It's kind of interesting, actually.

Both series started off as being "for kids." Both became wildly successful, to the point where adults read/watched it, as well.

Here's where they diverge.

With the movies, Lucas has always, always, always maintained that they're for kids. The Expanded Universe books and such may have more complex and mature themes, but the movies are always pretty simplistic. Hope, love and peace are good. Hatred, war and black helmets are evil (also: sand).

So what happens? A series that lasts decades, that has obviously vast potential, remains, for lack of a better word... stagnant. The 10-year-olds who loved A New Hope become 16-year-olds that think the Ewoks are kinda dorky, and grow into adults who find the "Oops! I accidentally shot a missile down a hallway into a reactor core, killing the entire enemy army" finale of Phantom Menace... underwhelming, to say the least. They bitch and moan, but Lucas goes "Hey. It's a kids' movie."


Whereas with Harry Potter, the series grew with its readers, to a certain extent. It will never be THAT complex of a plot, but you know your story has matured when you go from wedging a wand up a troll's nose to everyone being paranoid that they'll be murdered in their beds. The 10-year-olds laugh at the booger jokes, then they laugh at the "school dance" jokes when they're 15 or so, and then they laugh at the "I'm an abandoned orphan in a world that wants to murder me" jokes at the end. Er. Well, you see my point.


So, as for if it's "for kids..." I'd still say yes. Kids read what they like, and what they can handle- reading a book series requires more effort than just sitting through an R-rated movie. And while yes, the latter third of HP can get a bit dark, it's still not that overly mature- there are (mostly) clear-cut good guys and bad guys, good wins in the end, and we all learn a valuable lesson about racism, self-sacrifice and Legendary Death Wands.

Basically, any kid who's willing and able to read to the end of a 7-book series, with each more complicated than the last, should be allowed to.