book review in harry potter

A review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone By J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone By J. K. Rowling Bloomsbury Pub Ltd Paperback: 224 pages, Feb 2000, ISBN-13: 978-0747532743

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling is a book about bravery and courage. As Professor Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, says “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it for muggles aged eleven and up. This is the first in the seven book Harry Potter series. I think readers must read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone before reading the other books in the series, as this book sets the scene for the Harry Potter world.

As the title suggests, the main character in this book is Harry James Potter, also known as the boy who lived. The book follows Harry in his first year at Hogwarts, where he meets Hermione Jean Granger, a genius, and Ronald Bilius Weasley, a red head with six siblings.

When he was just a baby, Harry’s parents were killed by a Dark Arts wizard named Voldemort. Voldemort also tried to kill Harry but failed, leaving Harry with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead, and giving him the title the boy who lived. On the night of his parents’ death, Harry was placed on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle, the Dursley’s, much to their displeasure.

“Harry – yer a wizard” Harry was told on his eleventh birthday. With this news, he left the Dursley’s grasp for Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron and Hermione discover that in a room in the Forbidden Corridor on the third floor at Hogwarts, covered by spells and curses, lays the one and only Philosopher’s Stone – a stone that can transform any metal into pure gold and also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. During his time at Hogwarts, Harry develops the feeling that his potions teacher Professor Snape hates him, and has a gut feeling that Snape will try and steal the stone. One night, Harry, Ron and Hermione sneak up to the Forbidden Corridor to get the stone before Snape does. The trio pass through challenging obstacles. In the end, Harry has to finish the mission on his own and to his surprise, it’s not at all what he expected.

The theme of this story is magic and mystery. Nothing is as it seems, with changes at every turn.

This book is unlike any other; J. K. Rowling has opened the door to a whole new world of reading. Those readers who enjoy the Scarlet and Ivy series by Sophie Cleverly should also enjoy the Harry Potter series.

About the reviewer: Cleo was Commended in the 2019 Hunter Writers’ Centre/Compulsive Reader Review competition. She is in Grade 6 and her favourite subjects are novel study, reading groups and writing. Cleo has participated in the Premier’s Reading Challenge since she started school. Cleo plays as the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack in her local netball team, which she loves. Cleo’s dream is to have a dog and she is yet to know what she wants to be in the future.

Post navigation

• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

From the harry potter series , vol. 1.

by J.K. Rowling ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1998

It’s slanted toward action-oriented readers, who will find that Briticisms meld with all the other wonders of magic school.

In a rousing first novel, already an award-winner in England, Harry is just a baby when his magical parents are done in by Voldemort, a wizard so dastardly other wizards are scared to mention his name.

So Harry is brought up by his mean Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia Dursley, and picked on by his horrid cousin Dudley. He knows nothing about his magical birthright until ten years later, when he learns he’s to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts is a lot like English boarding school, except that instead of classes in math and grammar, the curriculum features courses in Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry becomes the star player of Quidditch, a sort of mid-air ball game. With the help of his new friends Ron and Hermione, Harry solves a mystery involving a sorcerer’s stone that ultimately takes him to the evil Voldemort. This hugely enjoyable fantasy is filled with imaginative details, from oddly flavored jelly beans to dragons’ eggs hatched on the hearth.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1998

ISBN: 978-0-590-35340-3

Page Count: 309

Publisher: Levine/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1998

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

Share your opinion of this book

More In The Series

BOOK REVIEW

by J.K. Rowling & illustrated by Mary GrandPré

by J.K. Rowling ; illustrated by Mary GrandPré

More by J.K. Rowling

by J.K. Rowling ; illustrated by Jim Field

by J.K. Rowling

by J.K. Rowling ; illustrated by Minalima

More About This Book

SEEN & HEARD

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

From the school for good and evil series , vol. 1.

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Iacopo Bruno ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2013

Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic.

Chainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.

Every four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school. Those who survive to graduate become major or minor characters in fairy tales. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and  her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. Gradually—too gradually, as the author strings out hundreds of pages of Hogwarts-style pranks, classroom mishaps and competitions both academic and romantic—it becomes clear that the placement wasn’t a mistake at all. Growing into their true natures amid revelations and marked physical changes, the two spark escalating rivalry between the wings of the school. This leads up to a vicious climactic fight that sees Good and Evil repeatedly switching sides. At this point, readers are likely to feel suddenly left behind, as, thanks to summary deus ex machina resolutions, everything turns out swell(ish).

Pub Date: May 14, 2013

ISBN: 978-0-06-210489-2

Page Count: 496

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

More by Soman Chainani

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by RaidesArt

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Julia Iredale

BOOK TO SCREEN

THE LAST EVER AFTER

From the school for good and evil series , vol. 3.

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Iacopo Bruno ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2015

Ultimately more than a little full of itself, but well-stocked with big themes, inventively spun fairy-tale tropes, and...

Good has won every fairy-tale contest with Evil for centuries, but a dark sorcerer’s scheme to turn the tables comes to fruition in this ponderous closer.

Broadening conflict swirls around frenemies Agatha and Sophie as the latter joins rejuvenated School Master Rafal, who has dispatched an army of villains from Capt. Hook to various evil stepmothers to take stabs (literally) at changing the ends of their stories. Meanwhile, amid a general slaughter of dwarves and billy goats, Agatha and her rigid but educable true love, Tedros, flee for protection to the League of Thirteen. This turns out to be a company of geriatric versions of characters, from Hansel and Gretel (in wheelchairs) to fat and shrewish Cinderella, led by an enigmatic Merlin. As the tale moves slowly toward climactic battles and choices, Chainani further lightens the load by stuffing it with memes ranging from a magic ring that must be destroyed and a “maleficent” gown for Sophie to this oddly familiar line: “Of all the tales in all the kingdoms in all the Woods, you had to walk into mine.” Rafal’s plan turns out to be an attempt to prove that love can be twisted into an instrument of Evil. Though the proposition eventually founders on the twin rocks of true friendship and family ties, talk of “balance” in the aftermath at least promises to give Evil a fighting chance in future fairy tales. Bruno’s polished vignettes at each chapter’s head and elsewhere add sophisticated visual notes.

Pub Date: July 21, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-06-210495-3

Page Count: 672

Review Posted Online: June 25, 2015

• Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
• News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
• Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
• Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
• Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
• More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
• About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

• Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (Harry Potter: Book 1)

The Philosopher’s Stone is the first in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series of seven novels that have made her the most successful literary author of all time, selling in excess of 400 million copies world-wide. The books are read and enjoyed by children and adults alike and have also been made into hugely popular films.

Do the Harry Potter books live up to the hype? When I first began reading the Philosopher’s stone I was immediately struck by how good - and laugh-out-loud funny - the humour was. You usually need to read a Terry Pratchett novel to ensure constant laughter throughout but Rowling has managed to infuse this book with a lovely wit and charm that will both amuse and delight adults and children.

Here is an example, with the ending being particularly good:

"Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes and thick, blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel – Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig." Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: The Vanishing Glass

There are characters in this book that will remind us of all the people we have met. Everybody knows or knew a spoilt, overweight boy like Dudley or a bossy and interfering (yet kind-hearted) girl like Hermione. A large number of the younger readers will also be able to easily identify with Harry, especially with his initial feelings of isolation and not belonging, and then through to his excitement at finally leaving that life behind in favour of one where he belongs and will be happy.

When Harry begins his first term at Hogwarts (a wizarding school) he is not alone in being overawed:

‘Yeh’ll get yer firs’ sight of Hogwarts in a sec,’ Hagrid called over his shoulder, ‘jus’ round this bend here.’ There was a loud ‘Oooooh!” The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Hogwarts is a truly magical place, not only in the most obvious way but also in all the detail that the author has gone to describe it so vibrantly. It is the place that everybody wishes they could of gone to when they where eleven. And there many adventures befall the trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and the stone in the book's title is centre to all that happens. The story builds towards and exciting conclusion that has the ultimate feel-good factor.

J.K. Rowling should be commended for getting so many people reading and excited by books. The biggest surprise must be the effect that this novel had on the adult population, both male and female - at the time the books were published many a commuting train was spotted with Harry Potter books providing world-weary workers with a wonderful sense of escapism. This book is highly recommended to anybody between the ages of 8 and 80.

Is all the hype about the Harry Potter books justified? In a word, yes, the books are a joy to read and possibly the most rewarding young adult’s book since The Hobbit.

9/10 A rewarding read, a classic for children.

• Buy on Amazon

Review by Amanda White

136 positive reader review(s) for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

380 positive reader review(s) in total for the Harry Potter series

JK Rowling biography

Noona from Australia

This book is satisfyingly good, the entire idea of having a young boy who’s parents die in the hands in an blood thirsty super villain isn’t that unique... *cough* *cough* *Batman*. But she makes it so original with hoggwards and the mirror makes this book so good

Athena-Jayde from New Zealand

Best book of all time love the writing and the dream J.k Rowling is my all time favorite writer

Anon from UK

I never thought I'd enjoy Harry Potter so much! It's become my favourite series and absolutely LOVE the magic and everything about the book honestly. You can never get bored and all the chapters always leave you asking tons of questions! Love it! P.S. Joanne Rowling- I love your books. Keep on doing, what you're doing! You are such an amazing author and angel. 😃

Samuel from Australia

Could not tear my eyes away from this book.

Haniya from Pakistan

Harry Potter is the best English novel I read.

Priyal from India

We all know that the book is fab, but have you ever wondered , what if J.K. Rowling ended the book with the the last line saying- '' and then Harry woke up from the dream lying in the cupboard under the stairs....''

Great book for young and old, I have read it so many times i could say it word for word. I think that it is one of the best books that I have ever read.

Anonymous from Rather not Say

An interesting beginning for the award-winning series. This, unlike the other Harry Potters, wasn’t that good. Nearly each on got better. But some kids may find this book boring and lose interest. It just doesn’t have the action and sci-fi like the rest. Philosopher’s Stone: 6/10 Chamber of Secrets: 7/10 Prisoner of Azkaban: 9/10 Goblet of Fire: 9/10 Order of the Phoenix: 10/10 Half-Blood Prince: 6/10 Deathly Hallows: 9/10 Cursed Child: 2/10 Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them: 5/10 The Tales of Beedle the Bard: 4/10

Beauty Queen from India

It was very nice book. I am still reading it even after 100 times. It interesting you see I am a fast reader so I completed the book in 1 day. It tells about how Harry Potter a wizard and how his parents were murdered so he had only one relative his mom's sister Aunt Petunia and her family. Then a letter arrives at his house but his uncle won't let him see it but a giant named Hagrid the gamekeeper says the truth that he was an wizard like he studied in the school Hogwarts the magic school and made some friends too. But he needed to save the philosopher stone from the deadly wizard named Lord Voldemort but the problem was his least favorite teacher Snape who Harry thinks works for Voldemort but that isn't the end but I don't want to be a surprise spoiler so read it yourself I felt it was a good book. How about you?

Anoymous from Somewhere

Very good book. I had read it for more than 5 times.

Anonymous from Somewhere

It’s OK. There’s been better Harry Potters. But Artemis Fowl is more enjoyable.

Mia from Australia

This is the Summary Harry Potter he a kid on his eleventh birthday a big giant man name Hagrid told him that he was a wizard and his parents were witch and wizard too he never knew that he was famous. He started at Hogwarts. Harry made some new friends name Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger there found a three head dog name Fluffy and there need to find out what in that trap door let the magic begin. This is plot When Harry Potter start Hogwarts school of wizard and witchery and Find out what happen to his parents and he find the murder of his parents his name is Voldemort. This is imagery and symbolism That in Harry Potter has a lot of bright colours and some dark colours. Book is mostly about how Harry starts and through the year of Hogwarts. One of the may symbols are Harry scar because he the boy who lived right after Voldemort disappeared. Themes are magic, Friendship and Love because it shows the magic in Hogwarts, friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione and love between Harry and his mother and father who Harry lose.

Bill from UK

Harry Potter are the greatest books ever. I really enjoy these books the most book I like is The Prisoner of Azkaban because Buckbeak who is a magical creature is cute and the best it is the best book I have.

Sanu from Australia

It enthralled me and I finished all the books in grade 3. But I re-read them and still do! These wonderful masterpieces are perfect for kids and adults. Take a look at it.

Samiya from Bangladesh

Only one thing can say, the book is awesome and every moment and every chapter is incredible. It is the best book I ever read.

Harry Potter are the greatest books ever. I really enjoy these books, the book I likemost  is The Prisoner of Azkaban because Buckbeak, who is a magical creature, is cute and the best. It is the best book I have.

Rose from Holly wood

Maria from Pakistan

This book has had me taken into another land in which i remain till now...even though i finished the whole series! I simply cannot get enough of harry potter and i highly recommend this book if you guys love fantasy and a bit of wizard action!😍😍😘😊

Rachel from United Kingdom

Simply the best!

Anna from United States

I don't like fantasy books. This is my one time I have to go against it. Harry Potter is in my top 2 favorite books of all time. It's amazing with all the unique things that you see around the magic world. You will have to think again when you chose a favourite book.

Suzanna from Wales

One of the best book series ever!! Charming and Witty, you just cant put the book down.

Nicole Fernando from Sri Lanka

Harry’s perfectly normal life at number 4 privet drive becomes extraordinary when he finds out that he is a wizard and Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry will teach him all he needs to know.Ignoring his aunt’s and uncle’s(Mr. and Mrs.Dursley) screams of protests Harry ventures into the wizarding world. But even in The wizarding world bad things happen like, the evil wizard ,Voldemort who killed who many innocent people( including Harry’s parents ) coming back to life.Even though Harry escaped from Voldemort once, Harry is not certain he can do it again.Join Harry Potter and his newly found friends Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger to save the wizarding World.Can they do it? Find out in Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone . This book is great for all ages.The author J.K Rowling created a world full of adventure,fun and mystical places and creatures.This is only the first book from a set of seven.People all around the world would love this series.This book is one of the greatest books I have ever read.

Anna from UK

It’s very good because I enjoy it and it makes me wanna read it a lot and see what happens next.

Anjitha from India

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is one of my favourite books in the Harry Potter series. Reading this book has made me crazy about Harry Potter and I wish to be one among the magical community. I can't imagine how thrilled I would be if I get a letter from Dumbledore saying that I am admitted to Hogwarts!!!!!!!

Cira from Canada

This book made me feel like I was taken to another land. I love it and others should too. I really enjoyed the humpr and thrill that were somehow mixed together into a perfect story. J.K Rowling has that little touch that makes everyone LOVE her books. EVeryone needs to buy it!

Risha from India

One of the best books I've read. Highly recommend it. It's for all ages and it's the best! Humour, thrill, action and a little love. A combo of everything.

Amber from India

It was the best book I had ever read. The first book was a blast. J.k Rowling has really outdone herself this time.I am reading the 7th book now, and it seems to be really interesting. Young readers, I am advising you to start reading Harry Potter, as it is truly amazing and interesting to boost your imagination..... The magical world of Harry Potter is includes dangerous, fun and legendary adventures, starring Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, who are three best friends in this fabulous story. They fought together against many fantastic and dangerous creatures, and came across many obstacles. Finally, it was the time, for Harry Potter to fight against the most powerful, dangerous wizard all the magical people could think of. You wanna know more about this legendary adventure, then reading the Harry Potter series is the best way possible.

Jotaro from Japan

It is very good.

Samit from India

Truly amazing

Neil from Malta

Purely amazing.

Sofia from Mexico

It was good.

Ava from Australia

Get ready to wave your wand, for this wizardry adventure. It start off with a young boy not knowing that he's a wizard until his 11th birthday, on his journey to Hogwarts Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) makes amazing friends with Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Wealsy (Rupert Grint). On learning how to prounce the famous spells like wingardium leviosa, lumos and alohomara, but in every story there's a troubling part were Harry fights for his life.

Jade from UK

This book is the only book I read because nothing else is interesting for me and I could never stop re-reading it.By now I must of read the Harry Potter series 20 times,they are just WOW and AMAZING.I would recommend this book to anyone!

Aoife from Ireland

Just perfect.

Amaal from Austrailia

It is definitely the best book I've ever read! I need to read all!!!! :) SO AMAZING! I now know 100% understand why J.K. Rowling is the most successful and richest author there is! 9.9 STARS!

Palak from India

i have read harry potter book it was amazing i like it

Sofia from USA

Harry Potter and the philospher's stone is one of the best series I have read it more than 8 times

Namratha from India

This is amazing I love it 😙😙😙😙😙😙

Shravani from India

I really loved Harry Potter series. It is one of the greatest fictions for children. The writing, the character development is very good. I really liked it.

Harry from Australia

Best book series if you ask me. I have read each book over 15 times except The Order of the Phoenix and Goblet of Fire. JK Rowling's writing is better than any other writing. I love Emma Watson / Hermione Granger. I have loved Harry Potter since I was in year 2.

Manya Rathore from India

It is the most interesting book I have ever read and It is a wizard story and is a inspirative story.

carissa from singpore

I LOVE harry potter so much that I can read the whole book series like about 20 times. I think that everyone should a lest try reading Harry Potter .

