Meryl Blomseth: Harry potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling, Jim Kay

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

by J. K. Rowling, Jim Kay (Illustrator)

This is the first time I had revisted the HP series, since spending middle school days locked in my bedroom devouring every word Rowling wrote. 

This is a story about a young boy who loses both of his parents as an infant. He is then sent to live with his aunt and uncle who keep him locked up in a closet. They severely mistreat him and Harry grows to resent them. He notices and is mystified by strange happenings in his aunt and uncle's home. Owls start to deliver mail which summons Harry to a wizarding school called Hogwarts.

Harry meets Dumbledore and realizes that there are others like him. Hogwarts is home to Harry. He makes friends for the first time in his life. Hermoine, Ron, and Harry are a dynamic triad. Hogwarts is where Harry explores his ability, while learning more about his past. He is in close contact with Dumbledore, who seems to be a mentor and confidant. Dumbledore shares with him that there is an object that is within the school that can be dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands. 

In efforts to protect this special object, Harry and his friends go on a wild adventure. This book is what got me back into reading at a time when I was a dormant reader. It is mystical and enthralling. When I too felt different and confined by my own family, this series was an outlet. I got lost in this magical world J.K. Rowling dreamed up. 

This is a must read. I think students in middle school and up could handle the amount of reading. However, I know younger students who have read this book and absolutely love it. I can see it being used in literature circles in younger grades. So that multiple readers can share interpretations and reactions, while also being a group to ask questions of the story.