Rating: 
Summary: a slow moving book
Review: I guess I am the odd one out. I read this book to see if it was safe to give my young daughter to read, and I found it to be very boring. So many pages, for not much information. It reminded me of a preteen's writing style. Safe to give my daughter? yes,but it's not her style either.
Rating: 
Summary: the other Harry Potter books are better
Review: I guess you could say this was a great book because all the Harry Potter books are honestly the best, but I personally think that the other two books are better and more intresting than the first, because it's like the first one has this very boring buildup about him being a warlock and his uncle and aunt don't like it at all, etc... The other books have an interesting plot that starts right at the beginning, and it keeps on getting added on and stuff. (it's hard to explain) Anywayz, which ever book you get I'm sure you will enjoy it because all of my friends do.
Rating: 
Summary: Not only a children's book!
Review: I had a bit of reserve about reading a book that was written for children. Most teens don't go for that sort of thing. I was only slightly curious about them when my cousin told my aunt that she wanted to read the Harry Potter books, "because that's what Beth writes." I write fantasy, and my cousin is one of my greatest fans. Sure enough though I found a Harry Potter book under my tree on Christmas morning. My curiousity had been piqued earlier, but I still put the book on the shelf unread. A few weeks later I caught the flu and was stuck in bed with my books to keep me company. Once again I remembered the book left up on my shelf. I pulled it out and began to read. Instantly I was transformed into another world full of Muggles and Wizards, magic wands and strange Quiditch games. Harry Potter was enchanting from the start. You just wanted to reach out and pluck the character from the cruelty of his aunt and uncle. Rowling does a great job bringing out the character and interweaving everyday problems like standing up to your peers, or being accepted at a new school. It makes the characters believeable, and even loveable. Yet there is still that element of mystery and the macabre that draws the older audiences. The parts that require the mind, and are not too hard to understand for younger audiences. Yet there are the parts that are only the level of the mature. I was amazed to hear that many adults and teens were reading these books. Harry Potter is a must read. You'll never read anything like it. It has the right balance of humor, mystery, and everyday problems to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Rating:
Summary: I Could Not Put This Book Down
Review: I had a great experience of reading this book in a literature response group. I thought the story was wonderful. Harry is a boy who had to live with hie aunt and uncle. He was treated very badly and made to sleep in the cupboard. For eleven years they kept a secret from Harry about what his parents were and exactly how they died. Harry finds out that he will attend a wizard school called Hogwarts. At Hogwarts he is invovled in lots of things to help him train. He meets new friends. He finally learns that his parenrs died protecting him and that a powerful wizard, Vodermont could not kill him. During the story Harry and his friens encounter many things. He even has to face Vodermont in this book. I truly enjoyed reading this book with the group. We would report back and discuss parts of the book and also add ideas for use in the classroom. Students could use Harry Potter in many different ways. They could illustrate many things such as Hogwarts, the troll, the hat, etc. Students could write in their journals about numerous aspects of the story. Science lessons could pertain to making potions. Students could design their own game. I do think teachers would not want to use this book with younger children.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Childhood adventure, even for adults
Review: I had absolutely no interest in this Harry Potter phenomenon until I got drawn by the movie trailers to go see the film.
I felt the movie lived up the hype and after seeing it, I kept thinking of the characters and settings and had to relive it by reading the book that inspired it all.
(I will also aknowledge that after reading the book, I feel the movie did an excellent job of capturing the story on film and stayed very faithful to the work)
I don't feel that J.K.Rowling is a brilliant novelist and poet of words, however her ability to create such a wonderful and fun story is remarkable....and that it has become so widely accepted and encouraging to kids (and adults) is great. She does a fantastic job of taking realities that we know growing up with the awkwardness of childhood and the mythological legends that we have learned and combine them all into a fantastic story of whimsical adventure.
The first book has a lot of exposition and sets the scene that will lend itself to the many adventures in the following books. It also stands on its own with a decent plot that is mostly underlying untilt he final few chapters. For me, the fun of this book was not the actual plot of the sorceror's stone; but rather discovering this magical world of Hogwarts alongside Harry. Harry as a character is not as fully developed as the people he meets, but I feel this allows you to take on his role and experience things through his eyes.
The characters are wonderful and full of mystery. With names as simple as Ron and odd as Hermione(both Harry's best friends), the gentle giant Hagrid, silly stylings of Prof.Dumbledore, ghosts that simply roam the halls to greet you, and the 3-headed fluffy....you'll instantly get hooked.
This book performs the greatest magic trick of all, whether you are a child or adult (like myself), you'll find yourself wishing you were back in school with the anxieties of final exams and extra curricular activities (with spells and quidditch of course!)