Mubeen from India

When i started reading harry potter and the philosophers stone i was unable to stop myself by reading i read it continously and i hd cmpltd it in just one day without getting bored.....these are the amazing book series i hv ever read....i would luv to read it again and again..

Juveriya from India

I love the harry potter series

Katie from 1 Direction Fandom

Get ready for swish and flick and wingardium leviosa! The best part is the last against Lord Voldemort.

Imogen from UK

Good book =-)

Electra from Greece

I love Harry Potter and I love the Philosopher's Stone so much because it is the book where all the magic began.

Olivia Myers from Australia

I love Harry Potter but I would rather watch the move than read the book :}

Heramb from Australia

Harry Potter was the best book series I've ever read and it is beast. If I could I would rate this 2,000,000 stars out of ten!

Ben from UK

Definitely advise reading these books.

Sanjanaa from India

I like Harry Potter.

Thomas from America

AMAZING! RECOMMEND IT!!!

Aaradhana from India

Whatever it has use for us , whatever it teaches , friendship , believe in magic , confidence in ourselves , whatever , its the craziest thing i have ever read or ever known in my life...I just go mad and imagine myself in that world and actually i wont ever be tired of reading it if its even 100 times 😃😃😃😇😇😌😌 I just love it n u r the most imp part of life-review of others who just shown me that its what makes the harry potter the best story ever atleast fr me... its my life. If i would even be of 50 yrs or more i won't stop admiring it and readinb... yes i am not the best fan but fr me its the best book/series 😁😁 Love u harry pottrr stories.... and yeah 1 thing i forgot to tell u i am really a great fan of Draco Malfoy/TOM FELTON....😍😍�...😄......was that too much to read!!!!�......

Rachana from India

What a nice book it was!

Keira from Canada

This book review is magical and helps me understand what this book is about. Also in my class we are making book reviews and you have helped me alot with exmaples! Thanks.

Frutopia10 from New Zealand

It was awesome! A book that is unforgettable! Even though the series gets better and better this book is a all time favorite for me.

Hemanth from India

This is the book that everyone has to read in their lifetime and the graphics are awesome. Thanks to J. K. Rowling for giving us a awesome book and after reading I realised why the book is so famous.

Akash from India

This book is so amazing. That I can't narrate and Ys I have decided to know what people are so much crazy about these series. At last the thinking of writer is lunatically awesome!!!!

Abcd1234 from Israel

An amazing start for an equally amazing series . The plot is immersive, it takes you by the hands and pulls you into the books. I Read the whole seven books in a row. Must read!!!

Lily from Australia

OMG! this book is amazing. JK Rowling is really good with words i have read this book 100 times i love it keep up the good work JK

Sahla from UK

The magic begins!!! This book is bewitchingly beautiful. I have read all of the Harry Potter books including the Cursed Child and I have to admit that this one never gets old! All book lovers across the world, children or adults, can enjoy this book. Honestly I believe no one can ever say they hate this book true to their heart unless their pathological liars.

Annie from India

This book is amazing. I really like that and I think everyone also like this boo . This book show a philosopher's stone that amazing and their wand spells superb . Thanks to J.K Rowling that gives us very interesting book.

Savannah from Australia

This book is amazing.

Satwika from India

AMAZING!!! I love the book. It is my all time favorite. I am dieing to go to a magical school like Hogwarts. I am inspired to write a fantasy novel.

Harry Potter Fan😍 from Hogwarts

I love this book. I saw the movie and have read the book a million times now!!! (LOL)😍😃😘

Ahmed from Saudi arabia

Awesome Book but chapter one was very boring plzz in the next series dont write all those kind of stuffs. Plzz begin the story neatly and nicely

Sohini from India

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is written by J.K Rowling. Even By reading this small summary I am well liked of the story. And really from now I like Harry Potter.

N from Ireland

AMAZING 😁

Sophie from UK

It was Fantastic!

MAISHA from INDIA

It's a fabulous book, I had heard about it from my friends, and when I found it very interesting. It was like I am in the story watching everything happening. I will now start to read the second book. From my point of view, I feel that JK ROWLING IS THE BEST WRITER IN THE WORLD IN THIS GENERATION.

David from US

The first book in the Harry Potter series has much going for it but I think it is the humour that stands out most for. It is many things but I just found it plain funny. Consistently. This is fantasy in its purest form and it offers wonderful escapement and wish-fulfilment. When a book becomes as massively popular as this those who do not like it tend to really hate it. But make up your own mind - if a school for wizards and oodles of adventure and excitement sound like your type of thing then your not going to find much better than this.

Great story mixed with fantastic world - building combine to form a literary classic of immense proportions.

Emma from America

Chamber of Secrets is the classic that started a classic story about the boy who lived. The book features well rounded characters, a mysterious plot, and heartwarming world-building.

Jessica from Australia

It's amazing! I recommend this book to all ages ❤️

Indrajeet from India

Best book in my life I have ever read before and I have all the version in my home and I read it in leisure time.

Sindhu from India

This wonderful book takes us on a magical journey you can't help falling in love with. The plot, the characters, the tiny details that Rowling so masterfully brings together... mindblowing. Easily the best book series I've ever read. Recommended for everybody- young and old.

ledi from Albania

I love this book because it is a very interesting, mysterious and thrilling book.

Lavisha Malik from India

I like this book. I thank the writer to write such a interesting type of book.

Houssem from Tunisia

What an amazing and fascinating book ! Wow. The journey passed so fast, how you dive into the pages,sink in the events and travel with the characters, how fantastic that is, purely wonderful ^^

Sashreek Havelia from India

This was an amazing book and was my second novel ever. I find myself in a stronghold of books just because of this wonderfully written and out of the box book. I must congratulate author J.K.Rowling on the success of all her books and her skill as an author.

Disha from India

It is very nice.

Harry from UK

I quite liked the book it was interesting I am now on the 2nd book of Harry Potter.

Trevor from US

The only people who don't like Harry Potter books are adults who seem to think that admitting they like Harry Potter makes them less of an adult. Oh, it's a great children's book. STFU. It's not a great children's book. It's just a great book. PERIOD.

Safia Ali from India

I just want to say that I AM MAD ABOUT THIS MAGICAL WORLD AS IT DID A GREAT MAGIC ON MY MIND AND HEART. JUST LOVE IT!

Brychan from UK

An excellent book combining magic and reality in a sensational mix. J.K Rowling has definitely succeeded in writing a brilliant book perfect for all ages. She has created a combination of happy, exciting and sad scenes to create an amazing book. If you have not already read the series then I definitely recommend that you read it as soon as possible. 9/10

Jasmine from India

This book is the best book I have read in a entire life. Love u JK Rowling.

Potter fan from India

Good book but lacks action...

Navneet from India

It really is the most fantastic book which I have ever read in my life.

Michael Anthony from US

Great book!!! Love it.

Himansh from India

Great book! I had read this book almost 10 times but am not at all bored of it. People who feel bored are dumb. The only word for this book is - awesome!!! But the Deathly Hallows is the last part. I'll miss Harry Potter!!!

#potterhead from Pakistan

Oh my god! These books are life. I just cannot describe how amazing they are. I've read them like a million times and I'm still not tired of them. Favourite books and I also lovvveeeee the movies. Potterhead for life!

Priyanka from Dubai

It is such an awesome book, I felt so sad when it was coming to an end. I wish there were more than 7 Harry Potter books.

Gordon from England

It is very funny those who give this book a bad review have a very poor grasp of the English language. Maybe they lack the intellegence to appreciate literature beyond wiser and chips? Totally awesome book.

Faizan from India

Excellent! Wonderful! I love the series of Harry Potter. I have read it 7 times continuously. No words to appreciate. Just enjoy the fantasy world of magic.

Sheepish from India

It is a nice and thrilling book which I had never read in my life. I love this book, thanx for this, bye.

Anakha from India

I love it. An amazing book!

Annastacia Buckley from Singapore

I absolutely loveee this book!! But, I would give it a 10 if the review was longer and have more coverage! Awesome book!

Gregory from Australia

This book was very impressive... how can people hate this book?

xxpa from canada

Great book, I couldn't put it down once I started reading this book. Dark, amazing, fast and thrilling. A must read for all!

Jack from US

It's so good, thanks, you gave me an idea for a book review.

Gunnhildur from Iceland

I loooooved this book! Those dumb Harry Potter haters don´t understand what they are missing! I really hope J.K. Rowling writes more of these, I have read all of them twice! Maybe some stories about Harry and Ron doing Aura business and other stuff!

Deepika from India

The only review is that they are... AWESOME!!!

Pinky from India

I can't give 10 points because it's not enough! Hey! I've started reading Chamber of Secrets. After I completed reading I came to this website. Ah! This book has fans all over the world.

Ramya from India

The best ever book I've read. Fascinating, mesmerizing, so on!!! No other words I've to describe it. I normally hate books but this is the one which gave me the interest to read novels. I'll say this book is best because it's SIMPLY GREAT GREAT GREAT... VERY GREAT!!!

Trina from US

You can't put it down. I really recommend this book, it's filled with enjoyment and it's fascinating. OK, I don't want to say really smart words but just kick back your feet and read - it is so good.

Harry Potter (wink wink) from Privet Drive

i just finished it and it only took me a day.... i couldn't put it down it was AMAZING. I came to this website before I read it just to be sure it is worth while. If you're doing this now... STOP and read it. No words can explain how good it is, I have already started Chamber of Secrets. There is so much detail in JK Rowling's books! I recommend read this first then watch the movie. It's a great book for all ages :)

Aymar from Canada

Honestly loved the first the most. But the entire series was the best series I have a ever read!

Xavier from Austria

Although I am not totally enamoured by the series as a whole I think the Philosopher's Stone is a beautiful stand-alone book. It oozes charm and offers wish fulfilment on a level I've only ever encountered in the Lord of the Rings. At turns funny, heart-warming, exciting and full of tension it is a book that everyone should read. Even if it is just to find out what the fuss is all about. A great book to read every Christmas.

Ilma from Bangladesh

The best book I've read!

Himika from India

This book taught me to love fantasy! I have read many books ever since, but HP for me is always special!

Rithu from India

The most exciting and interesting to all class of people.

Dang Trung Hieu from Vietnam

Great book!

Iris from Mexico

It was the book that taught me to love reading. And discover the feeling not to be able to leave the chair until you have finished the book. Highly recommended.

Harihara from India

No words can say how much I like this. The best series ever.

Sweata from India

It is a very thrilling book and also it has an interesting mythology... I loved this book very much... I thank J.K. Rowling for writing such a great book...

Samantha from Canada

Amazing, gripping, magnificent.

Sathwik from India

Harry Potter is awesome. It has a lot of action.

Joshua from England

Harry Potter to some is a "boring", "overexaggerated" book with no life in it whatsoever. Those people are absolute idiots. J.K. Rowling's books are gripping, stunning and filled with so much literature. The magic between the pages is just thrilling, when I started reading this particular book in my youth - around 4 years ago, I'm 13 now - it was impossible to put down, I would not sleep until it was finished. Lucky for me I'm a fast reader. In a few words Harry Potter is amazing: gripping and intelligent.

Shubham Mk from India

Just one word... CLASSIC!!! Thumbs up!!

Sarah from Pakistan

I liked this book very much, but this is my first book in the Harry Potter series and now I am very excited to read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which I've got to read in the school holidays but this book is really awesome and I hope Chamber of Secrets will also be as interesting as this!!!

Julia from America

I thought it was brill!

Jimwel from Philippines

I really love the Harry Potter books, in fact I already finished reading all those 7 series and I really crave for more books. Hope J.K. Rowling make additional series but I don't suppose she will. But who knows?

Tom Marvolo Riddle from England

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the best book of all time!

Ieuan Jones from UK

I love Harry Potter but I think the first one lacks some action, where as the others have a lot of action from near the start, like Chamber of Secrets - there's the bit near the end where Harry kills the Basilisk and the Prisoner of Azkaban, there's the Womping Willow, whereas the first one isn't very exiting because all it is the first part of the end they get through that in like 2 mins of the film and then all they do is play chess and then Harry goes on to get bought in a fire for like a minute and then all it is is him in bed and Dumbledore steeling his sweet. So yeah, it isn't the best book but I think I would put it about 6th out of the eight :D

Amelia from Australia

I LOVE THIS BOOK AND ALL THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES!! They are so engaging and make the reader actually want to be a wizard!! I am absolutely crazy about Harry Potter!! My room is filled with Harry Potter stuff because I am so in-love with these books!!!

Andy from Reading

I have heard a lot of criticism of these books by quite a few adults, and whilst the writing may not be the best they are quite clearly wrong. These books have successfully engaged not just millions of young people across the world but millions of adults as well. Any author who can achieve such a following must be doing something right. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the story and go with the flow, yes there are shortcomings, however in this case it doesn't really matter if it gets millions of people engaged in reading.

Sarah from London

GREAT! That's all I can say!

Cat Fitzpatrick from London

A children's classic, what more can you say? Luckily I was eleven when the first book came out so I was the right age to follow them over the years, but I go back to them again and again even though I'm an adult because there's so much joy to be had in this magic, vivid world. It's funny, charming, heart-breaking and utterly wonderful.

Visenna from Poland

Really great, but still rather for younger readers.

Ankita from India

I love to watch the Harry Potter series.

Adam from Gregory

J.K. Rowling has sharp, lucid prose that carries Harry Potter beyond the realms of simple children's fantasy and into that of timeless literature. It's accessible and clear but at times it can be poetic and downright funny. In addition to her concise writing style, Harry Potter is populated with interesting and relatable characters that the reader can (and will) fall in love with. Yes, you could argue the plot devices are nothing we haven't seen before. Sometimes they even border on cliche. And yes, you could also argue that the villain is a bit too simple on the morality side of things. But none of this really matters, because the Harry Potter series are a helluva lot of fun to read and have a blast-ended-skrewt-sized heart.

Ian from Lisburn

The greatest fantasy series of a generation. If you haven't read these books yet please come out of your cave and rejoin the rest of the world!!! They reminded me why I love reading and fantasy.

Sharnali from London

The Harry Potter books to me are AWESOME!!! They are legendary. J.K Rowling is an inspiration, a William Shakespeare of the present day! ;]

Leisale from Vanuatu

The only word I have for the Harry Potter series is that they are... AWESOME!!!!

Kaan Can from Turkey

Harry Potter's magical world was created perfectly by JK Rowling. It's really interesting!!! The book series and movies are great!! This is a world phenomenon!! Read these books!

Samir from Oran

I wasn't going to read the Harry Potter series because I thought it was an overrated children's book. But one day, I decided that I had to see for myself why so many people liked this series. I couldn't be more wrong. It's an amazing fantasy series with a very solid and interesting mythology. The first book is great but the following books are even better.

Laura from England

I love Harry Potter, I started reading it in primary school and I keep re-reading the whole series - it's amazing! I love the magic of it all, it's so unique. I must have read the series through at least 6 times now, and I don't get bored! They are brilliant. I love all the characters, they're so interesting. This book is just....wow! Not my favourite of the series but I still love it... I like it when they go through the trap door, it's hard to stop reading :)

9.7 /10 from 138 reviews

All JK Rowling Reviews

• Harry Potter (Harry Potter)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Harry Potter Companion)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter Companion)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter: Book 1)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter: Book 2)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter: Book 3)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter: Book 4)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter: Book 5)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter: Book 6)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter: Book 7)

Top 100 Fantasy Books Of All Time

Looking for great fantasy books? Take a look at the 100 pages we rate highest

Fantasy Series We Recommend

There's nothing better than finding a fantasy series you can lose yourself in

Fantasy Books Of The Year

Our fantasy books of the year, from 2006 to 2021

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling – review

‘I love this book SO much because when you are reading it, you feel like you are inside the book’

Harry Potter thinks he is a perfectly normal boy. Unfortunately, he lives with his hot-tempered Uncle Vernon, his nosy Aunt Petunia and his bullying cousin, Dudley, who all make Harry’s life miserable. Living in a stuffy old cupboard under the stairs is just one of the reasons why Harry hates living with the Dursleys. Unusual things happen to Harry, such as an incident with a snake at the zoo which resulted in him being locked in the cupboard for a month! Then, some unusual letters start arriving for Harry; this confuses and irritates Uncle Vernon so he takes the family somewhere where he thinks no-one will find him but he was greatly mistaken. A giant-sized man with beetle black eyes goes to tell Harry some very astonishing news: Harry is a wizard! Soon, Harry has lots of adventures in his new wizarding school, Hogwarts, but not all is fun and games. Someone is planning to steal a special object being hidden in Hogwarts… but who is it?

I love this book SO much because when you are reading it, you feel like you are inside the book. I feel like I am actually in Hogwarts, watching the ghosts and duelling enemies. Although some bits are slightly frightening (such as the end), you feel like you are glued to the book and can’t wait to find out what happens next. This amazing book is exciting, fun and hard to stop reading! I think children should read this book when they are 7 or over because it has some hard words in it and some bits are slightly complicated.

