Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
By: J.K Rowling, Illustrations By: Mary Grandpre
Scholastic Inc.
January 1997
Ages: 9-12 Years.

Summary

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a classic tale of the continuing struggle between good and evil. In this book, the main character, Harry, is orphaned as a young baby and then is sent off to live with his only living relatives, the Dursleys, when he is only a year old. In the book, Harry discovers he is a wizard and he gets to go to a special wizarding school wear he makes new friends, learns magic and ultimately, finds out who he really is and in the process, begins to come full circle with the battle between good and evil. With his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry is able to figure out who is behind the mysterious happenings and dissapearances at Hogwarts and throughout the wizarding world.

Who Would Benefit From Reading this book?

Even though the reading level suggests that this book is appropriate for individuals 9-12 years of age, I would definitely reccommend it to anyone who is a fan of the fantasy/adventure genre. Harry Potter has it all; adventure, fantasty, romance, danger, intrigue and that definite element of mystery. Anyone who is looking for a good, fast paced read will definitely love Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

What problems or conflicts could this book potentially cause?

The only problems that I can see this book causing is that it contains some fantasy related violence. There is also the matter of witchcraft/wizardry. Some parents might not feel that this is appropriate, but i feel it is. The witchcraft and wizardry is an integral part of the story and it is used to show the struggle between good and evil; white magic and dark magic. Witchcraft/wizardry, at leat in the Harry Potter type sense, is NOT real. It is JUST a story that helps children and adults alike to identify and relate to several important topics; compassion, honesty, good vs. evil, and the importance of family and friendship, etc.

What was my reaction to this book?

I first started reading Harry Potter when I was around nine or ten years old and I absolutely fell in love with it. I fell in love with the characters (who are extremely believable and relatable), the genre, the plot and the storyline (which devlops quickly and moves along quite nicely) and the setting in which it takes place. I grew up in England around the time when Harry Potter first started becoming popular and so it will always hold a special place in my heart.