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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Rowling, J.K. (1998). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York, NY: A.A. Levine Books.

Summary: This is the first book of the series, //Harry Potter//. The book is about a young boy named Harry Potter and his adventures once he turns 11 years old. The book begins with Harry Potter and his family. His aunt, uncle, and cousin, the Durselys, allow him very little to live on. He sleeps in a small cupboard under the stairs. His cousin, Dudley, is spoiled by his parents with many toys and anything he wants. Out of the blue, Harry gets a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is where his story really begins. He soon finds out that he is a wizard, so were his parents. Unfortunately, his parents died to save him. Once at the school he learns how to become a powerful wizard. He learns to fly on a broomstick, cast spells, and mix potions. Along the way, he makes friends with two fellow wizards, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The three become fast friends and begin their adventures in the magical world at Hogwarts. He also learns more about his parents and their lives. Rumor says that the man who killed his parents is “he who must not be named.” This man, who we later find out is named Voldemort, is a bad wizard, which is involved with black magic. The night Harry’s parents died was the night Voldemort disappeared; everyone thought Voldemort was dead after that night. During his adventures with Ron and Hermione, they find out about this stone that has magical power that will keep you immortal. They become aware that someone is trying to steal the stone. The three friends come up with a plan, breaking many rules of Hogwarts, just to make sure the stone does not get into the wrong hands.

Critique:

This series is great for students in the younger middle grades. They have adventure, mystery, and excitement. The young adolescents can relate to Harry in a few ways. He is going into a new school where he does not know anyone, doesn’t particularly like his living situation, and is trying to make new friends. Personally, this is a great start to an even better series of books. Harry and his adventures can easily get the reader interested and wanting to know more about his life and future.

Using the novel in the classroom:

History: -Harry Potter Time Line put the events from the book into chronological order. Language Arts: -Word Puzzles that have Vocabulary from the book. -Vocabulary worksheets, there can be some funny words the students may need help with. Math: -There are word problems that are made up of situations Harry gets up into in the book. -Have the students use measurement when making potions in science class. Science: -Students can make potions with simple household ingredients. Gym: -Play a game of Quittage