Although this book has been made into a film (along with the rest of the Harry Potter series), I personally think that you should read the book before watching the films because you don’t get the thrill of turning the page and reading frantically to find out what happens next. If you like the sound of the book why don’t you read it? Plus, if you liked it, you can read the next 6 books in the series which are just as good as the first. Happy reading!

Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop .

Want to tell the world about a book you’ve read? Join the site and send us your review!

• Children's books
• Children and teenagers
• Children's books: 8-12 years
• Harry Potter
• children's user reviews

Most viewed

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Real-Life Heroes on YouTube for Tweens and Teens

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone: harry potter, book 1, common sense media reviewers.

Magical start of the fantastic boy-wizard series.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Author borrows many magical creatures, people, and

Friendship and bravery are more important than boo

Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione, models o

There's a little diversity at Hogwarts. Lee Jordan

Kids are in peril often, but it's mostly at the ha

One instance of "damn" and a "Good Lord."

Hagrid mentions having way too much to drink one n

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series about an orphan boy who begins his studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The novel respects kids' intelligence and motivates them to tackle its greater length and complexity…

Educational Value

Author borrows many magical creatures, people, and concepts from other fantasy traditions and puts her own spin on them: Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel and their Sorcerer's (or Philosopher's) Stone, wands and potions, unicorns, goblins, centaurs, dragons, giants, trolls, and more.

Positive Messages

Friendship and bravery are more important than books and cleverness. There are many kinds of bravery, and it's even braver to stand up to your friends than to your enemies.

Positive Role Models

Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione, models of dedicated friends, are rewarded for their bravery. They are usually punished for rule-breaking but also get away with quite a bit, especially when Harry gets his hands on an invisibility cloak. Harry always means well, though, and just like the sorting hat says, he has a "thirst to prove himself." Dumbledore (Hogwarts' eccentric headmaster) is a wonderful mentor to Harry, showing up with sage advice at just the right times.

Diverse Representations

There's a little diversity at Hogwarts. Lee Jordan is described as having dreadlocks, and the Patil twins are sorted into the Gryffindor house. Some diverse family structures are described: Harry lives with his aunt and uncle and Neville with his grandmother. Harry and Ron bond over growing up with second-hand clothes and wishing they had more money; Ron's insecurity over being from a poorer family comes up a lot. Women have prominent roles at Hogwarts: Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout are both heads of houses. There are two girls on the Gryffindor quidditch team. There's only one larger-sized character who isn't a bad guy, and that's Hagrid. Lots of negative language around the size of Dudley and his father and Malfoy's Slytherin friends Crabbe and Goyle.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Kids are in peril often, but it's mostly at the hands of fantasy creatures. A three-headed dog threatens Harry and friends. Harry and Draco see a dead and bloody unicorn and are chased by a hooded figure in the Forbidden Forest. Harry and friends fight a troll and knock it unconscious, are nearly crushed by a constricting plant and pummeled by a life-size chess board. Some minor injuries: a dragon bite that swells up and a broken wrist after a fall off a broom. Some bullying and a fistfight. One minor character dies. Mostly friendly ghosts roam the halls; the ghost Nearly Headless Nick shows how he got the name. Talk of Harry's childhood with his Muggle family, how his cousin bullied and hit him and his aunt and uncle neglected him. Harry's uncle points a gun at Hagrid. Flashback to the (bloodless) deaths of Harry's parents and much discussion about how they died and the one who killed them.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Hagrid mentions having way too much to drink one night and giving away a dangerous secret. At another time Hagrid carries and drinks from a flask, and at Christmas dinner he drinks heavily and kisses Professor McGonagall on the cheek. Vernon Dursley is served brandy after a trying day. Witches drink sherry, and someone smokes a long pipe at a wizard bar. Baby dragons drink a mixture of brandy and chicken blood.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first book in J.K. Rowling' s Harry Potter series about an orphan boy who begins his studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The novel respects kids' intelligence and motivates them to tackle its greater length and complexity, play imaginative games, and try to solve its logic puzzles. Book 1 is the lightest in the series, but it still has some scary stuff for sensitive readers: a three-headed dog, an attacking troll, a violent life-size chess board, a hooded figure over a dead and bleeding unicorn, as well as a discussion of how Harry's parents died years ago and how he was raised by an aunt and uncle who neglected him. Some adult wizards drink, especially Hagrid, who drinks to excess more than once. There's little diversity at Hogwarts beyond a few students of color, but women have prominent roles at the school, and the smartest kid in class is Hermione, a girl. The 2015 lavishly illustrated, larger-format edition features a new cover (different from the original U.S. cover pictured here) and more than 100 full-color illustrations by Jim Kay ( A Monster Calls ) that depict shimmering ghosts amid breathtaking scenes of Hogwarts, character portraits, and pages from magical textbooks. Parents who want to learn more about the series (and spin-off movies and games) can read our Harry Potter Age-by-Age Guide .

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (62)
• Kids say (378)

Based on 62 parent reviews

Great book for kids and adults alike. Beautifully written :)

What's the story.

In HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, Harry Potter is left on his aunt and uncle's doorstep as a baby after his parents are killed. For 10 years he's forced to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs while his bullying cousin, Dudley, is spoiled rotten. The summer before the start of secondary school, a letter arrives with his name on it, no stamp, and a mysterious seal. Uncle Vernon snatches it away before he can open it, but it doesn't matter. More and more letters arrive and the family is eventually chased down to a rocky island by a large hairy man named Hagrid. Thanks to Hagrid, Harry finally gets to open his letter: an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And, surprise! "You're a wizard, Harry." It turns out that Harry is one of the most famous wizards ever, called the Boy Who Lived after he survived an attack from the evil Lord Voldemort. Not only did Harry survive the attack that killed his parents, but somehow baby Harry also managed to defeat Voldemort in the process. So that's how he got that lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.

Is It Any Good?

There are two kinds of magic in this phenomenal boy-wizard tale, the literal spell kind and the spell cast by a thrilling world for young (and old) fantasy readers to explore. While Harry Potter and his new friends Ron and Hermione get their first lessons in potion making and how to make a feather fly ("swish and flick!"), readers are getting lessons in delightful ideas like owls delivering the post, secret train platforms, pictures and staircases that move, sports played on broomsticks, and even odd-flavored jelly beans. Readers will want to grab their owl, cat, or toad (how can you choose just one?!) and hop on the train to Hogwarts immediately.

But it's not all fun with flying broomsticks. Harry Potter isn't called the Boy Who Lived for nothing. He's an orphan because an evil wizard killed his parents and wanted to kill him, and that evil still lurks at the school. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione uncover a plot to steal the Sorcerer's Stone of the title, more and more school rules must be broken (and some serious house points must be lost) to figure out who the enemy at school really is. Readers will enjoy the twists, danger, and kid wizard heroics that drive the final action.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about when kids knew they were ready to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone . Did you feel pressured to read it when your friends did? Were any parts too scary for you? How did you handle it?

Kids just getting into the series will find a whole world of Harry Potter available to them, from Chocolate Frogs for sale at the grocery store to theme parks. A die-hard Potter fan can spend a lot of money in their lifetime on merchandise and experiences. Do you think this is worth your money? Are there other ways you can celebrate books you love without raiding your piggie bank?

This series has been commended for getting so many kids to love reading. Which books made you start to love reading? Or are you still looking for them?

Book Details

• Author : J. K. Rowling
• Illustrator : Mary Grandpre
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
• Publication date : September 1, 1998
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
• Number of pages : 309
• Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Common Sense Media Award , Kids' Choice Award
• Last updated : May 5, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches: Archibald Finch, Book 1

The Witch Boy

The Worst Witch at School

Harry potter book series, harry potter movies, related topics.

• Magic and Fantasy

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Book Review

Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone – “harry potter” series.

• J.K. Rowling

Readability Age Range

• Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

Year Published

After being raised in the miserably unfair home of his Uncle Vernon Dursley, Harry practically begins life anew when he discovers that he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Among Harry’s first-year adventures are making new friends (Hagrid, Ron and Hermione), standing up to the torments of school bully Draco Malfoy, and becoming the star player on his Quidditch team (the favored sport in the magical world). Harry’s life as a Hogwarts “first-year” is more interesting than that of most attendees, because he is already famous for surviving the attack of the evil Lord Voldemort, who tried to kill him as an infant. Everyone in the wizard world knows more about Harry’s family and his story than he does, so a great deal of the book is about Harry growing into his heritage.

By far the most important happening of Harry’s first year is unraveling the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone and coming face to face with Voldemort. The Sorcerer’s Stone has the power to turn things to gold and to give immortality to humans. Voldemort, who lost most of his power in the battle with Harry’s parents, is desperate to find the stone and use it for his own evil purposes. He enlists the help of one Hogwarts professor, and in the end, Harry meets both of them in hand-to-hand combat. Of course, Harry wins, but Voldemort is not defeated forever.

Positive Elements

At the wizards’ bank, Harry reads on the door the following warning against greed: “Enter stranger, but take heed of what awaits the sin of greed. For those who take but do not earn must pay dearly in their turn. So if you seek beneath our floors a treasure that was never yours, thief, you have been warned, beware of finding more than treasure there.”

Unraveling the Sorcerer’s Stone mystery, Harry, Ron and Hermione find themselves involved in a life-sized chess game, in which they become playing pieces. Two positive things here: first, Harry recognizes that Ron is more gifted than he at chess, so he defers to Ron as the wiser partner. More important, Ron proves himself to be such a good friend to Harry that he is willing to sacrifice his playing piece (and get knocked unconscious in the process) so that Harry can go on to find the stone.

Harry’s parents loved him unconditionally, even sacrificially. The message is clear about the effects of this kind of love: Voldemort says, “I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight … but your mother needn’t have died. … She was trying to protect you.” Later, Dumbledore says, “Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign … to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some sort of protection forever.”

Violent Content

No detailed description is given of the death of Harry’s parents. All Harry can remember is a huge flash of green light.

The resident directors in the Hogwarts dormitories are all ghosts. Two of them, in particular, have apparently died rather gruesome deaths, for they are named The Bloody Baron and Near Headless Nick, which gives some clue as to how they became specters.

Nicolas Flamel, the inventor of the Sorcerer’s Stone, agrees that it is in the best interest of humanity for the stone to be destroyed. This means that he and his wife, who both are over 600 years old, will die, because they will have no more sustenance from the stone. Harry expresses his distress over this selfless act, and the good professor Dumbledore responds, “To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

As previously mentioned, an evil professor tries to knock Harry to his death (or at least to serious injury) during a Quidditch match. This same professor slaughters a Unicorn in order to drink the life-giving blood of an innocent animal.

Preceding the final match with Voldemort, Ron is knocked unconscious as he, Harry and Hermione struggle to solve the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone. The final battle itself is an intense struggle, for Harry soon discovers that Voldemort cannot touch his body without being badly burned. As Harry’s encounter with Voldemort rises to a climax, Voldemort screams at one of his followers, “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!”

Harry’s Family

Harry is treated horribly by Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley Dursley. The Dursleys make Harry sleep in a closet, and they make no excuses about denying Harry simple pleasures while spoiling Dudley (“Every year on Dudley’s birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage, and Mrs. Figg made Harry look at photographs of all the cats she’d ever owned”).

The Dursleys are not characterized in such a way that the reader understands them to be a respectable or even a normal example of a family. In fact, the Dursleys are set up more as an example of the damage that is done when a child doesn’t have a real family. Children who have been neglected are likely to identify with Harry and be encouraged by his success at changing his station in life.

The Hogwarts community becomes a kind of surrogate family for Harry. He has a better Christmas at Hogwarts than he ever had with the Dursleys. And through his new friend, Ron Weasley, Harry is semi-adopted into the Weasley family, who care for him and even send him gifts, though they are poor themselves.

Throughout the story, there is the understanding that Harry’s real family truly loved him and would have treated him well. Finally, Harry finds them through a magical mirror called Erised (desire spelled backward.) In the mirror, he is able to see his mother and father looking at him longingly and waving. The mirror is intended to show its viewer the deepest desire of his or her heart.

School Discipline

J.K. Rowling paints a detailed picture of each of the prominent professors—McGonagall is fair and an excellent disciplinarian; Snape is grouchy and vengeful; Quirrell is stuttering and spineless; Dumbledore is wise and altogether respected. Harry and friends figure out early where their loyalties lie and what they can get way with in the classroom. They respect McGonagall and Dumbledore most, because these two are upright, wise and understanding.

Hogwarts rules include no fighting, no sneaking around after hours and no use of magic outside the classroom. Harry and company find a lot of their adventure in breaking the sneaking around rule and usually wind up saving someone or making an important discovery when they’re doing things they shouldn’t. They are always justly punished when they are caught in their misdeeds.

Hermione is the dissenting voice, always warning Harry and Ron that they’d better toe the line. Unfortunately, it is when she finally concedes to breaking the rules (for a good cause, of course) that Hermione proves herself a true friend to Harry and Ron (“Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?… Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had to get them out of trouble. … From that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend”).

In the end, Harry repents of his rule breaking: “It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in the things that weren’t his business from now on. He’d had it with sneaking and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself.”

Alcohol Use

Hagrid, the school’s caretaker, likes to drink (both for social reasons and to calm his nerves). “Everyone [in the bar] seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, ‘The usual, Hagrid?’ ‘Can’t Tom, I’m on Hogwarts business,’ said Hagrid.” Hagrid does renounce his drinking habit when he realizes that while he was under the influence, he disclosed secret information that could have cost Harry his life. (“It’s—all—my—ruddy—fault! … I told him! Yeh could’ve died! … I’ll never drink again!”)

Spiritual Elements

Witchcraft and wizardry are central devices in this story. And they are presented in a very stereotypical manner. For example, Harry’s school supply list includes “three sets of plain work robes (black) … one pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) … one wand, one cauldron (pewter, standard size 2),” and books like “The Standard Book of Spells … Magical Theory and One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.”

References to dark magic and other evils that pertain to the “dark side” are included, but they are never presented as desirable. Every character who is allied with these forces is an enemy or at least a tormentor to the hero of the story. For instance, one evil professor uses powerful dark magic to try to knock Harry off his broomstick during a Quidditch match. (On a cultural level, Rowling can be commended for steering young fans away from the so-called dark side, but from a spiritual perspective, it’s clear that there are not dark and light sides when it comes to witchcraft; it’s all as black as sin.)

The most intense example of dark magic occurs during Harry’s confrontation with Voldemort, when the evil one tempts Harry to come over to the dark side in order to save his own life: “‘See what I have become?’ the face said. ‘Mere shadow and vapor. … I have form only when I can share another’s body … but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds. … Don’t be a fool. … Better save your own life and join me … or you’ll meet the same end as your parents. … They died begging me for mercy.'”

“Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow” is a spoken charm typical of what Harry and his friends learn at Hogwarts. Some children may be fascinated and want to try these seemingly harmless spells for themselves. Not a wise idea, considering how very real the occult is. The meaningless charms found in this book may not summon occult forces, but there are real charms that do.

That said, Rowling presents life in the supernatural realm as much fuller than life in the physical realm. Colors are brighter, people are more interesting and life is more exciting and surprising. But the side of the supernatural world that Rowling presents is not really the side that offers this abundant life. In fact, biblically speaking, to participate in the world of witchcraft brings death rather than a fuller life (1 Sam. 28:6-18, Is. 8:19 and 47:12-14). That’s more than enough reason for families to think long and hard before embarking on Harry Potter’s magic carpet ride.

Plot Summary

Christian beliefs, other belief systems, authority roles, profanity & violence, sexual content, discussion topics, additional comments, latest book reviews.

Island of Whispers

Bookshops & Bonedust

Elf Dog and Owl Head

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses Series)

Fog & Fireflies

Weekly Reviews Straight to your Inbox!

Advertisement

Supported by

Books of The Times

An Epic Showdown as Harry Potter Is Initiated Into Adulthood

• Share full article

By Michiko Kakutani

• July 19, 2007

So, here it is at last: The final confrontation between Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, the “symbol of hope” for both the Wizard and Muggle worlds, and Lord Voldemort, He Who Must Not Be Named, the nefarious leader of the Death Eaters and would-be ruler of all. Good versus Evil. Love versus Hate. The Seeker versus the Dark Lord.

J. K. Rowling’s monumental, spellbinding epic, 10 years in the making, is deeply rooted in traditional literature and Hollywood sagas — from the Greek myths to Dickens and Tolkien to “Star Wars.” And true to its roots, it ends not with modernist, “Soprano”-esque equivocation, but with good old-fashioned closure: a big-screen, heart-racing, bone-chilling confrontation and an epilogue that clearly lays out people’s fates. Getting to the finish line is not seamless — the last part of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the seventh and final book in the series, has some lumpy passages of exposition and a couple of clunky detours — but the overall conclusion and its determination of the main characters’ story lines possess a convincing inevitability that make some of the prepublication speculation seem curiously blinkered in retrospect.

