Harry Potter

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 1997
Genre: Fiction Literature, Fantasy, Novel
Age Range: 5th grade and up

Summary: This book has already become a fantastic hit that most people know about. Young Harry Potter is a child who is a living legend. He survived an attack by the horrible Lord Voldemort and ever since the wizard world has been buzzing about him. After fast forwarding 10 years, Harry is met by Hagrid, a huge man from the wizard world. Hagrid takes Harry to the Diagon Alley, the "main street" of the wizard world. He gets supplies he will need for school. While on the bus to Hogwarts (the wizard school that Harry will attend) he meets two people who will become his very best friends, Ron and Hermione. After a run-in with a troll, Snape, and Malfoy, Harry plays at a Quidditch match and almost gets into trouble. Snape tries to hurt Harry during the match. Hermione sees him doing it and sets him ablaze! (His clothes, that is.) While playing with the invisibility cloak one day, Harry sees the Mirror of Erised and sees his parents alive. This is one of my favorite parts of the book because he is taken a back and you never saw it coming. While on the quest for the sorcerer's stone, Harry has a run-in with Quirrell (who is actually Voldemort in disguise.) Quirrell is told to kill Harry, but with one touch of the magic boy he is burned. Dumbledore saves Harry and at the award banquet (surprisingly) awards Griffindor the house cup trophy!

Response: I read this book when it first came out in 1997. Since then, I have read three more of them and been an avid fan of all the movies. These books are so special and I really enjoyed taking a second look at it. Rowling is such an amazing writer that you really do catch something new each time. This is definitely a book (and series) that can be enjoyed through the ages. Rowling includes so many different elements that beginning readers and even sixty year olds can connect in what ever way they choose. The themes that encompass this novel also make it very special. Friendship and bravery are just a few that are my favorite. I personally think that this is an amazing book that takes readers to a new world they will not want to leave.

Teaching Ideas: I think there are several ways to approach this book. One of these ways is by talking about it being a banned book in many areas. This is a lesson you could do to use with that avenue. Since it is made into a movie, 3-5th graders could use this lesson to talk about differences in books and movies. Teachers could make this book a lot of fun. It also teaches really good literary elements such as foreshadowing.

I think this would be an awesome book to teach and if you haven't, you definitely should!