Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by: J.K. Rowling

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic

Copyright Date: 1997

Number of Pages: 309

Reading Level: 9-12

Summary:

Harry Potter lives with his aunt and uncle, the Dursley's. His parents were killed in a car accident when he was one and he has been living under the Dursley's staircase ever since. The Dursley's have a son named Dudley who is a bully to Harry and has been ever since they were small. Harry was left on their doorstep with a mysterious note explaining what had happened. Now, at 10 Harry was used to being shunted aside. When they went to the zoo for Dudley's birthday it was no different. His aunt and uncle bought Dudley souvenirs and food and didn't give Harry any. When they went into the reptile house Harry was excited to see the snakes. He walked up to one cage and started talking to a snake, more to himself about how he knows how it feels to be in a cage. All of the sudden, the snake started to talk back! He was talking to the snake for a while when Dudley noticed. He started in on Harry then all of the sudden the glass on the cage disappeared and the snake slithered out. That's when Harry knew he was different. He had suspected it all along but this was a big deal. Of course he got into trouble.

Soon after that a letter came in the mail for him. This was a big deal because he never gets any mail. As he was about to open it, Uncle Vernon took it away from him. HE was angry obviously because that was his letter! No matter though, because the next day a few more letters came for him. Uncle Vernon took those too! One morning he was determined to read his letter so he snuck to the front door and opened it only to find Uncle Vernon sleeping on the front porch! Letters kept coming and coming for him! Uncle Vernon, determined not to let Harry read his letter, packed up the family and drove them around until he found a spot where no one could find him. On and island, in the middle of the sea...

The next day happened to be Harry's 11th birthday. At midnight according to Dudley's watch there was a banging at the door! On a deserted island!! The door flew open and there was a giant man standing there. Take a long story short, his name was Hagrid he worked at a wizarding school called Hogwarts, Harry's parents did not die in a car crash but were murdered by the most dark wizard who ever lived, Harry survived and in the process vanquished the dark Lord, thereby making him famous. He was now old enough to attend Hogwarts and he was there to give him his letter.

Hagrid took him to a Diagon Alley, a Wizarding street in London. There they got his books, supplies, robes, a wand, and an owl called Hedwig. Hagrid dropped Harry off back at home. He was to get on the Hogwarts Express from platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station on September first.

A month later he was at Kings Cross trying to find PLatform 9 3/4 when he met the Weasleys. HE and Ron sat together on the train and they were instantly friends. Just as When he met Draco Malfoy, they were instantly enemies. Everyone knew who he was. Everyone wanted to meet him. It was weird to Harry. While on the train he met Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. At school they were all sorted into different houses and Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville were all placed in Griffindor.

As time went on Harry learned that Professor Snape hated his dad in school and thereby hated Harry. Harry was great at being a seaker in Quidditch and was placed on the Griffindor Quidditch team as the youngest seaker in history. Harry and Ron became friends with Hermione after they saved her from a giant Troll. Harry got an invisibility cloak from someone that was his dads when his dad was in school so he would explore the school under it at night. That is when he came across the mirror of Erised. When you look in this mirror, you see what your heart truly desires. When he looked in, he saw his family. He went back night after night to sit in front of it. Dumbledore found him there and told him about it. He said that it would be moved and that it would be wise not to go looking for it.

Throughout the school year Harry, Ron and Hermione suspected that Snape was up to something. There was a hallway on the third floor that was restricted and they found out what was behind it. There was a giant three headed dog, and it was guarding something. They suspected that Snape was trying to get passed it to whatever it was guarding. It was obvious that Snape hated Harry, he tried to throw him off his broom during Quidditch.

Many things were going on. Hagrid hatched a dragon in his wooden cabin that was growing alarmingly fast. Harry, Ron and Hermione had to take it through the castle up to the astronomy tower to meet some of Ron's brother's friends who were going to take it with them. They got caught in the process by Draco Malfoy and they all were sent to detention in the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. While there they were searching for a hurt unicorn and they came across an evil figure that came after them until a Centaur came and saved Harry.

One night Harry knew that Snape was going to try to get through the trap door to steal the Sorcerer's stone (they found out from Hagrid that that was what was hidden below). The three of them snuck out that night to go and stop him. When they got to the three headed dog it was already asleep. They went through the trap door and they had to go through a bunch of obstacles (devil's snare, flying keys, poisoned potions, and an enchanted chess game) to get there, but with Ron and Hermione's help he succeeded. Come to find out however, that it was Quirrel - the defense against the dark arts teacher - who had come to steal it. He had Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head. The mirror of Erised was there and when Harry looked into it he saw himself put it into his pocket, and all of the sudden, it was in his pocket. Quirrel tried to get it from him but when he touched Harry he burned up. Which gave Harry the idea to grab his face. He did, Quirrel died and Voldemort's spirit flew at him and out of sight.

He woke up in the hospital wing where Dumbledore explained what happened. HE also had a lot of gifts from well wishers. He, Ron and Hermione, and Neville were all awarded house point which made them win the house cup.

Who would benefit from reading this book/ who would I recommend this book to?

I would and have recommended this book to anyone who has never read it. It is the first book in the long line of my favorite series!!

What problems/conflicts could this book potentially cause?

There is the whole "Harry Potter is evil" thing going on, so that's a problem. Some people don't want their kids to read about witches and wizards because it could corrupt their kids.

My Reaction:

I love it. J.K. Rowling is the best author ever and I enjoy reading every book that she writes. The characters are believable and lovable. I can read Harry Potter any time and never get bored.