With each installment, the “Potter” series has grown increasingly dark, and this volume — a copy of which was purchased at a New York City store yesterday, though the book is embargoed for release until 12:01 a.m. on Saturday — is no exception. While Ms. Rowling’s astonishingly limber voice still moves effortlessly between Ron’s adolescent sarcasm and Harry’s growing solemnity, from youthful exuberance to more philosophical gravity, “Deathly Hallows” is, for the most part, a somber book that marks Harry’s final initiation into the complexities and sadnesses of adulthood.

From his first days at Hogwarts, the young, green-eyed boy bore the burden of his destiny as a leader, coping with the expectations and duties of his role, and in this volume he is clearly more Henry V than Prince Hal, more King Arthur than young Wart: high-spirited war games of Quidditch have given way to real war, and Harry often wishes he were not the de facto leader of the Resistance movement, shouldering terrifying responsibilities, but an ordinary teenage boy — free to romance Ginny Weasley and hang out with his friends.

Harry has already lost his parents, his godfather Sirius and his teacher Professor Dumbledore (all mentors he might have once received instruction from) and in this volume, the losses mount with unnerving speed: at least a half-dozen characters we have come to know die in these pages, and many others are wounded or tortured. Voldemort and his followers have infiltrated Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic, creating havoc and terror in the Wizard and Muggle worlds alike, and the members of various populations — including elves, goblins and centaurs — are choosing sides.

No wonder then that Harry often seems overwhelmed with disillusionment and doubt in the final installment of this seven-volume bildungsroman. He continues to struggle to control his temper, and as he and Ron and Hermione search for the missing Horcruxes (secret magical objects in which Voldemort has stashed parts of his soul, objects that Harry must destroy if he hopes to kill the evil lord), he literally enters a dark wood, in which he must do battle not only with the Death Eaters, but also with the temptations of hubris and despair.

Harry’s weird psychic connection with Voldemort (symbolized by the lightning-bolt forehead scar he bears as a result of the Dark Lord’s attack on him as a baby) seems to have grown stronger too, giving him clues to Voldemort’s actions and whereabouts, even as it lures him ever closer to the dark side. One of the plot’s significant turning points concerns Harry’s decision on whether to continue looking for the Horcruxes — the mission assigned to him by the late Dumbledore — or to pursue the Hallows, three magical objects said to make their possessor the master of Death.

Harry’s journey will propel him forward to a final showdown with his arch enemy, and also send him backward into the past, to the house in Godric’s Hollow where his parents died, to learn about his family history and the equally mysterious history of Dumbledore’s family. At the same time, he will be forced to ponder the equation between fraternity and independence, free will and fate, and to come to terms with his own frailties and those of others. Indeed, ambiguities proliferate throughout “The Deathly Hallows”: we are made to see that kindly Dumbledore, sinister Severus Snape and perhaps even the awful Muggle cousin Dudley Dursley may be more complicated than they initially seem, that all of them, like Harry, have hidden aspects to their personalities, and that choice — more than talent or predisposition — matters most of all.

It is Ms. Rowling’s achievement in this series that she manages to make Harry both a familiar adolescent — coping with the banal frustrations of school and dating — and an epic hero, kin to everyone from the young King Arthur to Spider-Man and Luke Skywalker. This same magpie talent has enabled her to create a narrative that effortlessly mixes up allusions to Homer, Milton, Shakespeare and Kafka, with silly kid jokes about vomit-flavored candies, a narrative that fuses a plethora of genres (from the boarding-school novel to the detective story to the epic quest) into a story that could be Exhibit A in a Joseph Campbell survey of mythic archetypes.

In doing so, J. K. Rowling has created a world as fully detailed as L. Frank Baum’s Oz or J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth, a world so minutely imagined in terms of its history and rituals and rules that it qualifies as an alternate universe, which may be one reason the “Potter” books have spawned such a passionate following and such fervent exegesis. With this volume, the reader realizes that small incidents and asides in earlier installments (hidden among a huge number of red herrings) create a breadcrumb trail of clues to the plot, that Ms. Rowling has fitted together the jigsaw-puzzle pieces of this long undertaking with Dickensian ingenuity and ardor. Objects and spells from earlier books — like the invisibility cloak, Polyjuice Potion, Dumbledore’s Pensieve and Sirius’s flying motorcycle — play important roles in this volume, and characters encountered before, like the house-elf Dobby and Mr. Ollivander the wandmaker, resurface, too.

The world of Harry Potter is a place where the mundane and the marvelous, the ordinary and the surreal coexist. It’s a place where cars can fly and owls can deliver the mail, a place where paintings talk and a mirror reflects people’s innermost desires. It’s also a place utterly recognizable to readers, a place where death and the catastrophes of daily life are inevitable, and people’s lives are defined by love and loss and hope — the same way they are in our own mortal world.

Follow Michiko Kakutani on Twitter: @michikokakutani

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

John S. Jacobs was a fugitive, an abolitionist — and the brother of the canonical author Harriet Jacobs. Now, his own fierce autobiography has re-emerged .

Don DeLillo’s fascination with terrorism, cults and mass culture’s weirder turns has given his work a prophetic air. Here are his essential books .

Jenny Erpenbeck’s “ Kairos ,” a novel about a torrid love affair in the final years of East Germany, won the International Booker Prize , the renowned award for fiction translated into English.

Kevin Kwan, the author of “Crazy Rich Asians,” left Singapore’s opulent, status-obsessed, upper crust when he was 11. He’s still writing about it .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Book review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter is the biggest-selling book series of all time. The books have gone on to produce one of the biggest movie series of all time. If you haven’t heard of Harry Potter, you’ve surely been living under a rock? But is the first book The Philosopher’s Stone actually any good?

Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means if you choose to purchase The Fellowship of the RIng via one of these links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you to support the blog. These links do not affect my final opinion of the product.

An introduction to Harry Potter

For the one person reading this who’s never heard of Harry Potter – it’s a seven-book series written by British author J.K. Rowling. The Philosopher’s Stone , the first in the series was first published in 1997 to commercial and critical success. The first book was then turned into a film in 2001 to, once again, huge critical and commercial success. What then happened was a snowball effect that saw Harry Potter become a household name across the world and become synonymous with the British.

Harry Potter is a boy who was abandoned at a very young age with his nasty Aunt and Uncle who make him live under the stairs. One day he is visited by a man who tells him he’s a wizard and whisks him off to Hogwarts, the wizarding world’s most famous school. Harry then makes friends, saves the world multiple times and comes up against some of the darkest, most evil wizards to ever live, fighting alongside some of the most powerful and greatest too. 

The books instilled a huge sense of friendship – they’re imaginative, they’re witty, they’re sad at times, happy at others. They are a journey unto themself with some of the latter books hitting the high-hundreds in page numbers. They’re a book series that will likely never be matched for popularity. But what is the first book like? If you read the first book now, would the same success snowball from it or was it the subsequent books that built upon it making it the phenomenon it is today?

Plot – 4.5/5

The plot of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is simple: a young boy lives with his mean aunt and uncle whom he despises. His Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia clearly dislike him and so treat him so, having him cook for them, clean for them and live underneath the stairs. One day he receives a letter saying he is due at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, however, his Aunt and Uncle quickly dismiss this and move away. He’s then visited by a large man, Hagrid who claims to be the groundskeeper at this school and tells him he must come with him to Hogwarts. On their journey there, Harry realises he’s incredibly famous due to the scar on his head: the most powerful evil wizard to ever live  – Lord Voldemort – tried to kill him as a baby but he survived.

During his time at Hogwarts, he makes two very important friends Hermione and Ron – the three of them quickly realise that someone is trying o steal something from Hogwarts and people may well be in danger if they don’t soon figure it out.

It’s hard to review the plot for this first novel is there’s so much nostalgia and love for this series in my heart. However, even without this, I must say, I found my reread of it utterly captivating. I was turning the pages so quickly or always had the audiobook on. The mini-stories within the larger story are written at such a good pace that they’re interesting within their own right, let alone the overarching story and direction you can feel Rowling taking you in. It’s not the strongest Harry Potter book plot-wise – you’ll have to wait and find out which my favourite is as I slowly review them all – however, it is a very strong entry and has a first hundred pages that would captivate any reader.

Characters – 4.5/5 

One of the things mentioned throughout the Harry Potter series is the incredible friendship that J.R. Rowling develops between the main three: Harry, Ron and Hermione. However is this friendship evident in the first book? Well… yes. It’s obvious Rowling was aiming this book at people in high school – the relationships are tricky and well earned and the dynamics between characters isn’t always smooth. But what builds over the book is an obvious bond between the three main characters. Ron is the nervous but pure-hearted character, Harry has been thrown into this world and must adapt to it around him and Hermione is a magical genius but who doesn’t necessarily play well with other people. How they all develop over the few hundred pages is great to see and definitely makes you want to read the subsequent books.

The supporting cast throughout this book is also utterly wonderful. Hagrid is the big friendly giant who you can’t help but love, Dumbeldore is a wise and mysterious character who seems to have much more going on than the simple role of Headmaster, Malfoy is utterly diabolical and annoying as all good enemies are, and everyone else that pops in either offers comic relief or builds on the storyline.

The Philosopher’s Stone summary – 5/5

If you’ve read the previous 900 words and gotten to this point then I congratulate you. If you’re somebody who has already read HP a million times over and are simply here to read another view – thank you. If you’re somebody who has never read the books and wants to know if they’re any good – I hope I’ve summarised the book well enough for you.

I would recommend Harry Potter to absolutely everybody. It transcends the fantasy or YA genres some would argue it fits into. The Philosopher’s Stone is a very solid first book and you can see why (after her many attempts to actually have it accepted by publishers – google it) J.K. Rowling hit a home run with this first novel.

One thought on “ Book review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling ”

Is it Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone? Or is it really the first act in the lamentable tragedy of Albus Dumbledore? Arguably the most powerful wizard of all time, self-imposing a constraint on himself as the school headmaster to contain his lifetime lust for power and domination.

Intelligent enough to manipulate nearly every character throughout the course of the all seven books – either directly or indirectly – he has to be content with nurturing Potter who, by all accounts, is a reasonably mediocre wizard who is elevated by far more powerful witches and wizards around him.

Not forgetting it was Dumbledore himself who was partly at fault that Harry is an orphan in the first place.

Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the first instalment of a magic-fuelled Bildungsroman. 4/5

The first act of Albus Dumbledore, master manipulator, the man behind the curtain. Rowling creates a juggernaut of a character that shows evil on multiple levels… even hiding behind a warm smile, long silvery hair and half-moon glasses – 5/5

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, e-mail, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

muddledmumbles

Book review: the harry potter series by j.k. rowling.

Over the last month or so I have re-read the entire Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling . Something I haven’t done since I was a child. It reminded me why I feel in love with reading, a throwback to my childhood. A must read for everyone everywhere.

The series consists of seven books. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the first book in the series. I gave it 5 stars. From the first chapter you are drawn into this fantastic world and that you just want to be part of. An adventure from the beginning to the very end. The friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione is also developed so naturally. I also love how much more assertive Harry is compared to the films.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the series. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book as it is my least favorite film in the series; I gave it 3 stars. There is so much cut out of the film compared to the book. I also love the introduction of Tom Riddle . Every villain needs a beginning.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was a 4-star read. I only marked it down as it did drag a tiny bit. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are brilliant additions to the world. They provide a new layer of History to the world. They add back story and a new list of emotions for Harry to deal with.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 5-star read. J.K. Rowling really stepped up her game with the introduction of the Triwizard Tournament ; I was hooked. I really enjoyed how the friendship between Harry and Ron was tested and how the relationship between Hermione and Harry blossomed. You really felt that they were friends through thick and thin. This book contained so much in its pages and all of it seemed relevant. The ending was so shocking, I couldn’t wait to pick up the next edition in the series.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was really long. The narrative was interesting, but I found it drawn out in parts. I only gave it 3 stars. I may have just be overloaded with info, but I found the climax hard to follow. There were a lot of characters and I felt it difficult to follow each strand of the battle. The ending was heart-breaking, another loss for the boy who has lost so much already.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was a 4-star read. I loved the expansion of the friendship group into the other houses besides Gryffindor lot. I felt in this book you got a real sense that the characters had matured. The twist and turns still surprised me after all these years. The twist at the end made me tear up. A twist that I didn’t see coming.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was a fantastic end to the series. A 4-star read, I only marked it down as I felt that it was a slow start to the action. This book had more twists and turns than a roller coaster. It incorporated so much and made a call back to each and every book in the series. I felt I didn’t fully appreciate this book the first time I read it. The characters throughout the series all play such critical roles both big and small.

J.K. Rowling has created something amazing with this series. Stories that don’t age and can be passed down. There is no age limit, they can be enjoyed by young and old. I think I’ll make it an annual read. I think I might even treat myself to the illustrated version for my next excursion into the fantastic wizarding world of Harry Potter .

Share this:

Leave a comment cancel reply.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Books of Brilliance

The latest book reviews and book news, harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone: book review.

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

A novel that needs no introduction is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling. It is the novel that has shaped the lives of millions of readers and is still one of the most read novels today! Keep reading to find out why this novel and series is as popular as it is.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Summary

On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter finds out he is a wizard and will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before then, Harry did not even know that magic was real or that he was famous. As Harry learns about his past and his parents who died protecting him, he prepares to embark on a new journey.

Harry arrives at Hogwarts and becomes friends with two of his classmates Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The trio all are members of house Gryffindor and help each other pass the first year at Hogwarts. But as they find out throughout the course of the year, they will face many challenges and enemies.

Suspicious activity at Hogwarts like a three-headed dog guarding a trap door and a troll somehow entering and attacking Hogwarts makes the trio suspicious. Harry, Ron, and Hermione soon discover Professor Dumbledore is hiding something at Hogwarts and someone is trying hard to steal it. As the first years try to manage the workload, they must also stop whoever is after the secret artifact before it is used by the dark forces at the school.

Originally published as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the United Kingdom in 1997, within the first six months of release, the children’s book took off. When Scholastic bought the U.S. rights, Scholastic’s Arthur Levine believes that the title wouldn’t work for American readers. After some discussion, the novel’s title was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone which was suggested by Rowling.

Rowling went on to say that she wished she hadn’t changed it but since it was her first novel, she didn’t have as much leverage. The title change was not necessary and makes it a bit confusing for some people. The good thing is that that is the only novel where that happened. Maybe Scholastics should give readers a little bit more credit.

I was first introduced to the Harry Potter world by the movies. As a kid, I was always intimidated but the size of the Harry Potter novels and did not believe I would be able to read a book that big. It was later on in my life that I tackled bigger novels and even later when I finally read the Harry Potter novels.

I fell in love with the novels wholeheartedly. The writing is great, the characters are wonderful, and the overarching plot and how everything connects was done perfectly. One thing the movies never did well was showcase Harry’s struggle of not having a family and his loneliness. In the novel, we see how they affect Harry’s state of mind and acting out because of those feelings, something the movies don’t do that well.

This novel and the whole Harry Potter series should be read by every reader in my opinion. Not everyone has to like it but reading it and finding that whether you do or not should be a test given to everyone. It will get a lot if children into reading and that is always a great end result. Expect reviews for all the novels in the series in the coming months!

Follow us on  Instagram  and  Facebook ! 

Share this:, 27 thoughts on “ harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone: book review ”.

Add Comment

In the first paragraph u wrote eep instead of keep… XD

Thanks I’ll fix it now 🙂

I used to be a huge fan of the movies but never read the books. It’s always interesting to hear the differences. Good to know that the book expands on the characters a bit more!

The entire series ends differently in the books than in the movies. the boom ending in Deadly Hallow makes much more sense.

My daughter made sure all her copies were the the UK versions

• Pingback: Popular Books That You Should Check Out - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: First Edition Harry Potter Novel Up For Auction - Books of Brilliance

these series made a reader out of me, thanks for sharing 🙂

Thanks for reading! 👍

• Pingback: The Top 15 Best Selling Series of All Time - Books of Brilliance

I also saw the movies first. It wasn’t until after “The Goblet of Fire” film came out that I started reading the books. But I read the 4th one first, and the rest out of order, until “The Deathly Hallows” book was released. Not too long ago, I started rereading the 1st “Harry Potter” novel, and picked up on some new details and moments that I’d missed before, including some dark ones.

Rereading them now and there’s a lot that you realize that you missed. Rowling thought it all out!

• Pingback: Best Books to Read On Kindle Unlimited - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Book Review - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Book Review - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Harry Potter Autographed Set Fails to Sell at Auction - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Harry Potter Book Guide - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Margot Robbie's Favorite Books - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Emma Watson Discusses Friendship with Costar Tom Felton in His New Book - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: This is the Most Abandoned Book! - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Stephenie Meyer Announces Two New Twilight Books - Books of Brilliance

I love Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone also known as. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

• Pingback: Trevor Noah’s 10 Favorite Books - Books of Brilliance
• Pingback: Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies: Book Review  - Books of Brilliance

The cover was good, but I read a little, and I thought that if I read more it would be more interesting. Well, beyond interesting, but my new favorite book!