Rating:
Summary: Great reading of a great book
Review: I had already read all four of the available Harry Potter books before I listened to the audio versions of the same books. (I borrowed the tapes from a friend). The books impressed me as some of the best writing and storytelling I have ever read, and the audio versions do justice to the writing. The reader, Jim Dale, is an award-winning actor who makes the writing come alive. (Although he does pronounce Hagrid differently from the way I do. Is it "Hay-grid" or "Hag-rid"?) The CD's and tapes are unabridged, so the listener doesn't miss a word of Rowling's great writing. I often drive solo, and really enjoy listening to talk rather than music. The Harry Potter audio series is perfect for an interesting diversion from miles of straight freeway. If you are traveling by car with children, these audio versions of the books could make your trip much more enjoyable. These CD's are expensive, which is why I bought only one at first. I intend to get a new one with each Amazon order until I own the entire set.
Rating:
Summary: Works like a charm...
Review: I had already READ the Sorcerer's Stone, so I thought I knew the plot line and the overall story. However, listening to the book is a very different experience than reading the book. For one, there are those "proper" English pronounciations that my eye interpreted differently for my ear (It's not "Hay-grid", but "Hah-grid"), and the audio corrected. Secondly, Dale's interpretation of Hermione's voice also gave me a different slant on her, as it did on other characters. He often had characters say Harry's name "Ha-reeeeeeeee", which somehow came across as much more British than my American idea of how to address him. It is through listening to the audiobook that you begin to appreciate how these books are perhaps slightly to certainly better when read aloud, especially with a masterful story-teller like Dale. I happened to like Chamber of Secrets better (both print and audio) than Socerer's Stone, but part of that could be that the first book spends a lot of time setting the stage and introducing the characters. The real action comes later. Still, Dale seemed to enjoy reading the second book better than the first. OVerall, I recommend that you get the audiobook and add it to your ever-growing Potter library. Better to buy the tape than the ensuing paraphrenalia that will soon be robbing our wallets. Dale IS truly Jim Dandy in his character portrayals! Oh, if long car trip is in your future and you don't plan to get there by magic, listen to the audiotape to while away the time! That's what we did,and it worked like a charm (or was that a spell?)
Rating:
Summary: Fun book for all ages
Review: I had avoided Pottermania until a few weeks ago, when I went to see the movie to see what all the fuss was about. Needless to say, I was hooked right away. The books are fun, and remarkably complex for "children's stories." As much as I liked the first movie, I've liked the books even more ... but I still can't wait to see the next movie made! I hope they do a little bit better with the characterizations this time (am I the only one who thought the movie-Malfoy and movie-Snape didn't seem anywhere near as evil as their book counterparts?) As creative as the Potter series is, it boils down to old-fashioned good vs. evil battles. Which is why I don't understand the cries that this book promotes witchcraft and the like (especially when the people who say this haven't read the book or seen the movie). Harry Potter does not promote witchcraft any more than the Wizard of Oz or Cinderella does (and I don't think anyone would consider the Fairy Godmother a challenge to the Christian faith ... I sure don't). The best thing about the Harry Potter series is that it has gotten kids (and adults!) of all ages into reading books. I think it's wonderful that kids are sitting down (voluntarily!) to read books. It's just a shame that well-intentioned adults are trying to take away the joy of reading from their kids.
Rating:
Summary: I'm in love with a new series.
Review: I had been putting off reading the Harry Potter books until the entire series came out in paper back. But then those religious types who I would bet have either no imagination or did not read the books decided to speak out against a harmless children's book so in protest I borrowed this book from a friend. And read it. Again and again. And again. And then bought all three Harry Potter books. In hardback so I could get the full artwork. And I keep reading them. They're so addictive and I have yet to encounter another author like Ms. Rowlings. Clever and emotional. I love Harry Potter. I was reading a book that I really loved at the time and am not able to get back into it because Harry Potter is all I want to read. I love these books and am so glad that I can just open up the pages to return to that world.
Rating:
Summary: Abra Cadabara!
Review: I had bought this book to read to my children, but they had no interest when it was discovered there weren't pictures. So I read it myself. This book is fantastic! Like others have said, this is not just for kids! I found the characters very engaging, even comical at times. Like George saying about himself and his twin, Fred: "We know we're Gred and Forge". It begins with Harry as an infant, and wizards and witches watching over his deliverance to "muggle" relatives. Harry has a terrible home life: relatives who don't love or care for him, and he lives in a cupboard. The story comes alive from here. Letters pouring in from anywhere there is an opening: chimneys, open windows, the opening between the door and the floor...Harry makes off to Hogwarts, magical school for wizards and witches alike. New life, new friends, new magical adventures... The story was original and delightful as Harry encounters this strange new world and how to deal with it. The story had me riveted till the end. A must read for ANY fantasy reader! Children in the intended age group (should I include myself?) will enjoy reading the likes of Harry Potter.
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