Rating: 
Summary: Who doesn't need a little magic in their life?
Review: Give way, ye doubters! Older than 8-13? It's all right! Just get a copy of this first book in the Potter series and READ. Let go of your reservations that this is for kids only and/or for the parents of kids only. Let go of your hesitation that this story line is beneath you. Let yourself ease into the enticement of good story telling, the kind your classroom teacher, or if you were really lucky, your parents, used to read to you at night. And if you have concerns about the evils of the series, i. e. withcraft, magic, you MUST READ in order to know what you are against. In any case, bravely go into the world of Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, mail delivered by owls, and see what is there. It is the opinion of this grandmother/librarian that this is the next set of classics, and that a tale of good versus evil always has a place in modern living. The great myths and legends of the literary past are redolent in the plot lines of Rowling's work. She obviously understands the meaning of archetypal hero journeys and honors the ages old story tellers by adding Harry to the list. This pitiful little survivor, Harry, finally meets with his fortune and his future and tackles the task of maturity while fighting to avenge the evil that befell his parents. He is a gifted student, a child ready for development into the best weapon against He Who Must Not Be Named. Taking this first journey with Harry will either confirm your doubts about Rowling's intent as an author, or open your eyes to the innocent pleasure of a good story that continues in three other books. (The other three are in the works.) Seeing the Warner Brothers website, getting sorted into a Hogwarts' school, buying Harry Potter games, puzzles, ornaments, loving the movie trailer, are the fanaticisms to which this good reading may lead. Collectibles for fun or investment, these are all big business. But the business of reading is an altogether more special subject. Seeing readers, young and old, enjoying the Potter stories is the best MAGIC for which any book lover could wish. As Mikey might say, "Try it! You'll like it!"
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Summary: A Surprising Classic
Review: Given the publicity and hype that has surrounded the Harry Potter book series and the movie, I am going to skip the synopsis of the plot, assuming that everyone is familiar with it. I picked up this book originally to find out what all fuss was about and was immediately drawn into the world that J.K. Rowling has created. The components are familiar, ie., wizards, monsters, evil step-parents/guardians, the reluctant hero who comes into his own, and etc but JK Rowling has combined them into a very entertaining plot. I may be guilty of reading too much into the book, but what impressed me more than the creativity of the universe that Rowling has created is the undertone of menace and darkness that is present in the book. Yes, good does eventually triumph over evil and yes, it would be fun to be able to perform magic. But good is also tempted by evil (Harry's initial meeting with Draco Malfoy, the Sorting Hat's attempt to place Harry into Slytherin) and power (ie. magic) is a double-edged sword to be used either for good (Harry and friends) or evil (Voldemort and minions). There are scenes in the book that surprised me with their maturity. One of them concerns the centaur Firenze in the Forbidden Forest in which the consequences of abdicating the responsibility of countering evil whenever it is present are discussed. I am unsure of what some of the criticism of this book is about (ie. promoting "amoral behaviors"). Because in the end, Harry and his friends make the moral choices and they do the right things knowing the significant risks to themselves. How this is "Machiavellian" is a puzzle to me (perhaps the previous reviewer should familiarize himself with the "The Prince" by Nicolo Machiavelli). Overall, I would strongly recommend this book for both adults and children. It's fun and it takes you into an unique universe. I also think that it would be worthy for an adult to discuss the underlying themes of this book with a child who reads it. Too bad that the movie edits out most of the more complex material.
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Summary: Harry Potter and the Pot of Gold
Review: Go...Buy...Enjoy... I just finished reading this, the first book in the (current) trilogy of Harry Potter books with my 7 year old daughter. She, and I, loved it. We are now reading the second and awaiting delivery from Amazon of the third later this week. Sarah hangs on every word and hates the words "that's it for tonight". I cannot recommend these books enough. Please read them before Pottermania becomes banal as the film treatment nears and the religious nuts start protesting its satanic influences (you know it will happen...perhaps it has already). Ms. Rowling deserves every Knut of wizard gold in her account at Gringotts!
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Summary: Cinderella + Peter Pan = Harry Potter
Review: Good children's books capture a moment in all of our lives in imaginative and funny ways that talk with (not down to) kids. This book starts at that age when we all know (knew) we are obviously in the wrong family. Harry's doesn't have Cinderella's wicked stepmother, but he does have a terrible aunt, uncle, and cousin, and a bed in the closet under the stairs. Harry's rescuer, the giant Hagrid (rather than a pixie Tinkerbelle) lets Harry know what we all want to hear. Not only is this not his family, but Harry is special. In fact it seems that everyone except Harry knows how special he is, and the circumstances that brought him to the Dursley's house in the first place. Like all good fairy tales, Harry must leave home, overcome his own lack of knowledge, learn who to trust, who not to trust, learn about himself, and earn the right to come home again. Who but J. K. Rowling has ever had this happen in the setting of a school, and have it be so much fun. It's a beautiful tale, along the lines of the best fairy tales. It has to encourage children to look forward to some new kind of education. And it has a story line that keeps you reading once you start. Read it to your younger children, let your older children read it for themselves. And all of you -- enjoy it.
