Product Description

What did Harry Potter know about magic? He was stuck with the decidedly un-magical Dursleys, who hated him. He slept in a closet and ate their leftovers. But an owl messenger changes all that, with an invitation to attend the Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches, where it turns out Harry is already famous.. . . Full color.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #843 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 309 pages

Amazon.com Review
Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley.

A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Ages 8 to 13) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly
Readers are in for a delightful romp with this award-winning debut from a British author who dances in the footsteps of P.L. Travers and Roald Dahl. As the story opens, mysterious goings-on ruffle the self-satisfied suburban world of the Dursleys, culminating in a trio of strangers depositing the Dursleys' infant nephew Harry in a basket on their doorstep. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself. Most surprising of all, Harry is a legend in the witch world for having survived an attack by the evil sorcerer Voldemort, who killed his parents and left Harry with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. And so the fun begins, with Harry going off to boarding school like a typical English kid?only his supplies include a message-carrying owl and a magic wand. There is enchantment, suspense and danger galore (as well as enough creepy creatures to satisfy the most bogeymen-loving readers, and even a magical game of soccerlike Quidditch to entertain sports fans) as Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione plumb the secrets of the forbidden third floor at Hogwarts to battle evil and unravel the mystery behind Harry's scar. Rowling leaves the door wide open for a sequel; bedazzled readers will surely clamor for one. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-Harry Potter has spent 11 long years living with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, surely the vilest household in children's literature since the family Roald Dahl created for Matilda (Viking, 1988). But like Matilda, Harry is a very special child; in fact, he is the only surviving member of a powerful magical family. His parents were killed by the evil Voldemort, who then mysteriously vanished, and the boy grew up completely ignorant of his own powers, until he received notification of his acceptance at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once there, Harry's life changes dramatically. Hogwarts is exactly like a traditional British boarding school, except that the professors are all wizards and witches, ghosts roam the halls, and the surrounding woods are inhabited by unicorns and centaurs. There he makes good friends and terrible enemies. However, evil is lurking at the very heart of Hogwarts, and Harry and his friends must finally face the malevolent and powerful Voldemort, who is intent on taking over the world. The delight of this book lies in the juxtaposition of the world of Muggles (ordinary humans) with the world of magic. A whole host of unique characters inhabits this world, from the absentminded Head Wizard Dumbledore to the sly and supercilious student Draco Malfoy to the loyal but not too bright Hagrid. Harry himself is the perfect confused and unassuming hero, whom trouble follows like a wizard's familiar. After reading this entrancing fantasy, readers will be convinced that they, too, could take the train to Hogwarts School, if only they could find Platform Nine and Three Quarters at the King's Cross Station.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Woven together well
Not much new can be said on the Harry Potter series, so I'll just go with one impression from the recent read: Quidditch sucks as an actual sport. With 150 points for catching the Snitch, it's completely absurd, like if field goals in American Football were worth 10 points. The outcome of the game is almost entirely in the hands of someone that has nothing to do with the bulk of the gameplay or teams, and relies on an entirely different skillset. It's still convincing in terms of pointless English boarding school sports, but not as the unofficial sport of Rowling's wizarding world.

The rest of Rowling's worldbuilding is generally better, although never particularly organized or systematic; there are never any clear rules of magic. It's more a hodgepodge of various myths and tales and some inventions. None of it is startlingly original, but despite some occasionally stilted prose Rowling weaves it together remarkably well. None of the characters are particularly complex yet, and the plot is straightforward children's fare, but the book as a whole works better than the parts seem to sugggest.

Merry, Wary Harry and His Very Scary Adversary
It's obvious that Ms. Rowling put a great deal of thought into the structure of this book. Coming in very late to the whole Harry Potter phenomenon, I've come to understand why these books are so popular with kids and adults. The vocabulary isn't taxing to grownups (I'm 48 and an avid reader) as well as being a little bit challenging for the younger audience, which is a good thing. It also has plenty of colorful characters and enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. This first installment in the seven-volume series lays an excellent foundation as well as leaving a few unanswered mysteries to keep me hooked. I enjoyed the first book and certainly intend on reading the next installment. It makes me feel like I'm a kid again.
(Also as a side note, if you haven't had the pleasure of hearing Jim Dale's narration, you are missing a real treat. The CD's are worth every penny. My two boys have read the books, but listened to the CDs over and over.)

Quality Book
It's great to have this fine quality volume in my collection. I will buy every forthcoming "Anniversary" edition of the Potter series. With the J.K. Rowling's own sketch of Snape included here, I wonder why she did not illustrate all of her books. Her sketch of Snape is exactly how I imagined him and has much more gravitas and interest than the rather too whimsical drawings of her illustrator.