First Printing: 1996 by Bloomsbury (UK)
Cover and Interior Art by Mary Grandpré
I've had the kind of weekend that I wish could last just a little while longer. Our city is shut down from the record-breaking winter weather. While the snow can be a nuisance, it has been nice to be home. I've had my first proper snow day in a long time- throwing snowballs for the dog and eating all kinds of junk food in front of the fire. And of course, I've been reading.
The world of Harry Potter is proof that you can miss a place without ever having been there. I get homesick for these books. These stories are so detailed that I'm still discovering new things each time I read them. I dive back into them every year, and I always enjoy the trip.
Harry Potter is an orphan living with his Aunt and Uncle. Since being left on their doorstep when he was a baby, Petunia and Vernon Dursley have mistreated Harry. He is made to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs and is only given the most basic of things to live off of. His cousin, Dudley, beats him up and humiliates him constantly. Harry grows used to their ill treatment of him, but he wonders why they hate him so much. Even more peculiar than their hate for him is their refusal to answer questions about his deceased parents. One morning as the family is sitting down to breakfast, a letter arrives addressed to Harry. As soon as Harry tries to open the thick parchment envelope, Uncle Vernon snatches it from him and throws him from the room. Who could be writing to him? He has no friends, no remaining family. Letters continue to arrive, and when they go unanswered a messenger is sent in person. When Harry finally tears open his letter, he finds this:
"Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry Potter is far more special than he ever dreamed he could be. But even in the wizarding world, something extraordinary will set him apart.
Final Rating: 5 out of 5
Did you expect anything less? But honestly, this is not so much a review but to pay homage to the books that bring us home. I will always remember the time I first read this book. I sneaked it in small doses as my parents thought I was too young for it. It gave me a thrill to read that battered library book by flashlight at night, and that spirit of pushing the limits of what I will read has been with me ever since. I hope these books have instilled that same spirit in many children, and I salute J. K. Rowling for conjuring it up in me.
Favorite Quote:
"But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them." ( page 179)
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| All children, regardless of your age, enjoy the weather! |
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is available in both digital and physical copies from all booksellers, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
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