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Summary: Very good story. Well writen.
Review: Good descriptions. This one of the best books I evar read
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Summary: I want to go to Hogwarts!
Review: Granted, I lack the basic criterion for being an expert on children's book--I'm 26 years old. For old times' sake, I do try to stay current on what's new in children's book. Compared to almost everything else I've read, Ms. Rowling's Harry Potter series stands far ahead of the pack. Ms. Rowling takes a classic scenario in British children's literature--adolescent children going to boarding school--and turns it on its head. Usually, all of the exciting stuff happens during school holidays (as in C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" or Enid Blyton's "Five" and "Seven" series). In Harry Potter's world, school holidays are spent among the "Muggles"--the non-magical world--while school is where the magic really happens. And magic there is! From the wizardly sport of Quidditch to classes in potions to a three-headed dog named Fluffy, Ms. Rowling throws in enough magic to keep the interest of children (and adults) who don't usually like reading. A sparkling plot, realistic (if you can imagine a magical world, then these people belong in it) characters and a fully-realized world combine to create a true gem of children's literature. This one can easily share a shelf with "The Chronicles of Narnia", "Alice in Wonderland" and even "The Hobbit". Don't miss Harry Potter and his adventures!
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Summary: Great Story of Fantasy and Friendship
Review: Great Book with twists, turns, excitement, and even a surprise ending
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Great book! I actually read the book AFTER I'd seen the movie and the book of course adds much more detail (there's only so much you can squash into a two-hour movie). The book is a wonderful read for kids and adults alike. Harry is a loveable, loving, endearing character and I like how sweet and polite he is. I loved the scene where at the zoo; parts of it was funny. It was touching, though, how Harry had empathy for the poor snake and it was cute how he says softly, "It's annoying, I know, having stupid people banging..." (Dudley & Vernon pound on the glass of the cage and in the movie, Harry gets sick of it and tells them, "He's asleep!") The Dursleys reminded me of many narrow-minded, judgemental people I've encountered in the world, including people who feel threatened by those who are "different" (Harry's awful aunt and uncle call him "strange and abnormal" in a very cruel way right to his face). J.K. did a wonderful job creating little Harry, right down to the glasses and thick, dark, rather unkempt hair. Apparently the reviewer who said didn't like Harry and claimed that he "became self-centered and unwilling to follow rules and expects Dumbledore to save his butt" and "treated rivals badly" didn't get the depth of Harry's character. Harry is the LEAST self-centered character I've ever read about; the only rules he breaks is maybe being out of bed at night (a rule not really strictly enforced at Hogwarts) The times Harry does get into trouble (most kids do from time to time, he accepts the consequences willingly, even if it means serving detention with Malfoy for a weekend. Harry NEVER mistreats his rivals; he just refuses to butter Malfoy up. Harry's reasons for sneaking out of bed at night reflects his deep caring for his fellow students and for the future of Hogwarts; it's not just idle curiosity that he's creeping around the restricted section of the library at night (in the movie, he's so frightened he swallows when he almost runs into Snape and Filch). The ending was sooo sweet and touching when he's recovering from his confrontation with Voldemort and Dumbledore comes to visit and tells him about his mum's great love for him and saved him and Harry is overwhelmed with emotion and can't hold back the tears (a scene they unfortunately deleted from the movie, which I wish they'd included). I could picture Dumbledore holding his hand as he cried, then took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. I like how each of the Hogwarts Houses were described; the Slytherins weren't necessarily meant to be all-evil; they were noted for "cunning" which could be either a good or a bad trait. It was Malfoy and some of his cronies that brought down that particular house. It was good to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione recognized for their courage, even if they did have to skulk around to do it. I think if anything, the book teaches that sometimes kids won't always do the expected thing, but 90 percent of the time, it's for a good reason, not because they're just being "bad." The book delves more into the psychology of the characters. I can't wait to read the other books; I do hope they have more of Ginny Weasley in it; she'd make a good companion for Hermione.
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Summary: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Review: Great book! I'm not a 12 year old from Seattle and I'm not a mother, but I am a 40 year old that reads Lord of the Rings in my spare time. This book may not be up to the standards of a pompous over-achieving kid, but it was a great escape, for a few hours anyway, from the harsh real world for this over-worked cop. Keep up the good work J.K.
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Summary: Wonderful! Highly recommended.
Review: Great book. Well written, easy to read, fun. As good as all the hype says it is. Get the second and third books, too
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