Back in Hogwarts

H
arry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsopened last
Friday, November 15 as the largest ever sequel by grossing $87.7 million
in its first weekend in theaters. It was also the third best opener of
all time, trailing behind only "Spiderman" and the first Potter movie,
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Based on one of history's most
popular children's book series, many critics are now comparing paper and
film. So which version do children prefer?

"Many kids are dazzled and mesmerized by the movie," says Jeffrey
Derevensky, Ph.D., a professor of child psychology at McGill University
in Montreal, Canada. "Overall, most kids are more interested in the movie
version than they are in reading the book." Derevensky sees the Potter
movie as a complement to the book, and he expects that the book's
popularity will only rise in conjunction with its appearance on the big
screen.

Children recall the movie when they read the Potter series,
Derevensky explains, and by giving them a frame of reference they will
better appreciate the story. "I think kids often like seeing what they've
read about," he says. "The movie will spur more [Harry Potter] books for
kids; younger kids in particular."