young.

Love James

Answer 5

Rowlings is easier to understand, for the younger readers. Tolkien did a lot of arcane research, and compiled a lot of more complex mythologies into his story, which was an epic--the Harry Potter series is not an epic. Thousands of years versus 5 years is more difficult for most common young minds to understand. I didn't encounter the Ring Trilogy until I was 14, at the prodding of a friend of the family. I appreciated the books, and have enjoyed them ever since. I also enjoy the Potter series; but I look at them more as Soap Operas, in comparison. However, I am not a child.

Answer 6

I believe the answer is two-fold:
1. the heroes in harry Potter are children whereas the characters in Lord of The rings are all adults, this allows the children to connect with the Hero of the story better and supplant themselves into the world of Harry potter.
2. The diction used in the harry potter books is more in tune with the younger generation and easier for children to understand.

Answer 7

I like Lord of the Rings for the writing and world building and Harry Potter for the characters. Like you, I couldn't really choose between the two. =P

Answer 8

When I was 11 I tried to read the Hobbit. Even though I was considered to be an advanced reader at that stage, I found it difficult to read, it was a little complicated and verbose. I enjoyed that book more when I was 17.

Harry Potter, is better for kids because of the fact it has less detail, it's light fun and easy to read.

Harry Potter was specifically written for kids, whereas LoTR was not.

Answer 9

You know, in ninth grade I tried reading "The Two Towers" (something I did much more recently) for three reasons. First and foremost I knew it was part of "The Lord of the Rings" and my dad loved the book so I thought if he liked it it might be pretty good. Second I needed a book to read for class. And third, it was the only book in "The Lord of the Rings" I could find in the school library at the time. I maybe got through one chapter, having to force myself to keep my eyelids open I might add, before I gave up on it.

Was it because I was starting in the middle of things? Not entirely. While I admit if I'd started with "The Fellowship of the Ring" I might have found it easier to read "The Two Towers," it was Tolkien's writing that turned me off at that time. I just simply found it dull and boring, something that failed to catch my intrest and actually hold it. I'd seen all the animated specials on "The Hobbit," and both specials that make up "The Lord of the Rings" and knew what it was. But reading it was totally different.

Fast forward to my late twenties. By this time the slipcase volume of "The Lord of the Rings" I could remember my dad having as I grew up was falling apart. He'd picked up the audio drama to the book, and with the then soon to be release of "The Fellowship of the Ring" in theaters, he picked up a new copy of the book so he could once again be able to read it. Thanks to the movie and the audio drama, I found myself once again intrested in trying Tolkien's books. This time it was actually easier to deal with his writing. This time I could actually see the characters more as analog's to some of my favorite characters from other books, something I couldn't do years before. And that means I was better able to relate to the characters, even imagine myself fighting and adventureing beside them.

I expect the same will happen with the kids reading Harry Potter today. It's easier to read Harry Potter than "The Lord of the Rings" and that means it's easier to relate to the character and icture yourself in their world. As they get older they'll be able to start see analogous characters in "The Lord of the Rings" to Harry Potter. And that will make it much easier for them to follow Tolkien's work.

Answer 10

It also has to do with the short attention span people nowadays have. Although I was12 when I read it, I found it difficult to get through, mostly because of how slowly and gradually Tolkien develops characters and story. Not to mention his tendency of switching from one storyline to another.
It is difficult for teenagers or children to relate themselves to the characters is because they are adults and face problems like wars and such, as compared to school or popularity.
Additionally, Tolkien creates a whole new world, with languages and cultures of the different species, and its complex.
Basically, Harry potter, in my opinion, is not a classic, unlike Tolkien. And is easier to read, but not as gratifying.