The first book in the thrilling series by J.K. Rowling.
Summary: Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.
All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley- a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.
But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry- and anyone who reads about him- will find unforgettable.
For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial spots, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.
Official Review: "A Delightful award-winning debut from an author who dances in the footsteps of P.L. Travers and Roald Dahl." Publishers Weekly
Catholic World Report criticised Harry's disrespect for rules and authority, and regarded the series' mixing of the magical and mundane worlds as "a fundamental rejection of the divine order in creation".
"I have yet to find a child who can put it down." The Herald
My Review: I've always been a fan of these books and the movies (though I found the last movie semi-disappointing). The writing style Rowling uses is very simple, it has none of the complexity of a book like I am the Messenger but it does help the conversations between characters run more smoothly. You can practically hear the characters talking, and I had to, occasionally, stop from time to time to pick up on what type of writing style she used (IE does the 'said' come before or after the character's name, how often is said used, how often are other adjectives used, etc.). The complexity of the 'Wizarding World' is phenomenal and it's hard to believe that Rowling came up with the Wizarding terms herself(such as muggle, quidditch, quaffle, Hogwarts, etc.). This book was the book that started the wizarding craze and I happily tip my hat to Ms. Rowling. Wonderful job.
Did You Know... Scholastic Corp. bought the U.S. rights to the book in 1997 for US$105,000. They thought that children wouldn't like to read a book with the word "Philosopher" in the title and in 1998 Rowling suggested changing it to "Sorcerer". She claimed to have regretted this decision and would have fought had she been in a higher position at the time. Most famous book reviewers ignored the book at first and it wasn't until more specialist reviews (such as one by Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, which pointed out the complexity, depth and consistency of the world Rowling had built) attracted the attention of reviewers in major newspapers. In mid-2008 official translations were made in 67 languages, and due to religious controversy the series was at the top of the American Library Association's "most challenged books" list for 1999–2001.
Factoids found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher's_Stone.
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