Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J. K. Rowling

Happy 20th anniversary HP!

Summary:

Harry is an orphan living in the cupboard under the stairs in his grumpy uncle and prickly aunts home. When a mysterious collection of letters arrives, Harry is amazed to learn that he is a wizard, and has been admitted into Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. There he learns about a dark wizard named Voldemort who was defeated when he tried to attack Harry as a baby. Whispers and clues begin to hint that perhaps Voldemort is returning to power, and Harry and his friends must work together to prevent him from getting what he wants.

Personal notes: 

I read this book when I was nine and was enchanted. I loved jumping into such a unique world and was thrilled that the protagonists were the same age as me. I feel like I hit this lucky jackpot, where Harry and his friends grew up at the same pace that I did. Every few years a new book was released and by the time I graduated high school, the last book came out. There were elaborate release parties where people would dress up and wait in lines for hours till midnight so they could be the first to get their hands on the stories. I have never seen anything like that since. JK Rowling genuinely brought magic into millions of people's lives.

Why this book is important: 

I asked my six year old (who is halfway through book 4) why these books are important for kids to read and he said "because these books are awesome!" These books have the power to introduce an entirely new world into their imagination. Face it, everyone wishes they could go to Hogwarts. It is said time and time again that HP got children reading again. I believe the reason is because it was purely exciting. I love that my six year old is thrilled to be reading a 720 page book (book 4) because the story is so engaging to him. That is truly magical.

Supplementary material: 

The supplemental material for Harry Potter is endless. Movies, theme parks, toys, board games, cosplay... I also love the pottermore website. There is a fantastic short story by JK Rowling on the history of magic in America that I would love to see expanded into a movie. If you can't get enough HP, go over and check it out.