Re:Harry Potter (was: What a scene!!)


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Posted by Dave Thewlis on July 29, 1999 at 13:50:26 from slip166-72-74-182.dc.us.ibm.net:

In Reply to: Re:Harry Potter (was: What a scene!!) posted by Alan Hakim on July 25, 1999 at 18:48:04:

The bowdlerization of the HP books is even worse in the US than the title. Apparently
Scholastic, who brought out the American editions, were concerned that American children would
be too challenged by British idiom (to say nothing of not being familiar with big nasty words
like "philosopher" so they had a special editor "work with" the author to adapt the books to
America. When I read HP & the Sorcerer's Stone I couldn't figure out why a Sorcerer's stone
(sounded like fantasy gaming) and when I found out it was the Philosopher's Stone it finally
made some sense. But the American editions entirely lack the British idiom that fits with the
circumstances -- British schoolterm books may be unfamiliar to American audiences, but British
schoolterm books without British idiom are just a bit confusing. Idiotic -- I agree with
Alan, why do children's editors and publishers underestimate children? The fear in America
seems to be that children, when challenged, will suffer damaged egos -- I've never met a child
who didn't respond to a challenge positively and ultimately get more out of the experience.
Bah. Humbug. Just bought all three HP books in the U.K. as a result and will go back and
reread HP&PS.


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