How stories relate to their readers

There has been lots of interest in what’s next for J.K. Rowling, famous author of the Harry Potter series, though it seems likely that Harry Potter will live on in audio, print, and DVD for the next generation to enjoy.

That’s the thing about good stories — they continue to be fresh regardless of when they were created.

Rowling (opens in a new window) has recently signed a contract for an adult book. There’s lots of speculation as to whether or not it will continue in the world of wizards or if it will be something entirely different. Who knows? But since almost an entire generation has grown up with Harry — plus lots of adults — there will be no lack of readers.

Harry Potter has been read by young and old (or at least experienced!) alike.

So what is the difference between a book for children and one for adults? It can’t just be the age of the main characters. There are lots of novels for adults that have young characters. Scout’s narration in To Kill a Mockingbird (opens in a new window) begins when she is about 6 years old, while in the easy reader series, Mr. Putter and Tabby (opens in a new window), the title character is depicted as an elderly man.

Maybe we spend too much time trying to decide who can decode words and not enough thinking about how a story relates to the reader’s experiences — actual or vicarious, social or emotional — and the entire “got to” versus “get to” read/hear/view the story. Let’s not forget the ability of a good writer to create characters that readers can relate to. The craft involves taking readers places — and enjoying the journey.