Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

ISBN: 9780807281956

Unabridged Audio Recording

Listening Library, 1999

Plot - Harry Potter is the orphan son of two wizards, James and Lilly Potter, who were murdered by the story's central evil character, Voldemort, before we the readers ever meet Harry.  When Voldemort attempted to kill the baby Harry, though, he was killed as well.  We meet Harry when he is almost eleven years old and has been living as a second-class citizen in the little anteroom under the stairs with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and their spoiled, brat of a son, Dudley.  Harry, it turns out, is a wizard just as his parents were and is invited to become a student at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by the Headmaster and ancient wizard, Albus Dumbledore.  While attending his first year at Hogwarts, Harry becomes close friends with Ron Weasley and his all-magical family and with Hermione Granger, a witch born to "muggle," non-magical, parents.  The three youngsters embark on a quest to expose who is trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, a magical stone with the power to give ever-lasting life, and who, in the meantime, is obviously threatening Harry's life. 

Critical Evaluation - The most palpable magic in this first installment of the Harry Potter series is the author's consistent dedication to character development.  Readers will follow the wonderful adventure, eagerly move from chapter to chapter, and become swept up in the world of Hogwarts because of the characters one comes to know.  We simply must know what happens to them, and Rowling keeps us laughing as often as gripping the edge of our seats.  Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dumbledore are firmly established in this book as people the reader cares about, because their author gives us so much of them as full people.  Rowling's writing style is here is light, fast-paced at times, and indulgently detailed where necessary.  Jim Dale adds yet another layer of irresistible charm with his narration.  He becomes each character utterly convincingly with humor and commitment to who they are as they are written.  His pacing is perfect--exciting, dynamic, and never rushed.

Reader's annotation - How could a baby, simply by living through an attack by an evil wizard, kill that wizard and only sustain a tiny scar himself?  Jim Dale tells Rowling's tale better than most.

Information about the author - J.K. Rowling did, according to her official biography site written in first person (http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/biography.cfm) know a family named Potter growing up.  Their child was not, however, her inspiration for Harry, she just liked the name.  Rowling's mother died of multiple sclerosis when she was only 45, and it was her death that deepened Rowling's understanding of Harry's grief at being an orphan.  Rowling write her favorite chapter of Sorcerer's Stone, "The Mirror of Erised," immediately following her mother's death.  In this autobiographical sketch, Rowling makes clear that she had worked on the book since 1990 when she discovered Harry's character taking shape in her imagination on a train ride.  The stories of her scribbling away on cafe napkins turn out to be true--she went into a period of furious production to finish the book before her new full-time teaching job combined with raising her daughter alone took all of her time.  When her baby fell asleep in the stroller, Rowling would duck into a cafe and write as much as she could.

Genre - YA Fantasy
Curriculum Ties -  Excellent reluctant reader's material because, again, the characters lead the reader onward.
Booktalk ideas

1. Play a clip from the mountain troll scene where Harry remembers and then tells Ron that Hermione doesn't know about the mountain troll, and she ends up backed in the corner of the bathroom by the 12 foot troll.
2. Introduce the game of Quiddich and then play a clip from the scene where Quirill is trying to knock Harry off his broom.
   

Reading level -Publisher's Weekly:  ages 8-12.  This reviewer's perspective:  ages 7-adult

Challenge issues - Magic, from the perspective of some religiously sensitive people

Challenge defense ideas:

• Librarian has read the book carefully and decided to include it in our school's 7-12 grade library as a resource intended for older high school students.
• Librarian greets students and regularly discusses their reading choices; she provides individualized, age-appropriate guidance in book choice.
• Explain the ways in which the librarian accompanies and guides younger students looking for books, and knows students well as individuals.

Why I included this book - It's a modern day classic, a fantasy adventure full of humor, pathos, and excitement.