• Pingback: New Harry Potter Book Announced Celebrating Harry’s First Christmas at Hogwarts - Books of Brilliance

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

BOOKS AMEYA

For the voracious indian reader.

Book Reviews

[Book Review] ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.K. Rowling needs no introduction. She is, of course, the author of the famous Harry Potter series . She was born on July 31, 1965 at Yate General Hospital near Bristol, and grew up in Gloucestershire in England and in Chepstow, Gwent, in south-east Wales. Rowling conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper. The result is known to us all – a series of unparalleled fame and popularity that we all enjoy. Under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith , J.K. Rowling also writes crime novels, featuring private detective Cormoran Strike.

“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

Harry Potter books tell the story of orphan Harry James Potter, the discovery of his secret magical powers and the role he plays in the safety of the hidden world of witchcraft and wizards.

After being raised in the miserably unfair home of his Uncle Vernon Dursley, Harry practically begins life anew when he discovers that he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . Among Harry’s first-year adventures are making new friends (Hagrid, Ron and Hermione), standing up to the torments of school bully Draco Malfoy, and becoming the star player of his Quidditch team (the favored sport in the magical world). Harry’s life as a Hogwarts “first-year” is more interesting than that of most attendees, because he is already famous for surviving the attack of the evil Lord Voldemort, who tried to kill him as an infant. Everyone in the wizard world knows more about Harry’s family and his story than he himself does.

This first book – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – introduces you to this magical world for the first time, and it does so in a smooth and comfortable fashion, introducing both you and Harry to strange wonders never yet experienced. This makes the transition into the world of magic an easy and pleasant experience. Rowling has built a strong and multi-layered world with immense amounts of detail , yet it is written in such a way that it doesn’t feel tedious or as though you are being fed all the information at once, as is the case with many fantasy novels . Through Harry’s eyes, you encounter wands, monsters and spells with their magical properties, purposes and history laid out in small, easily consumable chunks. This means that the book never ceases to envelope you in its world or characters, whereas many epic fantasies have a habit of pulling you aside in a rather obvious fashion and indulging in the rather fruitless exercise of explaining every newly encountered item.

All the characters, teachers, students and bad guys alike have truly believable personalities, eccentricities and flaws, which, more often than not, helps to make them the truly lovable and long-standing characters that they have gone on to become. These friendships and relationships drive the book forward, providing comical respite and emotional engagement along the way.

It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.

There are characters in this book that will remind us of all the people we have met. All of us have known a spoilt, overweight boy like Dudley, or a bossy and interfering (yet kind-hearted) girl like Hermione. A large number of the younger readers will also be able to easily identify with Harry, especially with his initial feelings of isolation and a sense of not belonging, and then through to his excitement at finally leaving that life behind in favor of one where he does belong and will be happy.

Hogwarts is a truly magical place, not only in the most obvious way but also in all the sheer detail that the author has gone to describe it. It is the place that everybody wishes they could have been to when they were eleven , for that’s where many adventures befall the trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione), and the stone in the book’s title is center to all the events that unfold as the plot progresses. The story builds toward the exciting conclusion that has the ultimate feel-good factor.

In conclusion, this epic journey out of the Muggle world and into the school and world of witchcraft and wizardry bags 4 out of 5 stars. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a must-read for anyone within the age-group of 8 to 600 years (for those who have used the stone :p) who want to be mesmerized by an enigmatic world.

…now that you’re here

As you might know, Ameya runs on a purely non-profit basis. With no tangible products on offer, advertisements and donations are our only two sources of keeping this blog up and running. You could convey your support to us with something as little as $5 - that's less than what an average Starbucks would cost!

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

7 thoughts on “ [Book Review] ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling ”

Add Comment

• Pingback: [Book Review] 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' by J.K. Rowling
• Pingback: Designing Destiny
• Pingback: Pranav SriKrishna | Readers’ Story of the Week | Story #129
• Pingback: The Lemonade | Kankane Rakhi Surendra | Short Stories
• Pingback: Quote #156 | Mark Twain | If you tell the truth, you don't have to (...)
• Pingback: Balakrishna Prabhu B. N. | Readers’ Story of the Week | Story #160
• Pingback: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | Book Review | 2001 | J. K. Rowling

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from books ameya.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

By j.k. rowling.

'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' is quite popular but is also one of the least well-received books in the Harry Potter series. It does have a lot of interesting developments that set up the narrative for upcoming books.

Article written by Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ by J. K. Rowling is probably most known for being a very memorable and significant book in the entire series. It has a lot of very memorable events, including Harry spending time in the Burrow for the first time, Mr. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy fighting each other, Lord Voldemort revealing himself as Tom Riddle, and the truth about the actual reason that Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts. Although not as popular as the other books, it is very significant for addressing a lot of social issues and political problems that have plagued our world throughout history.

Addressing Discrimination and Slavery

One major triumph of ‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ is its open criticism and illustration of discrimination. While the first book is heavily involved in world-building and keeping its repute as a kid’s book for entertainment, this book delves right into the struggle of being discriminated against when it introduces Salazar Slytherin’s claims on blood superiority and eventually connects these to that of Lord Voldemort .

The reader is familiarized with what is actually at stake here. More than being just about blood superiority, ideas like these tend to grow into venomous monstrosities that are very difficult to defeat once strong. One could draw a parallel between Nazi Germany and this idea. It is also safe to say that the Basilisk , the beast in Slytherin’s Chamber, is a metaphor for these very ideologies that have grown over the centuries to consume more followers and believers, making it more dangerous than ever.

Another idea that the story of ‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ heavily deals with is how slavery is openly treated as a normal occurrence. When Dobby explains his predicament and the fact that he is a house-elf, Harry is taken aback and eventually begins to question the structure of how house-elves come to be. This is to resonate with the thoughts of the reader and sheds light on what is actually happening when slavery is being normalized.

However, in the magical community, house-elves are a very normal occurrence, and there are several thousands of house-elves employed within the Hogwarts castle for several chores, as is revealed in later books. By making Harry conscious of how the mere existence of house-elves is, in fact, unethical and immoral, the narrative invokes the readers’ minds to think about this problem.

Free Will, Determinism, and Identity

‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ has a very interesting argument that questions the nature of identity. It delves deeply into the human condition and its struggles and alludes to the constant doubt that we all possess about our lives – Do we exist for a reason, or do we create reason as long as we exist? It is famously known as the debate between a case for free will and determinism.

When Harry lacks clarity on who he is, he seeks to find out if he could have been in Slytherin house or even if it’s possible for him to be an evil dark wizard. These questions arise from his clouded sense of identity arising from doubt. He ceases to see the true nature of his identity as more sources of doubt engulf around him. It is only when Professor Dumbledore claims that identity is solely a function of what we choose to act upon that Harry realizes that it is his choices and what he does that define who he is. Beyond that truth, there is no real need for justification of who he is.

Tom Riddle’s Diary and Manipulation

Manipulation has always been a major difficulty to oversee. When people are in power or have enough resources to create an elusive reality, they tend to make other people believe what they want them to believe. Tom Riddle’s diary is a major example of manipulative entities. It could be powerful governments, excessively capitalistic companies, media, or anything else that uses different means to convince us that something is the case when it actually isn’t.

Tom Riddle used his abilities to understand people’s psyches to learn about Ginny and eventually exploit her vulnerabilities and finally possess her and do things that she would otherwise never do. He also eventually manipulated Harry into believing that Hagrid was responsible for the opening of the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago, which Harry believed to be true for a while.

Dealing with Fame

Harry Potter is undoubtedly one of the most famous wizards in all of Great Britain. However, he is not someone who seeks attention. He even faces a lot of challenges dealing with too much fame and attention. But as soon as Gilderoy Lockhart graces his presence in this book, we are treated with a very different representation of fame. Lockhart is very attention-seeking and almost a talentless wizard with no actual substance to represent all his accolades. Yet he basks in the glory of fame, something he doesn’t even deserve. By juxtaposing these two characters in the same book , Rowling captures the two sides of what fame can do to a person.

Why does Gilderoy Lockhart try to run away in the end?

Gilderoy Lockhart is a phony and a con man who makes outlandish claims about his exploits and adventures in the books he writes. None of these stories are even about the things he did. Therefore, when he is actually assigned the task of saving Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, he decides to flee.

Why does Tom Riddle’s Diary get destroyed by Basilisk Fangs?

Basilisk Fangs are highly venomous and contain the magical abilities to evade the black magic used to make a Horcrux and eventually destroy the part of the soul that is hidden in it. Harry used it to great effect to stop Lord Voldemort from coming back to his life form.

Why was Ron sent a Howler by Mrs. Weasley?

Ron was sent a Howler, which is a very angry magical letter that explodes after being read. His mother, Mrs. Weasley, was enraged because he had taken his father’s flying car along with Harry to go to Hogwarts after they missed the train when the barrier for platform nine and three-quarters stopped working.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review - A Great Anchor between its Sequels and Prequel

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Book Description: 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' explores new themes like slavery and discrimination, setting the stage for the series with crucial details and a fun narrative.

Book Author: J.K. Rowling

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Bloomsbury Publishing

Date published: July 2, 1998

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

ISBN: 978-0-7475-4227-0

Number Of Pages: 352

• Writing Style
• Lasting Effect on the Reader

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling was published in 1999 and is a great way to connect the first installment to the rest of the books in the series. It delves deeply into a lot of new avenues that aren’t explored in the first book. Although not considered as one of the best in the series, it has its own credits. It deals with several interesting problems like slavery and discrimination and also makes a decent attempt to build up the next book in the series by revealing some details that will become crucial in later books. Overall, it is a fun read and does justice to the Harry Potter Series, despite containing minor plot holes.

• The plot is very considerate of its prequel and the sequels and anchors the two well.
• It deals with several major problems of the real world and builds parallels with it.
• It inspires readers to do new things by speaking in favor of actions and choices over abilities.
• The characters are well developed and the story world is well structured and interesting.
• It has several plot holes which make the stakes of the climax slightly lower.
• It doesn’t account for several mishaps by the headmaster and stuff and therefore makes it a less believable story.
• It portrays Hogwarts in a very unrealistically dangerous light making it difficult to see it in a realistic perspective.

Summon your wit and wisdom—our Harry Potter Trivia Quiz awaits you! Do you have the knowledge to claim the title of Master Witch or Wizard? Take the challenge now!

1) Who was the Peverell brother that owned the invisibility cloak?

2) What is the core ingredient of the wand owned by Harry Potter?

3) What does the Mirror of Erised show?

4) Which potion did Hermione brew in her second year that allowed her, Ron, and Harry to assume the identities of Slytherins?

5) In which Harry Potter book does Harry first speak Parseltongue?

6) Who is the Half-Blood Prince?

7) What specific type of dragon does Harry face during the Triwizard Tournament?

8) In the "Order of the Phoenix," who is NOT a member of the original Order of the Phoenix shown in the old photograph that Moody shows Harry?

9) What was the last Horcrux to be destroyed?

10) Which creature can transform into a person's worst fear?

11) What is the name of the train that takes students to Hogwarts?

12) What is the name of the book Hermione gives to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match?

13) What is Dumbledore's full name?

14) What are the dying words of Severus Snape in both the book and the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?

15) Which object is NOT one of the Deathly Hallows?

16) What creature is Aragog?

17) Who teaches Herbology at Hogwarts?

18) What is the effect of the Cheering Charm?

19) What is the name of the goblin-made object that is supposed to bring its owner prosperity, but also brings them into conflict with goblins?

20) Which spell is used to open the Marauder's Map?

21) What potion is known as "Liquid Luck"?

22) What is the name of the goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts?

23) What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

24) What animal represents Hufflepuff house?

25) Which character is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts?

26) What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?

27) What does the incantation "Obliviate" do?

28) Who originally owned the Elder Wand before Dumbledore won it?

Your score is

Restart quiz

Join Our Community for Free!

Exclusive to Members

Create Your Personal Profile

Engage in Forums

Join or Create Groups

Save your favorites, beta access.

About Mohandas Alva

Mohandas is very passionate about deciphering the nature of language and its role as a sole medium of storytelling in literature. His interests sometimes digress from literature to philosophy and the sciences but eventually, the art and craft of narrating a significant story never fail to thrill him.

About the Book

The Harry Potter section of Book Analysis analyzes and explorers the Harry Potter series. The characters, names, terminology, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros ©. The content on Book Analysis was created by Harry Potter fans, with the aim of providing a thorough in-depth analysis and commentary to complement and provide an additional perspective to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Discover literature and connect with others just like yourself!

Start the Conversation. Join the Chat.

There was a problem reporting this post.

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

• See blocked member's posts
• Mention this member in posts
• Invite this member to groups

Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

DickWizardry

Covering All Things Fantasy

Find articles on fantasy related news events!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Book Review

The Harry Potter series has been around for awhile now and has cemented itself into the fantasy genre. Though some may not take the series at the same level as a Lord of the Rings or a Wheel of Time, it deserves its own place at the table of fantasy book series. Today we are going to be looking at the first installment to the series Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and let you know what really makes this book magical.

Introduction to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

This book’s first edition was released in October of 1998 and was written by J.K. Rowling. The book is 309 pages long not including any table of contents. The pages are spread by 17 chapters. My copy has the illustrations at the top of each chapter, I am not sure if this is something that has changed in the many editions that have been released since.

The book starts off introducing the wizarding world from the vantage point of the Dursley’s who we later find out are the Aunt and Uncle of Harry Potter, a boy who’s parents were murdered while he managed to survive. The attack on Harry’s parents left a signature lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

This was a fantastic way to introduce a new different world to an audience and is done in a very creative way. I must applaud J. K. Rowling for setting up the story in this way as even though this book is fast paced, it steeps the reader into the world from a perspective that would likely be more like our own.

The story then takes a time leap to when Harry has grown up and gets a letter of acceptance into the magical school called Hogwarts. The Dursley’s are very against this and do whatever they can to keep Harry a normal boy in their eyes. They fail in this after taking drastic measures to stop the letters from being sent in larger and larger quantities. So the rest of the book is Harry Potter’s introduction to the the magical world that is unknown to us “Muggles” (the name given to non magical people).

Strengths of The Sorcerer’s Stone

This book has a lot going for it that will be reiterated as we continue on through the story. The descriptions are very vivid of locations and items as well as character motives. This leads to a pretty laid back and easy read. Understandably these books are children books, anyone of any age can enjoy these books though and really appreciate everything else they have to offer for a relatively small time commitment based on this books size.

The school year structure of this book and the subsequent books makes for a really easy method to control pace for the story. The ending ties in many story notes from earlier on in the book such as learning magical spells that come in handy at the end of the book, playing a game of chess. Paying attention in potions class. Even getting onto the schools Quidditch team (Which can be best defined to me as football on brooms.) plays a role in the end. Though it may seem silly how many points in the story are later used at the end to accomplish the overarching story, it satisfies me knowing that next to every chapter has meaningful content to the end goal in some way or another.

Character Introductions In Sorcerer’s Stone

Character introductions are very well done. It takes very little for each character to be painted into the mind of the reader as well as share the base level motives and beliefs of each. Though later books handle these ideas in a more deep and complex manner, the method that is done in this book tends to match the age of the characters in the book which is around 11. The way J K Rowling rights this allows for easy understanding and the same level for children around the age of these characters as they can relate to what is happening in the book easily.

Ron Weasly’s introductions feel like a introduction of kids becoming friends on their first day of school, and that is exactly what it is. Most people can relate to an introduction like that cause we have all experienced it in a way ourselves.

Hermione’s introduction is well handled also. Though not the same experience as Ron, we are treated to her joining the group later on in the story. I feel that this was a good idea as to not overload the reader with new characters right away. This allows for the descriptions of Hogwarts to fill in that space and establish the world better instead of create a bogged down character spaghetti.

Weaknesses of The Sorcerer’s Stone

Reading the book as an adult can make the resolution of these books seem childish and that is something that will continue on through most of the series as the characters are literal children. For this book specifically it would make one wonder why grown adults that have been through school themselves would not be able to accomplish simple puzzles that the trio Harry, Ron, and Hermione could do.

The book ends rather abruptly. The last chapter contains the end of the story as well as the final confrontation. This seemed rather jarring to me. I feel that it could have been handled with whole additional chapter that expands slightly on Harry’s return to the muggle world and show that he has learned that not all is the same as when he left. That he as a character has definitively grown apart from the wishes of his Aunt and Uncle and has a hunger to return back to the wizarding world.

Plot of The Sorcerer’s Stone

The plot of the book once the book has made it to the wizarding world and Hogwarts is very school oriented as well as getting Harry Potter situated in the wizarding world. When Harry finds that Hagrid, the groundskeeper of Hogwarts has helped the headmaster named Albus Dumbledore hide a mysterious item, he and his friends jump into action figure out what the item is and protect it. Along the way they get into trouble a few times leading them to go into several restricted sections of the castle that only increases their curiosity.

Throughout the book Harry also learns a lot about who he is and about his parents since they went to the same school of Hogwarts as himself. He also needs to come to terms with being a celebrity in the wizarding world that he has only just now discovered.

