Harry+Potter+and+the+Sorcerer's+Stone

Adolescent Novel Review Wiki: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

__APA Reference:__

Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone. (1 ed., Vol. 1, p. 320). New York:

Arthur A. Levine Books.

__Summary:__

The first book in the series illustrates the life and adventures of a boy named Harry Potter. The story begins at Privet Drive number four, where this eleven-year-old lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. Harry does not have his own room, but the Dursleys allow him to live in a very small cupboard under the stairs. His cousin Dudley is spoiled rotten with a big room and many toys. One day, everything changes when Harry receives a letter about the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

At the school, Harry learns how to cast spells, mix potions and fly on a broomstick. He also learns that his parents, who are now dead, were once a witch and wizard who were killed by the man widely known as "he who must not be named". This individual, called Voldemort, disappeared and was presumably dead after he tried to kill Harry ten years ago.

During Harry’s first year at Hogwarts he has to find the sorcerer's stone before it is stolen. This stone has magical powers and it can make the owner immortal. It can furthermore transform any metal into gold. If this stone gets into the hands of the wrong person, it could be devastating to Harry and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

__Critique of the Novel:__

There are many aspects of this novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which relate to young adolescents. First, teens and young preteens can relate that Harry is not in a good place and they start pulling for him right away. Often times, kids see terrible things happening all too often with friends in school or seeing abuse stories online or in the news. In my opinion, the main take from the book, is that teens can learn empathy and morals. During the story, Harry learns about making friends and being true to them. Another thing that I feel young adolescents can relate to is the everyday life of Harry Potter and his school mates. Like most young adolescents in the real world, the characters in the story go to class, fall asleep on their desks, take exams, participate in extracurricular activities, and attend social events. It is easy for a young adolescent to read a novel when they feel like they can personally connect to the characters in the story and understand the events that are unfolding as they progress through the book.

__Using the Novel in the Classroom:__

//Language Arts://


 * Fantasy vs. Reality
 * Good vs. Evil

//Math://


 * Math word problems using facts from the story (i.e. Harry's Nimbus 2000 flies at 60 miles per hour. How far can he fly in 5 hours?)

//Economics://


 * Goods and Services (i.e. Gringotts Wizarding Bank- Change Money, Store Valuables)

//Writing://


 * Writing the front page of the Daily Prophet
 * Writing and putting together a class wide spell book

//Science://


 * Students can create “potions” by following recipes and adding a specific set of ingredients.