Customer Reviews
Spectacular - By: 123, 03 Nov 2008 
this is only one of the harry potter books.if you liked this you should read the rest.th ewhaole collection is utterly fantastic.brought me into the stoty straight from the start!
And from here it all began ... - By: LXIX, 02 Nov 2008 
All credit to Joanne Rowling. This is the book that launched a global phenomenon & should be on the bookshelf of anyone with an interestin children's literature or classic stories.
As for the book, yes, it's very good - however, I don't think it's brilliant. Writing your first novel is a mammoth undertaking &in this book JK sets out the parameters for what was to be developed & built uponin the later novels.
This novel probably inspired thousands more to do the same & finally write the book that germinatedin their mind for so long. I should know, as I'm one of those people. My first book is now for sale on Amazon etc, & it may not have happened if this book had simply been lostin the slush pile of every major publisher & agent.
Great Book - By: Ms. L. J. Parton, 17 Oct 2008 I understand that everyone had their own opinion but i do not understand how anyone cannot like the harry potter books!in relation to another review made! Hagrid can do magicin front of the Dursleys because they know about magic! I defo do not believe that these books are just for kids either!
Sets the scene well - By: , 19 Sep 2008 ...and is undoubtably well-described, but the actual storyline wasn't quite as exciting as everyone said it would be. Still, I will be reading the next one!
From a Primary Teacher's perspective - By: G. Munday, 16 Sep 2008 The firstin the collection explores a typical plot of an orphan boy who is badly treated by his uncle & auntie, & is suddenly offered a place at Hogwarts, the school for young & aspiring wizards & witches. From the moment young Harry meets Hagrid, the friendly half-giant & groundkeeper of the school, the realm of the magical & mysterious unravels before him, gradually revealing the true past of his dead parents.
Clearly the most predictable choice of all books due to the worldwide interest the series has received, few pupils nowadays would not be able to describe an event, character or plot from Harry Potter. Thisin itself can be used to create further interestin reading & a whole manner of cross-curricular activities.
Film adaptations have been equally as successful as the books, so there are many avenuesin which the teacher can lead them into reading. Ideally this read is for Years 5 & 6, but because of the sheer level of interest it could be argued that Year 2 onwards would be keen to hear readings & therefore give them a clear goal to head towards. And as there are so many facets to the Harry Potter phenomenon as well as a deep passion expressed by many children from across the world, it wouldn't be hard to harness the interest of this book & use it to propel a particular lesson. With links to English, Maths, Science, PE, RE, PSHE & school ethics (i.e. house points & community issues), the opportunity to use Rowling's work as a springboard is endless & is therefore inescapably a must-read for any teacher.
