CarolC, the thing I really find endearing about the "Harry Potter" series is that I can read them to my youngun and not be personally bored to tears. Some of the things that make this series dance alive for us are that the characters are not completely flat and 2 dimensional. Snape, for instance, while not a very likable person, is not "evil". And others of whom *have* been likable turned out to be bad. I also love to find a voice for each one that differs than all the others. My honey and my kid are very disappointed that Robbie Coltrane and Jim Dale (the man who read the books for the US version of the books on tape) "don't do Hagrid right".

Ian is older, but if I recall correctly, he was hooked on the "Redwall" series. Having read one, I found it similar to the "HP" books, and enjoyed reading it...too bad my daughter was not as enthralled (she was already hooked on "HP").

But, can you imagine having to go through the syrup and drivel of "My Little Pony" books and movies? Urgh! I am so grateful for J.K Rowling having produced this generations "Transformers" and "My Little Pony" so that parents everywhere don't have to get dialysis in order to read to their kids.

In that same vein, can anyone suggest other really good kids books that don't bore the tears out of either the kid or the parent? I think we have just about worn out "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "The Great Glass Elevator" in between times of reading the "Harry Potter" books. I have tried things like "Treasure Island" and other classics, but have found they have limited success with the wee one. We're on our 3rd go-round, and are once again reading "The Goblet of Fire" while we wait for the movie to come out! It'd be nice to find others to keep us occupied until the next "HP" book comes out! :D