In the end, this book is an example of a series that can be enjoyable for children and adults. It’s a perfect book to grab and start reading to your kids, but also is a strong escapism book. It’s incredibly easy to get enveloped in the story and the characters. Everything is so well crafted and put together. Descriptions are rich and characters are well thought out and developed, especially for just the first book in a series of books.

If you want to find out where this book ranks in the series you can check out our ranking list for the Harry Potter book series here !

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a must read. Regardless of your age. If you have not read this book please take the time to do so, if just to understand why so many people love this series. If you want to pick up this book for yourself, you can use our affiliate link here. It helps out the site at no extra cost to you. I personally have all my books in a hard cover due to wanting them to all be in the same print format and the larger books tend to have weak bindings over time.

If you enjoyed this review, please share this around and comment below. What are your thoughts on the book? How does it compare to later books in the series? Comment below and let us know! We plan to review this entire series and then review all the movies as well. So check back, for more on this series in the future!

Reviewing all things Fantasy

• December 2023 1
• December 2022 2
• September 2022 1
• April 2022 1
• January 2022 1
• December 2021 2
• August 2021 1
• April 2021 10
• February 2021 6
• January 2021 5
• December 2020 6
• November 2020 3
• October 2020 2
• August 2020 6
• July 2020 6
• June 2020 7
• April 2020 10
• March 2020 12
• February 2020 5
• January 2020 15
• December 2019 10
• November 2019 9
• October 2019 6
• September 2019 5
• August 2019 8
• July 2019 11
• June 2019 9
• May 2019 10
• April 2019 8
• March 2019 9
• February 2019 1
• January 2019 6
• December 2018 3
• November 2018 3
• October 2018 1

Sign up with your email address to receive emails on our monthly newsletter!

We respect your privacy.

Thank you for subscribing! If there is any content that you would like covered you can reach out to us at [email protected]

Powered by Squarespace . | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

• Bookreporter
• ReadingGroupGuides
• AuthorsOnTheWeb

The Book Report Network

Sign up for our newsletters!

Regular Features

Author spotlights, "bookreporter talks to" videos & podcasts, "bookaccino live: a lively talk about books", favorite monthly lists & picks, seasonal features, book festivals, sports features, bookshelves.

• Coming Soon

Newsletters

• Weekly Update
• On Sale This Week
• Summer Reading
• Spring Preview
• Winter Reading
• Holiday Cheer
• Fall Preview

Word of Mouth

Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:.

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets...

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2

In this sequel to HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, we find Harry spending the summer vacation with his awful relatives, the Dursleys, following his first year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys are so fearful of Harry's growing magic talents that they lock his school books and wand away in a closet and even lock Harry in his tiny bedroom. Harry worries he'll never get back to Hogwarts and his friends, until he's rescued by his best buddy, Ron Weasley, who arrives in a flying car to take Harry away. 

The second year at Hogwarts should be smoother sailing, right? Not so. First, Harry receives a strange warning from a house elf named Dobby. Then, when he arrives at Hogwarts Harry must face a vain new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and his old enemies, Malfoy and Snape. And, even more troublesome this year, some evil force is turning Muggle-born students (those born to humans, without magical blood, including Harry's pal Hermione) to stone. Who could be doing such a thing? 

While Harry and Ron try to unravel the mystery of petrification, they discover information about the Chamber of Secrets, a hidden room in Hogwarts that is rumored to be home to a horrible monster. Old legends, clues, and research eventually lead Harry and Ron to the Chamber of Secrets for a showdown with evil like they've never seen before. And Harry must triumph over the Dark forces in order to save Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister (now a first year at Hogwarts), who has been taken over by a nasty wizard. See if he succeeds in this rollicking, spine-tingling adventure. You're sure to love all the fast-moving action, magic and fun in every chapter. 

Reviewed by Shannon Maughan on August 15, 2000

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2 by J. K. Rowling

• Publication Date: June 26, 2018
• Genres: Fantasy
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
• ISBN-10: 1338299158
• ISBN-13: 9781338299151

• Created with Sketch.

How to Tell if Your Harry Potter Book Is Valuable

Are you a proud owner of a Harry Potter book? Are you curious to uncover its potential value? With the wizarding world of Harry Potter captivating readers, certain editions of J.K. Rowling's iconic series have become sought-after treasures. Find out if your copy tucked away a bookshelf is collectible with worth. Read more to discover how to assess the value of your Harry Potter.

Edition and Printing

The first step in evaluating your Harry Potter book's worth is determining the edition and printing. First editions, especially those with the original dust jackets and those that are in very good condition, can be highly coveted by collectors. The most valuable are first printings or issues, or first impressions of first editions. These are the first books to be printed, and are often printed in limited quantities. This was the case with the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . J.K. Rowling was an unknown author at the time and the publisher, Bloomsbury, wasn't sure how the book would perform. As a result, they decided to publish a very limited quantity of these first printings of the first edition. To find out if your copy is a first edition and first impression, look for details like the publisher's or copyright information, publication date, printing, and identify any specific features, such as print errors, binding variances, and book cover. Read " A Guide to Identifying Harry Potter First Editions " to find out more about how to tell if your copy is a first edition.

Condition is Key

Just like Hermione, collectors demonstrate great attention to detail, and are often looking for books in flawless condition. Assess your book for any signs of wear, such as creased spines, dog-eared pages, stains or discoloration. A well-preserved copy with minimal flaws can often command a higher price in the collector's market. Having the original dust jacket, and an original binding in a minimally handled state, can also increase the value of the book.

Rarity Factor

Scarcity is one of the factors that drives the value of each Harry Potter edition. Titles were printed in varied numbers, and formats range from the pre-publication proofs, to the UK and US first editions, to subsequent impressions, to deluxe editions, and more. Often, the fewer the books printed, the more desirable they are.

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone holds special importance to collectors because it was the first book in the series, and was produced in the most limited quantity, as the publisher, Bloomsbury, didn’t know how popular the book would become. The true first UK edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in 1997, with Bloomsbury printing a mere 500 copies in hardback and 5,150 copies in paperback. The scarce hardcover version is made even rarer when you consider that many of these copies were sent to public libraries, leaving only about 200 in potentially fine condition. Thus, the true first edition of this book (and the hardcover version in particular) commands some of the highest prices for Harry Potter titles. This true first edition, hardback copy in fine condition was sold by Sotheby's for $138,600 .

Another example of a remarkably valuable Potter title is the proof copy of the same work. Bloomsbury printed 200 proof copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to distribute to reviewers and book buyers before the 1997 edition was released to the general public. You will find notable features like the statement "Uncorrected Proof Copy" on the wrappers (or covers), and the author spelled incorrectly on the title page as "J.A. Rowling." Additionally, the proof does not have any illustrations featured on the wrappers. These are also highly sought after due to the limited number. This proof copy was sold by Sotheby's for $21,590 .

Limited releases, special editions, or unique features, such as a signature or inscription, can also significantly elevate a book's value. Often, the scarcer the edition, the more valuable. Research the history of your edition to uncover the number of copies printed and make sure yours has the correct distinguishing features.

Market Demand

Understanding the current demand for Harry Potter books is essential when considering its value. To determine the market demand, monitor past auctions and upcoming sales at major auction houses, as well as copies trusted sellers have on offer. Sotheby’s has been a leading expert and a dominant force in the market since it began as a book auction house in 1744. With their depth of knowledge and global reach, Sotheby's international team of specialists has helped the auction house remain an industry leader for over 275 years. You can follow upcoming auctions as well as see results from past sales by visiting Sotheby's Books & Manuscripts .

Seek Expert Appraisal

When in doubt, or if you're just curious, seek guidance from the experts. Professionals can provide insights into your Harry Potter edition's authenticity, condition, and value. Their knowledge can help ensure accurate assessment and informed decision-making. Sotheby’s can assist in determining the value of your Harry Potter book, and if you're in the market to procure a collectible copy, we can help with that, too. If you have questions about one of your Harry Potter titles, reach out to our team of specialists and submit your copy to Sell with Sotheby's . Make sure to include photos of the book, its condition, as well as the title and copyright page to receive a valuation. Your book could grace the auction block or be sold Now on Sotheby's Marketplace.

Discovering the value of your Harry Potter book is an exciting journey. By considering factors such as edition, condition, rarity, and market demand, and utilizing experts, you can learn the worth of your beloved Harry Potter book or collection. Whether it's a cherished keepsake or a hidden gem awaiting discovery, your Harry Potter book could have the potential to captivate collectors. If you are looking to own one of these copies yourself, be sure to follow Sotheby's upcoming auctions, where you will find coveted editions and copies in fine condition. There will be several remarkable Harry Potter works on offer during our " Fine Books & Manuscripts " sale series in June, including the original cover art for the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . Sotheby's also has collectible copies available Now for immediate purchase on our Marketplace.

Upcoming Rare Books & Manuscripts Auctions

Available for immediate purchase.

About the Author

More from sotheby's, stay informed with sotheby’s top stories, videos, events & news..

By subscribing you are agreeing to Sotheby’s Privacy Policy . You can unsubscribe from Sotheby’s emails at any time by clicking the “Manage your Subscriptions” link in any of your emails.

Screen Rant

10 things that happen in every harry potter book.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Harry Potter: The 15 Most Popular Draco & Hermione Fics On AO3

The chamber of secrets movie made a frustrating mistake that haunted the harry potter series for 8 years, there's a very good reason harry potter didn't name his kids after this battle of hogwarts hero.

• Harry Potter's struggles at the Dursleys' house are crucial to his survival and character development.
• Harry's love of flying on magical objects plays a significant role in each book of the series.
• The power of love over hate is a foundational theme throughout the Harry Potter books.

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series is one of the most iconic fantasy series of all time, and interestingly, there are 10 things that happen in each one of Rowling's books. Harry Potter began as a children's book series before blossoming into the multimedia franchise it is now, which includes a full 8-film adaptation of the books, several video games, and an upcoming Harry Potter TV show . By the end of Harry Potter 's last movie , the franchise had also become one of the highest-grossing film series ever.

Harry Potter 's cast and crew did an excellent job adapting the books, but there are plenty of things left out from the books. Ultimately, the Harry Potter books are what started this mega-franchise, which makes reflecting on them a useful pastime for big fans of the series. One thing fans may notice when reflecting on these iconic books is that there are 10 events or tropes that occur in every single one of the Harry Potter books .

10 Harry Potter Stays At The Dursleys

Harry lives with his aunt and uncle over the summers.

One of the more unfortunate recurring aspects of the Harry Potter timeline is Harry's time staying at the Dursleys. Harry's aunt and uncle, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, raise Harry for the first eleven years of his life until he leaves to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though Hogwarts quickly becomes the place Harry thinks of as his true home, he spends at least a couple of weeks at the Dursleys' house in every single Harry Potter book .

The Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Peacock and Max.

The Dursleys never treat Harry particularly well, but unbeknownst to them, Harry's ability to call the Dursleys' residence home kept him protected from Voldemort until his 17th birthday, making his stays at the Dursleys' crucial to his survival throughout the series. Harry might loathe every moment he's forced to spend with his abusive relatives, but his time there in each Harry Potter book is quietly very important to the series.

9 Harry Potter Flies On A Broomstick (Or Another Magical Object)

Harry is an excellent flier.

One thing that Harry himself does in each of the Harry Potter books is fly on a broomstick or another magical object. In the first three Harry Potter books, the titular wizard takes to the skies as the Gryffindor quidditch team's seeker , leading his house to its first quidditch championship in years. In The Goblet of Fire , Harry uses his broomstick to win the first task in the Triwizard Tournament before returning to the quidditch pitch in books five and six.

Harry also flies on several other magical creatures or objects throughout the book series, including several trips in Arthur Weasley's enchanted car, flights on Buckbeak the hippogriff, and a thrilling flight to London on the back of a thestral.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Harry flies several times, including a ride on Hagrid's flying motorcycle and an epic escape from Gringott's bank astride a dragon. Harry also flies on several other magical creatures or objects throughout the book series, including several trips in Arthur Weasley's enchanted car, flights on Buckbeak the hippogriff, and a thrilling flight to London on the back of a thestral.

8 Harry Potter Foils Voldemort's Plans

Harry always finds a way to beat his rival.

Although Voldemort has plenty of victories before the end of the Harry Potter series, Harry manages to foil the villain's plans at some point during each of the books . The extent to which Harry disrupts Voldermort's bid for supremacy varies from book to book, but it happens to some degree in each of them. Even in The Goblet of Fire , which sees Voldemort return to power after 14 years, Harry manages to escape and warn the world about his return, even if most people don't believe him.

He also prevents the Dark Lord from getting his hands on the prophecy in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , representing another massive blow to Voldemort's evil plans.

In other instances, like Harry Potter books one and two, Harry directly prevents Voldemort from returning to power, setting the evil wizard back years each time. He also prevents the Dark Lord from getting his hands on the prophecy in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , representing another massive blow to Voldemort's evil plans. Ultimately, Harry's wits and profound friendships always give him what he needs to foil his nemesis.

7 Harry Potter Struggles To Find His Identity Without His Parents

Harry's parents are killed by voldemort when he is only 1 year old.

Harry's struggle with his identity is another theme that shows up in every single Harry Potter book. Harry's lack of parents or loving guardians makes it difficult for him to feel the love he needs to build his self-esteem, and his introduction to the magical world forces him to grapple with an entirely new side of himself and the world. Further, as the contest between him and Voldemort begins to heat up, Harry is forced to confront his inextricable connection to the Dark Lord .

Ultimately, Harry is able to extricate himself from Voldemort and build his identity around himself and his loved ones, but it takes him the entire series to do so.

Voldemort's mental connection to Harry also plays a huge role in Harry's identity issues, as he is forced to share some of the villain's memories and emotions. Harry also becomes unsure of how much of Voldemort lives within him, making it difficult to know which impulses or thoughts are his own and which ones come from their mysterious mental connection. Ultimately, Harry is able to extricate himself from Voldemort and build his identity around himself and his loved ones, but it takes him the entire series to do so.

6 The Love Conquers Hate Trope

One of the most common themes in harry potter.

One of the most prominent themes in the Harry Potter series is the idea of love being more powerful than hate. Indeed, Harry's eventual defeat of Voldemort comes from the love and compassion that give Harry the strength to overcome the Dark Lord in The Deathly Hallows . Further, it's Lily Potter's sacrifice that saves Harry's life and destroys Voldemort, proving once again that love can stand in the way of hatred and ignorance .

This theme is littered across each of the Harry Potter books, and the power of love over hate is clearly one of the foundational themes in the iconic series.

Further, Voldemort's lack of ability to feel love or compassion causes him to critically misinterpret the nature of the Elder Wand, as he assumes that it belongs to whoever killed its previous master, rather than the person who disarmed them. This theme is littered across each of the Harry Potter books, and the power of love over hate is clearly one of the foundational themes in the iconic series.

5 Harry Potter Goes To Hogwarts

Harry even visits the school after voldemort takes it over.

Another thing that happens in each of the Harry Potter books is Harry visiting Hogwarts, at least for a short time. In the first six books of the series, Harry attends the wizarding school for the entire year, but in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , he only returns near the end of the book to hunt down the final two of Voldemort's horcruxes and take on the army of Deatheaters.

As the one place that both Harry and Voldemort ever felt at home, it's fitting that their final showdown should take place there.

Although Hogwarts features much less heavily in that final novel, the school becomes the battleground for the final conflict with Voldemort and his Deatheaters, so it still plays a huge role in the book. As the one place that both Harry and Voldemort ever felt at home, it's fitting that their final showdown should take place there. It also allows the series to visit Hogwarts one final time before wrapping things up.

4 Ron And Hermione Help Harry Save The Day

Harry's friends are integral to his success.

Harry achieves an incredible amount over the course of the Harry Potter books, but as he is always quick to admit, none of it would've been possible without his friends. A lot of people help Harry out in one way or another during the series, but Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are undoubtedly the most impactful of his friends. From The Sorcerer's Stone to The Deathly Hallows , Harry can always count on help from his two best friends .

In this sequence, each member of the Golden Trio has a task suited to them, and each one of them performs it with flying colors, allowing Harry to reach the final chamber and stop Professor Quirrell.

One particularly striking example of this comes in the first Harry Potter book, when Ron, Hermione, and Harry work their way through the various magical protections set up to protect the Sorcerer's Stone. In this sequence, each member of the Golden Trio has a task suited to them, and each one of them performs it with flying colors, allowing Harry to reach the final chamber and stop Professor Quirrell. This set the tone for six more books worth of teamwork between the beloved golden trio.

3 The Weasleys Show Harry Potter Kindness

The weasleys become harry's de facto family.

Harry spends the first 11 years of his life with nobody really caring about him, so when he meets the Weasleys and they integrate him lovingly into their family, it's lifechanging for the young wizard. Harry's first experience with the Weasleys comes when Molly shows him how to run through the barrier that leads to Platform 9 3/4. This small act of kindness is the first of many the Weasleys show Harry over the years , including having him stay at the Burrow on several occasions.

