In the book I read, a gang of thugs guns down Harry's mother and father as Harry looks on. Later, an animal (small dragon, if I recall) is euthanized at the behest of the school bully. Our emotions are much manipulated as we share the other children's helpless rage over this. (The dragon is miraculously resurrected in the hokey last chapter.)

I consider all that too violent.

I have a little friend, age 7, whose father reads to her. They tried the Potter books, and she told me herself that they quit reading them because they were too violent.