There's very simple answer to kids' education in the public sector:



If Gove wants them to be educated to a similar standard as those in private education, then throw the same amount of money, per child, at the gig.



I somehow think he ain't going to do that

I never saw it as anything other than positive when I saw [ichildren[/i reading the books.

I feel the same about [iLOTR[/i.

I read all sorts from the classics to Harry Potter.

If a book is good reading I don't care how old it is.



Gove's whole attitude seems to be 'Everyone should be educated exactly the same way I was and everyone should have exactly the same likes and dislikes as me'' as Coddy has said he doesn't have the brains to understand that it isn't financially possible for that to happen.

LOTR is pretty opaque for kids. My two (19 & 17) are both voracious readers and big fans of the films, but neither has managed to get out of the Shire when reading the books.



And that's without even attempting [iThe Silmarillion[/i.

I actually read the Harry Potter books to my son and it became a thing for us to do before he went to bed when he was younger. We both really enjoyed the experience and it's a great memory for me. Whether that was what sparked it I don't know but although like myself he is of a technical bent he has always enjoyed reading and asked for Kindle for his last birthday. Very happy to buy him that.

It was Biggles that really hooked me into reading, although I would say it did help that I didn't have a tv or games console or anything in my room until I was about 12/13, by which point I was already into reading.

I thought it was the greatest book ever written until I was almost 40.





Fortunately, I grew up.

A very valid point – and I don't, for the record, have any issue with computer/video games.



I suppose I always read, but my mother was a very active censor on what – particularly in my teens, when there was very little around specifically for that age group.



I loved Biggles too, and devoured anything in our school library about WWII.

If anyone was ever in doubt about Gove's mental state, then reading the following link should provide some clarity:



[url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10060376/Michael-Gove-aims-to-be-the-heir-to-Tony-Blair.htmlGove aims to be the heir to Tony Blair[/url



For someone who harbours a desire to lead his party one day, I'd suggest that wanting to emulate a man who is hated by around 90% of tories is probably not the wisest choice.



Conversely, it's another indication of just how far to the right Blair forced the Labour party

Put your claws away Minty there is nothing wrong with a bit of Tolkein.

We (Me and Mrs AS) have already managed to hook my 2+3 year old's into reading.

They actively ask for stories before bed every night.