Some of the other kindesses the Weasleys show Harry include taking him to the Quidditch World Cup, helping him find his way around Diagon Alley, and sending him loving Christmas and birthday gifts every year.

Harry also gets a mother-figure in his life from Mrs. Weasley, which proves to be hugely important to his psyche. Some of the other kindesses the Weasleys show Harry include taking him to the Quidditch World Cup, helping him find his way around Diagon Alley, and sending him loving Christmas and birthday gifts every year. It's safe to say that without the Weasleys' kindness, Harry would have been a much different person.

2 Good Triumphs Over Evil

One of the primary themes in harry potter.

Good triumphing over evil is another theme that is omnipresent in the Harry Potter books. Each and every one of the novels enforces this trope, making it absolutely central to the series. Harry's eventual victory over Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the ultimate proof that this theme has always been at the heart of the story, but it can be found throughout every novel. Harry's way of constantly foiling Voldermort's plans, despite being a child up against the greatest dark wizard ever, also enforces this theme.

It's also commonly said that Dumbledore was the only wizard greater than Voldemort and, considering the headmaster's constant messages of love and togetherness, this dynamic also reinforces the trope.

Obviously, there are moments in the series where Voldemort and his minions gain small victories over the forces of good, but it's never really in doubt which side will win in the end . It's also commonly said that Dumbledore was the only wizard greater than Voldemort and, considering the headmaster's constant messages of love and togetherness, this dynamic also reinforces the trope.

1 Harry Potter Learns Something New About The Magical World

The magical world expands in each harry potter book.

Harry begins the Harry Potter book series completely ignorant of the magical world, and although he knows much more about it by the end of the story, he never ceases to learn new things about it. Whether it's a new spell, a magical creature, a tradition, or any number of other things, Harry is constantly learning more about the magical world he suddenly finds himself living in .

Accordingly, Rowling uses Harry's ignorance of the magical world to educate the reader about the Harry Potter universe.

One important aspect of this is that Harry's character is used to introduce new aspects of Rowling's world, which grows a bit larger in every novel. Accordingly, Rowling uses Harry's ignorance of the magical world to educate the reader about the Harry Potter universe. With that in mind, it's not surprising that Harry is constantly learning new things about magic, but it's worth noting, as it does occur in every single one of the Harry Potter books.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.

• Audible Books & Originals
• Children's Audiobooks
• Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Fantasy & Magic
• Action & Adventure

Enjoy a free trial on us P.when("A", "a-expander", "ready").execute(function(A, expander) { A.on("a:accordion:buybox-accordion:select", function(data) { // Change active accordion pricing to APEX pricing A.$("#buyBoxAccordion").find(".accordion-header div#adbl_bb_price") .removeClass("adbl_bb_price_show").addClass("adbl_bb_price_hide"); A.$(data.selectedRow.$row).find(".accordion-header div#adbl_bb_price") .removeClass("adbl_bb_price_hide").addClass("adbl_bb_price_show"); //initialize accordion expander expander.initializeExpanders(); }); }); /* Display price in a table block so it does not overflow, ref: https://t.corp.amazon.com/D76383263 */ #adbl_bb_price { display: table; } /* APEX Pricing for Mobile & MobileApp */ .adbl_bb_price_show .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 300; } .adbl_bb_price_hide .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; } .adbl_bb_pay_price { font-weight: 400; } .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-whole { font-size: 38px; } .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-whole { font-size: 24px; } .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: table-caption; font-size: 15px !important; line-height: 26px; } .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: table-caption; font-size: 13px !important; line-height: 10px; } #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; top: -15px !important; } #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; } #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; top: -15px !important; } #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; } /* APEX Pricing for Desktop */ #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 21px; font-weight: 300; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_pay_price { font-weight: 400; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-whole { font-size: 28px; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-whole { font-size: 21px; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block; font-size: 13px !important; line-height: 16px; top:-10px !important; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block; font-size: 12px !important; line-height: 9px; } $0.00 $ 0 . 00

• Click above for unlimited listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
• One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection — yours to keep (you'll use your first credit now).
• You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
• $14.95 $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.

Buy P.when("A", "a-expander", "ready").execute(function(A, expander) { A.on("a:accordion:buybox-accordion:select", function(data) { // Change active accordion pricing to APEX pricing A.$("#buyBoxAccordion").find(".accordion-header div#adbl_bb_price") .removeClass("adbl_bb_price_show").addClass("adbl_bb_price_hide"); A.$(data.selectedRow.$row).find(".accordion-header div#adbl_bb_price") .removeClass("adbl_bb_price_hide").addClass("adbl_bb_price_show"); //initialize accordion expander expander.initializeExpanders(); }); }); /* Display price in a table block so it does not overflow, ref: https://t.corp.amazon.com/D76383263 */ #adbl_bb_price { display: table; } /* APEX Pricing for Mobile & MobileApp */ .adbl_bb_price_show .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 300; } .adbl_bb_price_hide .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; } .adbl_bb_pay_price { font-weight: 400; } .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-whole { font-size: 38px; } .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-whole { font-size: 24px; } .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: table-caption; font-size: 15px !important; line-height: 26px; } .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: table-caption; font-size: 13px !important; line-height: 10px; } #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; top: -15px !important; } #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, #mobile_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; } #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; top: -15px !important; } #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, #mobileapp_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block !important; } /* APEX Pricing for Desktop */ #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .adbl_bb_savings_percent { color: #CC0C39; font-size: 21px; font-weight: 300; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_pay_price { font-weight: 400; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-whole { font-size: 28px; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-whole { font-size: 21px; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-symbol, #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_show .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block; font-size: 13px !important; line-height: 16px; top:-10px !important; } #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-symbol, #desktop_buybox .adbl_bb_price_hide .a-price-fraction { display: inline-block; font-size: 12px !important; line-height: 9px; } $29.99 $ 29 . 99

Harry potter and the philosopher's stone (narrated by stephen fry) audible audiobook – unabridged.

Stephen Fry brings the richness of these magical stories to life in the original British recordings, available for the first time in the United States and Canada.

Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'. Treat your ears to a performance so rich and captivating you'll imagine yourself in the halls of Hogwarts. Wherever you listen, the unmistakable voice of Stephen Fry is guaranteed to guide you ever more deeply into this magical story and transport you to the heart of the adventure. Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin! Theme music composed by James Hannigan.

Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter stories never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new listeners.

• Listening Length 8 hours and 25 minutes
• Author J.K. Rowling
• Narrator Stephen Fry
• Audible release date April 18, 2024
• Language English
• Publisher Pottermore Publishing
• ASIN B0D1CPH61C
• Version Unabridged
• Program Type Audiobook
• See all details

People who viewed this also viewed

People who bought this also bought

Related to this topic

Product details

Customer reviews.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

No customer reviews

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter was an incredibly amusing read, with amiable characters that truly made the story stand out. This novel is a must-read for people of all ages. It has an air of mystery, is captivating, and provides entertainment. The book portrays real-world events in a fantasy world. The characters, including the main character Harry Potter, are relatable and undergo character development while making mistakes. One of the great features of the novel is how each character has their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and each one has a distinct way of feeling. For instance, Neville Longbottom is a shy boy, but his loyalty to his friends and his house team is unwavering. Harry Potter is a book that can be enjoyed by all ages, as it accurately portrays the struggles that come with different stages of life. Even though Harry is a wizard, his teenage problems are relatable to those of a typical teenager. As a reader, you can judge the characters in the book based on the tone of the novel. Relationships are also a significant feature of this novel and are portrayed differently depending on the type of relationship. For example, the relationship between a sibling and a friend is distinct but can be differentiated only by the tone or mood portrayed accurately. This book is an absolutely enchanting experience, overflowing with captivating magical creatures, spells, and enchantments that will undoubtedly keep readers completely engaged. The characters are exceptionally well-crafted and relatable, while the plot moves at a fast pace, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. The author's vivid and immersive writing style transports readers into the heart of the story, allowing them to experience it as if it were their own. At Hogwarts, Harry befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The trio works together to unravel the mystery surrounding the Sorcerer's Stone. In their quest to counter Voldemort's plan to use the stone to regain his body, Harry and his friends embark on a perilous adventure. Overall, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a timeless classic that continues to interest and entertain readers of all ages. It is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy, adventure, and magic. I highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn’t read it yet.

33 Books Like Harry Potter to Binge on Your Next Vacation

I t’s been 25 years since the first Harry Potter book was published, but J.K. Rowling’s series remains as popular as ever with kids and adults who can’t get enough of the Wizarding World. Filled with unforgettable characters, fascinating creatures, and maddening mysteries, the Harry Potter books have made an enduring mark on fantasy literature—not to mention leaving millions of readers looking for more books like Harry Potter to read next.

At its heart, the Harry Potter series is a coming-of-age tale that grows along with its young readers. In the first book,  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , Harry and his friends are 11 years old. It’s a great introduction to fantasy books for kids who are roughly the same age. By the last book of the series,  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , our favorite characters are all on the cusp of adulthood. The content is darker, written at a higher level, and perfect for readers who’ve grown up with the Harry Potter series.

What to Read After Harry Potter

But like all good things, these magical books eventually come to an end. Fortunately for young readers and adults alike, there are lots of great options for what to read after Harry Potter that will give you a similar thrill as J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and its companion Harry Potter Wizarding World theme park . Here’s a comprehensive list of the best books like Harry Potter for every grade level, continuously updated as new fantasy books make their debuts. 

Jump to a Section:

• Books like Harry Potter for Kids and Teens
• Books like Harry Potter for Older Teens and Adults
• Can’t Get Enough of the Wizarding World?

Books like Harry Potter for Young Readers and Teens

Percy jackson and the olympians by rick riordan.

Now a beloved television series on Disney+, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the most popular series to read after Harry Potter, too. Like the characters in the Harry Potter books, Percy Jackson grows older as the series progresses, with Percy starting as a 12-year-old in the first book and growing older with each book. 

In the first book, Percy discovers that his father is the Greek god Poseidon and is sent to Camp Half-Blood with other kids of divine parentage. From there, he goes on a quest to the Underworld to retrieve a stolen lightning bolt. The five-book series consists of The Lightning Thief ,  The Sea of Monsters ,  The Titan’s Curse ,  The Battle of the Labyrinth , and  The Last Olympian . 

“If you are a Potterhead, or if you like magic-related books, you’ll definitely not get bored,” raves one reviewer on Amazon, though others note that this series is less likely to appeal to older teens and adults than J.K. Rowling’s more complex Harry Potter books. 

The Witches of Willow Cove by Josh Roberts

In The Witches of Willow Cove , seventh grader Abby Shepherd and five other girls from a small New England town discover they not only have magical powers, but also share a secret connection to the Salem Witch Trials. Then a mysterious stranger named Miss Winters arrives and offers to teach them everything she knows about witchcraft. There’s only one problem: Miss Winters might be responsible for the disappearance of someone close to Abby years before—and she might have something equally wicked planned for Abby and her new coven. 

The first in a magical new series, The Witches of Willow Cove earned starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal and was named a book of the year by A Mighty Girl, which calls it “atmospheric, just-spooky-enough, and magical.” Tweens ands teens will love this page-turner filled with magic, mayhem, and humor, and the compelling mystery at the heart of the story appeals to adults as well.

“We were looking for something new after we finished all the Harry Potter books and I came across this,” says one review on Amazon. “It’s a little bit like Harry Potter meets The Craft. It takes place in modern day United States, so you don’t get that British boarding school vibe, but like the Harry Potter books it’s sort of a mystery disguised as a fantasy, and is also very much a story about friendship. It has a playful sense of humor, but can also put you on the edge of your seat.” 

The Witches of Willow Cove is the first book in the Willow Cove series. Two sequels have been announced, the first of which—called The Curse of Willow Cove —is slated for a late 2024 publication.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

A spine-tingling page-turner,  City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab is perfect for middle-school readers who love a great ghost story. After 12-year-old Cassidy Blake, a self-proclaimed Gryffindor, nearly drowns, she gains the ability to see beyond the Veil and visit the spirit world. Cass’s best friend Jacob is a ghost. And her parents are the ghost-hunting stars of a reality TV show. Things get even weirder when her family travels to hauntingly perfect Scotland and Cass meets a girl who shares her strange abilities. 

SPOOKY STORIES: 38 Great Halloween Books for Kids and Teens

Critics and readers love this trilogy, which consists of City of Ghosts , Tunnel of Bones (in which Cass and family go to Paris), and Bridge of Souls (featuring the haunted city of New Orleans). Kirkus says the books “beg to be read in the dark of night” and reviewers on Amazon call it “brilliant” and “fast paced, funny, a little scary, and sweet.”

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel

Julia Nobel’s Black Hollow Lane series ( The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane and The Secret of White Stone Gate ) follows an 11-year-old American girl named Emmy Willick who is sent to a boarding school in England full of dark secrets and suspicious teachers. Sound familiar? Kids will love these stories in which the heroine must uncover a mystery about her father and the secret society that may be implicated in his disappearance. 

“Relatable characters, a page-turning plot, and a pace that doesn’t lag yet allows you to spend time in the engaging setting,” writes one Amazon reviewer. “Give this to your 8- to 12-year-olds who gobble up mysteries, and they’ll be back for the next in the series.” 

THEME PARK MAGIC: 7 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Thirteen-year-old Tristan Strong goes to live with his grandparents following a tragic bus accident that claimed the life of his best friend, Eddie. While there, he accidentally tears an opening to the MidPass, a fantastical land whose inhabitants are trying to destroy everyone in Tristan’s world. Shackle monsters and ships made of bone evoke images of slavery, and Tristan joins with figures from African mythology to fight them. 

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is the first book in the trilogy.  Tristan Strong Destroys the World  comes next, followed by Tristan Strong Keeps Punching .

“Tristan is the perfect embodiment of how it is okay to feel those emotions and view them as a source of power rather than a weakness,” writes one Amazon reviewer. Author Kwame Mbalia received the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for his debut novel. 

The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins penned  The Underland Chronicles for a middle school audience. The five books feature Gregor, who falls through a grate in his apartment building’s laundry room and finds himself among an army of giant rats in The Underland. Gregor learns he has a role to play in the Underland’s future and will uncover the mystery surrounding his father’s disappearance. 

“My non-reader son DEVOURED it and begged for the next book,” writes an Amazon reviewer. The first book in the series is Gregor the Overlander , followed by The Prophecy of Bane , The Curse of the Warmbloods , The Marks of Secret , and The Code of Claw .

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Based on a Haitian folktale, The Jumbies series by Tracey Baptiste focuses on Corinne Le Mer, an 11-year-old girl who lives on an island in the Caribbean. Corinne must use her bravery and a little magic to stop an evil spirit from invading her home.

“It’s refreshing to see a fantasy with its roots outside Europe,” says Kirkus Reviews. “This is a book worth reading simply for its originality.” It’s a good option for kids in grade level three to six. As one teacher wrote on Amazon, “This book is real deal literature for children!”

The first book in the series is The Jumbies , followed by Rise of the Jumbies and The Jumbie God’s Revenge . 

The Pandava Series by Roshani Chokshi

Aru Shah, the 12-year-old heroine of the  Pandava series , likes to make up stories to fit in at school. But when her classmates catch her in a lie about a cursed lamp, Aru inadvertently unleashes an ancient demon whose goal is wake the God of Destruction. With her mother and classmates now frozen in time, Aru Shah must journey through the Kingdom of Death in order to find the reincarnated heroes of the epic Hindu poem the Mahabharata.

The first novel in the five-book series,  Aru Shah and the End of Time , was named one of the best fantasy novels of all time by  Time  magazine. Aru Shah and the End of Time and its multiple sequels ( Aru Shah and the Song of Death , Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes , Aru Shah and the City of Gold , and Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality ) are written for a preteen audience reading at an elementary school grade level. 

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

This acclaimed trilogy, consisting of  The Golden Compass,   The Subtle Knife , and  The Amber Spyglass , follows Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, two pre-teens from different realities who embark on a perilous journey, meet armored bears and fallen angels, and cross through haunted worlds. 

The Washington Post has called His Dark Materials “the best juvenile fantasy of the past 20 years.” Phillip Pullman’s original trilogy is written for grade level five and up. A second trilogy called The Book of Dust is set in the same world and is intended for a teen audience. It begins with La Belle Sauvage and continues with The Secret Commonwealth . The title of the final book in the trilogy has not been announced, though recent reports suggest it will be published sometime this year.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster is a telepath who has always assumed her secret is safe. But is it? When she meets Fitz, she realizes she’s not alone. Soon Sophie travels to a fantasy world where she can reveal her true identity—but that world is in danger, and only she can save it. 

If you liked the Harry Potter books for their immersive world-building and massive page counts, then Shannon Messenger’s nine-book Keeper of the Lost Cities series  is for you. Reviewers call these big 400-plus-page books “brilliant,” “fun for tweens and grownups alike,” and “the best series ever.” The nine books in the series are Keeper of the Lost Cities ,  Exile ,  Everblaze ,  Neverseen , Lodestar , Nightfall , Flashback , Legacy , Unlocked , and Stellarlune . The books become longer and more complex as the story grows. 

Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes

Based on Mayan mythology, the  Storm Runner trilogy features Zane, a young boy with a physical disability that not only makes it difficult to walk but also challenging to navigate bullying from his peers in middle school. Zane likes exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico with his dog Rosie, but little does he know the volcano is a gateway to another world. 

Zane finds himself in the middle of a powerful prophecy that will transport him far away from the life he’s always known. “Cervantes’ writing is funny and her characters are likable,” says a reader on Amazon. “This is a great read for students who like action and adventure.” And Kirkus Reviews notes, “Zane’s incredibly appealing kid voice and wry internal interjections make him easy to root for.”

The first book in the series is The Storm Runner , followed by The Fire Keeper and The Shadow Crosser . 

Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson

The  Pennyroyal Academy series are books like Harry Potter but set in a classic fairy tale world. Instead of Hogwarts, the characters in this three-book series attend Pennyroyal Academy, where they learn to become knights and princesses under the direction of instructors Fairy Drillsergeant and Rumpledshirtsleeves. 

The Pennyroyal Academy books combines adventure, magical mischief, and humor to create an unforgettable fantasy world where a young girl named Evie and her friends battle dragons and witches. It’s appropriate for middle-grade readers looking for books similar to Harry Potter. “It is a breathtakingly exciting novel, and Evie deserves a special place in the new pantheon of capable, feisty and, yes, admirable literary princesses,” raves The New York Times .

The first book, Pennyroyal Academy , is followed by two sequels: The Shadow Cadets of Pennyroyal Academy and The Warrior Princess of Pennyroyal Academy . 

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The  Mysterious Benedict Society books start with dozens of children responding to a strange newspaper advertisement. They are subjected to a series of mind-bending tests, but only four come away successful. The quartet is then sent on a secret mission for only the brightest and most inventive children. 

“The story about misfits struggling to save the world from dark forces might sound familiar, but the writing is fresh, witty and beautifully descriptive,” raves one reviewer on Amazon. “It has two brave, brilliant boys and two tough, resourceful girls who overcome complex social and governmental obstacles as they combine teamwork, bravery, and investigative adventure to fight for what is right and sane for all,” says another.

The four-book series, recently adapted as a Disney+ television series, begins with The Mysterious Benedict Society and is followed by The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey , The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma , and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages . 

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

If you’re looking for books similar to Harry Potter that you can read aloud to your kids, look no further than Fablehaven . Smart dialogue and a unique take on a familiar fantasy story make this five-book series a must-read for Potter fans. 

When 13-year-old Kendra Sorenson and her 11-year-old brother Seth are sent to stay with their grandfather, they soon discover he is the caretaker of a refuge for mystical creatures like trolls and fairies. Naturally things go wrong, and Kendra must step in to save her family. 

Great for young readers and old teens alike, one reviewer on Amazon calls this series “perfect for fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson,” while another praises the “complex characters” whose personalities “cause many of the issues that they then need to resolve.”

The five books in the series are Fablehaven , Rise of the Evening Star , Grip of the Shadow Plague , Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary , and Keys to the Demon Prison .

The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West

Eleven-year-old Olive Dunwoody knows there’s something strange about her new house the moment her family moves into the creepy old mansion on Linden Street. When she discovers three talking cats and a pair of eyeglasses that transport her into the home’s unusual paintings, she knows the house is truly magical. But is she prepared for how dangerous it will become?

The  Books of Elsewhere series by Jacqueline West follows Olive as she discovers that her home’s previous owners were witches—and they may not be quite finished with it just yet. Perfect for older elementary school kids and younger middle schoolers, Publisher’s Weekly says the series offers a “suspenseful plot and insight into childhood loneliness.”

The five-book series begins with The Shadows  and is followed by Spellbound , The Second Spy , The Strangers , and Still Life . 

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Older teens Sophie and Agatha enter the School for Good and Evil. One girl will train to be a fairy tale hero, the other a villain. But a series of unexpected events change their trajectories as both girls seek their true Ever After.

The series is not as “princess-y” as it might appear, and readers will appreciate the richly imagined world where the action never stops. Appropriate for middle grade level readers, the School for Good and Evil series by Soman Chainani is perfect for kids who love fantasy stories and books like Harry Potter. Readers cite the “clever plot line,” “relatable and amusing characters,” and “lots of twists and turns along the way” as reasons to enjoy this series.

The six-book set begins with The School for Good and Evil and continues with A World without Princes , The Last Ever After , Quests for Glory , A Crystal of Time , and The One True King . 

Books Like Harry Potter for Older Teens and Adults

Lockwood & co. by jonathan stroud.

Ghosts have taken over England, but only young people can see and eradicate them in Jonathan Stroud’s five-book Lockwood and Co. series . Narrated by 15-year-old Lucy Carlyle, these action-packed books have all the humor and heart of the Harry Potter series, and a good deal of the mystery and suspense as well. 

Older middle school kids and young adults love Lockwood and Co., as do many adult readers. “I had no clue this wasn’t an adult series, but I was hooked and didn’t care,” writes on reviewer on Amazon. And like Harry Potter, this series “is no less delightful just because it was written with a younger reader in mind,” raves another reader. 

In order, the five books of the Lockwood and Co. series are The Screaming Staircase , The Whispering Skull , The Hollow Boy , The Creeping Shadow , and The Empty Grave . Stroud has also written a short story in the Lockwood and Co. series, The Dagger in the Desk , which is available for free on Kindle. The Lockwood and Co. series also received an extremely faithful and well-cast adaptation for television on Netflix.

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children Series by Ransom Riggs

In Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children , 16-year-old Jacob Portman finds himself on a remote Welsh island where he discovers an abandoned orphanage and signs of the unique (and possibly dangerous) children who once inhabited it. Vintage photos add to the tense, time-travel-y mystery in each of the six books penned by Ransom Riggs.

“Imaginative, peculiar, and fantastic!” writes one reviewer on Amazon. “Alice in Wonderland meets Harry Potter,” says another. 

The six-book series begins with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children , which is followed by The Hollow City , Library of Souls , A Map of Days , The Conference of Birds , and The Desolations of Devil’s Acre . 

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha) by Tomi Adeyemi

In this series lauded by readers and critics, heroine Zélie Adebola’s mother is killed by a ruthless monarch set on eradicating magic from the West African-inspired land where the story takes place. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie seeks to restore magic, discovering a lot about her own abilities in the process. 

Teen Harry Potter fans should love these books. After all, as Entertainment Weekly says, “Meet Tomi Adeyemi―the new J.K. Rowling. (Yep, she’s that good).” The first book in the Legacy of Orisha series, Children of Blood and Bone , debuted to nearly unanimous praise in 2018. It was followed by Children of Virtue and Vengeance . A third book, called Children of Anguish and Anarchy , is expected in 2024.

Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep

Gwen Frost is out to solve her classmate’s murder, especially since she thinks she should have been the one who died. Gwen is a 17-year-old student at Mythos Academy, a school of “myths, magic, and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword.”

When students start dying and the second Chaos War is at hand, Gwen uses her power of “touch magic” to set things right in the first novel,  Touch of Frost . Five novels round out the Mythos Academy series , which is aimed at readers 14 and up. In order, they are: Kiss of Frost , Dark Frost , Crimson Frost , Midnight Frost , and Killer Frost .

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

In this  dark fantasy series , three sisters must fight to the death to become the queen of the island of Fennbirm. Triplets, each of the sisters possess a particular kind of magic they use against each other in a battle that begins when they turn 16. 

“Blake establishes myriad side plots and relationships, builds complex characters, and leaves plenty of compelling avenues to explore in future books,” writes Publishers Weekly . Teens from eighth grade and up are the right audience, but adults will like the hypnotic story, too. 

The four-book series consists of Three Dark Crowns , One Dark Throne , Two Dark Reigns , and Five Dark Fates . 

A Deadly Education (The Scholomance) by Naomi Novik

Sixteen-year-old Galadriel “El” Higgins is a half-British, half-Indian sorceress at the Scholomance, a school where students learn magic. But unlike Hogwarts, there are no teachers. The students are responsible for educating themselves, and at the end they either graduate—or die. 

The Scholomance series by Naomi Novak (who also wrote the critically acclaimed adult fantasy novels Uprooted  and  Spinning Silver ) is a good choice for older teens and adults looking for books similar to Harry Potter, especially if the magical boarding school element is one of your favorite parts of the Potter books. The first book in the series is A Deadly Education , followed by The Last Graduate and The Golden Enclaves . 

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

If you’re looking for a series like Harry Potter with a healthy dose of Narnia thrown in,  The Magicians Trilogy  by Lev Grossman is it. The series focuses on Quentin Coldwater, a high school math genius obsessed with Fillory, a fantasy land from a children’s book. When he’s admitted to a secret college for magicians, Quentin quickly learns that Fillory is real and home to some very dark secrets. 

Author John Green says, “If you like the Harry Potter books, you should also read Lev Grossman’s Magicians series, which is a very knowing and wonderful take on the wizard school genre.” Given its mature themes and content, though, these books are probably best for adults and late teens at a high grade level.  

The three-book series, which has also been adapted as a television series for SYFY, consists of The Magicians , The Magician King , and The Magician’s Land .

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

A magical love story,  The Night Circus  by Erin Morgenstern is one of those books like Harry Potter that will keep readers guessing to the very end. At the Le Cirque des Rêves, a circus that only performs at night, a duel between two magicians is underway. Only one magician will be left standing. Trouble is, the two magicians are in love.

“As soon as I finished  The Night Circus , two things happened: first, it shot to the top of my favorites list, and second, I simply had to reread it. I couldn’t let the world go so quickly,” writes one Amazon reviewer. 

An added connection to the Wizarding World: Like the Harry Potter books, the audiobook edition of The Night Circus is read by the excellent Jim Dale, whose voice work on the seven Harry Potter novels is equally magical. 

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Series) by Deborah Harkness

People  magazine calls the  All Souls series by Deborah Harkness “a wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight.” That makes it the perfect choice for what to read after Harry Potter, especially if you’re a fan of witches  and  vampires. 

In the first book,  A Discovery of Witches , Oxford scholar and witch-descendant Diana Bishop finds an enchanted alchemical manuscript that unleashes evil on the world. Along with her vampire boyfriend, Diana must hold the evil at bay. The All Souls series continues with Shadow of Night , The Book of Life , Time’s Convert , and The Black Bird Oracle . The books have also been adapted as a television series .

The Brooklyn Brujas by Zoraida Cordova

Labyrinth Lost , the first book of Latinx-infused queer fantasy trilogy The Brooklyn Brujas , was one of NPR’s Best Young Adult books of 2016. Alex is a powerful witch, but she hates her magical powers. When she casts a spell to rid herself of her powers, though, it backfires, causing her family to vanish into thin air. To save her loved ones, Alex and her friend Nova must travel to the dark, strange land of Los Lagos on a journey of self-discovery. 

“Fantastically imaginative and diverse,” raves one reviewer on Amazon. “A story for those who feel out of place and want to be different,” says another. 

The subsequent books in the Brooklyn Brujas trilogy ( Bruja Born  and Wayward Witch ) follow Alex’s two sisters, Lula and Rose, as they battle evil in the their home town and across the magical realms.

Still Can’t Get Enough of the Wizarding World?

Harry potter and the cursed child by j.k. rowling, jack thorne, and john tiffany.

Nineteen years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hogwarts, Harry is working in the Ministry of Magic and raising three kids with his wife Ginny. While the original trio are important characters in this direct sequel to the Harry Potter series, the spotlight in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child  shines brightest on Harry’s son Albus and Albus’s best friend, Scorpio Malfory, who both must wrestle with their families’ legacies. 

Sometimes called the eighth Harry Potter book, The Cursed Child is different from all the others because it’s a stage play rather than a novel. It doesn’t read like a Harry Potter book, but it is an official continuation of the Hogwarts story. See it on the stage in person if you can, but if you can’t, the official playscript of the original West End production is a good substitute. 

Hogwarts Library by J.K. Rowling

The Hogwarts Library is a  three-volume set that gives you an inside look into the magical world of Hogwarts.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  is Newt Scamander’s opus on magical creatures.  Quidditch Through the Ages  tells this history of the game and explains the rules.  The Tales of Beedle the Bard  is a collection of fairy tales set in the Wizarding World. Together, this tiny trilogy gives Harry Potter fans deeper insight into the world J.K. Rowling so masterfully created. A lavishly illustrated box set is also available.

Harry Potter: A Journey Through the History of Magic curated by the British Museum

Ever wonder why a mandrake screams? You’ll find out in  Harry Potter: A Journey Through the History of Magic . Compiled by the British Museum as a companion piece to an exhibition, the book includes some of J.K. Rowling’s early drafts and sketches of the Wizarding World. It’s exactly what you should read after finishing the Harry Potter series. There’s an  American edition  that features artifacts not included in the original British edition. 

Fantastic Beasts Original Screenplays by J.K. Rowling

Set many years before the rise of Voldemort, the Fantastic Beasts films follow Newt Scamander, two witchy sisters, and an American muggle as they attempt to stop the evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald’s plan for world domination. Featuring appearances by a young Albus Dumbledore and other Harry Potter cameos, the Fantastic Beasts series is an official prequel to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts years. 

The three installments in this Harry Potter prequel series are Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald , and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore . Similar to the stage play of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , the Fantastic Beasts stories are available in book form as screenplays. 

Harry Potter Illustrated Editions by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay

These deluxe hardcover editions of the Harry Potter books feature glorious full-color illustrations by artist Jim Kay, breathing new life into the imaginative world created by J.K. Rowling. The first five illustrated Harry Potter books ( Sorcerer’s Stone , Chamber of Secrets , Prisoner of Azkaban , Goblet of Fire , and Order of the Phoenix ) have been completed. The remaining novels in the series ( The Half-Blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows ) will follow. A fully illustrated edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (with art by Olivia Lomenech Gill) is also available.

Harry Potter Interactive Popup Books by J.K. Rowling

Proving that book design is an art in and of itself, the dazzling popup edition of the first Harry Potter book is fully illustrated and features interactive paper craft elements such as a foldout Hogwarts letter. Additional popup-style books include Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts , Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Diagon Alley and Beyond , Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book , and Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Christmas Pop-Up (Advent Calendar).

Pottermore Presents: Harry Potter Short Stories by J.K. Rowling

Available as ebooks only, the three volumes of the Pottermore Presents series are Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (book one), Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (book two), and Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (book three). 

More from FamilyVacationist:

• 11 Best Outdoor Projector Screens for Your Backyard Movie N ight 
• 10 Best Theme Parks in Orlando for Every Age Group and Interest
• 38 Great Halloween Books for Kids and Teens

The post 33 Books Like Harry Potter to Binge on Your Next Vacation appeared first on FamilyVacationist .

'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' Returns to Theaters for Its 20th Anniversary

"Mysterious thing, time. Powerful, and when meddled with, dangerous."

The Big Picture

• Celebrate 20 years of Harry Potter with Prisoner of Azkaban back in theaters from May 31!
• Get ready to dive into an emotionally charged plot with new characters and dark secrets revealed.
• Warner Bros. plans to bring back the magic of Hogwarts on the big screen for nostalgic fans.

Harry Potter is one franchise that keeps on giving, what started as books have now spawned into movies , games, toys , and soon a series. The movies led by Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , and Rupert Grint as the fan-favorite trio of friends have entertained generations and are loved around the world. Whether one has noticed or not it’s been 20 years since Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ’s release and Warner Bros is planning to celebrate in style.

The studio is bringing back the third installment in the franchise to the theatres, it has announced . Fans will have another chance to feel the magic on the big screen. Prisoner of the Azkaban is among the best movies in the eight-movie-long franchise and sets the stage for some very dark stuff after the first two movies, Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets , familiarize us with Hogwarts and its many students, professors, and secrets. Rewatching the movie on the big screen will be a great way to celebrate for fans looking for nostalgia.

What’s ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ About?

Prisoner of Azkaban finds Harry, Ron, and Hermione in their third year of magical studies, the group has slightly grown up and are more often found in trouble. Things take a turn when we learn that Sirius Black, once a trusted friend of Harry’s parents James and Lily, who was sent to Azkaban for being accused of being a Death Eater has escaped. However, once Harry runs into him, he learns the truth is far from reality .

The movie introduces us to new characters Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, who thicken the plot by going into the history of Harry’s parents, providing more clarity on their deaths. While Sirius is introduced as the antagonist, he turns out to be one of the most loved characters in the franchise and Harry’s godfather. The performances in the feature are incredible and director Alfonso Cuarón brilliantly merges an emotionally charged story with his cinematic style . The movie has its own concept of time travel as well, which distinguishes it from the rest of the franchise .

Along with the leading trio, the movie also cast David Thewlis as Remus, Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew, Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Emma Thompson as Sybill Trelawney, and many more.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban returns to theatres on May 31. The entire Harry Potter franchise is available on Max to stream.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.