Harry is a ten-year-old boy who has lived almost his whole life with his relatives - the Dursleys - who treat him like a second-class citizen. His bedroom is a cupboard underneath the stairs. He only has his cousin Dudley's old clothes to wear (even though they are much too large for him). And his aunt and uncle are constantly punishing him for strange things that he couldn't possibly be responsible for. On his eleventh birthday, however, his whole life changes. On his eleventh birthday, Harry finds out he's a wizard.
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, we follow Harry through his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry makes his first real friends (back home, kids were too scared of Dudley's bullying to hang around with him), and their experience is anything but ordinary, even for a wizard school. Shit is about to go down, but none of the teachers Harry and his friends have told believe them. Time is running out, so they take matters into their own hands. The Sorting Hat clearly didn't put these three in Gryffindor House for nothing.
J.K. Rowling creates a rich and fantastic world that draws the reader in, making you wish you were a part of it. Has anyone read this and NOT wished an owl would come deliver them an acceptance letter to Hogwarts? I desperately want to explore the shops on Diagon Alley, ride the Hogwarts Express and stuff my face in the Great Hall. And as if the idea of there being a secret community of witches and wizards existing alongside us isn't enchanting (hurr) enough, there are all manner of other mythical creatures and folk as well - vampires, werewolves, centaurs, unicorns...to name just a very few.
If you've seen the movie, but haven't read the book --- READ THE BOOK. You have the main plot, but you are missing out on SO much. I'm twenty-six now - it's been over a decade since this came out, and it still never gets old to me. I can't wait until I have kids of my own so I can experience it as a first once again through them.
ISBN:
Series Info: What came before this book? What's next?
Harry Potter
* Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
Film Adaptations:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Wizard People, Dear Reader (actually not a film adaptation, but an alternate audio track that is meant to be played with the first Harry Potter movie muted)
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Better World Books
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Wizard People, Dear Reader (actually not a film adaptation, but an alternate audio track that is meant to be played with the first Harry Potter movie muted)
See what others are saying about it, or buy it now:
Amazon
Better World Books
Refreshing to see a review :)
ReplyDeleteI love HP and wish it wasn't over!
I'm just about to start rereading the series too. My 9-year-old niece has read them more times than I have (which was only once), so I decided I need to catch up to her. Great review!
ReplyDeleteNice review! I reread this one over the summer, but I need to follow through and read the others again.
ReplyDeleteIs this your first time reading the series? You are in for such a magical treat!! Don't rush it!!
ReplyDelete♥ Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
@Melissa - I'm actually re-reading for most of them; the only one I haven't really read yet is the last one, Deathly Hallows. It's such a fun series, annnd it's been a while since I've read the rest of them anyway, so I think it's time! :)
ReplyDeleteHey Colleen,
ReplyDeleteI love the Harry Potter series! It's what got me started reading. Actually I haven't read anything better since; the seventh book is still my favorite ever mainly b/c I think it had the most satisfying/electrifying ending. Rowling really knew where she was going with the series, and all was explained in that last book. Thanks for reminding me how much I love HP!
Ninja Girl
Harry Potter are some of the only books I've read over and over. I swear almost everyone I know who's read them has read them multiple times, and now I can add you to that list lol. They're just so amazing and magical...and addictive! Great review. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to start my annual Harry Potter re-read in the next few days. I so love these. Were you surprised by anything this time around? I notice how much more juvenile this book is than the later ones. And that while it's well-written, there are more first-timer mistakes than in her later books.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lot more juvenile, but I kind of like that about it - the series seems to grow up along with its readers. I watch the movies over and over as well, and every time I re-read the books I'm surprised at how much I almost forgot they'd left out - sometimes some of my favourite parts!
ReplyDelete