Harry Potter books 'boring for child readers'

HARRY POTTER has been branded boring and inappropriate for young readers.

Britain's Children's Laureate Michael Rosen said the books did not "grab me personally". He said the stories had complex narratives and most young children would struggle to cope with their challenging and often sinister themes.

He added: "Whereas authors like Enid Blyton are hand-holding narrators who lead children into safe environments, JK Rowling is more of an adult writer in that she leaves you hanging in the air at the end of chapters with no idea what is going to happen next."

He would not choose to read the books to his own children, he said, because he did not want to bore them. He said the books deserved credit for encouraging a generation of children to read, but feared their success might prevent youngsters discovering other authors.