| Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
This is the first book in a tale that lasts for seven books. In this book you learn of Harry’s life in the muggle world, or non-magical world. When Harry was a baby, a dark wizard killed his parents, and Harry was left on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, who wanted nothing to do with him. They allowed him to stay, but that was all. His first eleven years of his life he spent being hated by the only family he has ever known.
On Harry’s eleventh birthday, he found out that he was a wizard and the secrets behind his parent’s deaths. The Dursleys tried to stop this as much as possible, but didn’t stand a chance and Harry was allowed to go to the school of witchcraft and wizardry, Hogwarts.
This book is where it all begins. All the dragon-tales, the forbidden forest and odd games such as quidditch start in year 1. Harry learns all of this as we do, so the author isn’t just giving us a bunch a background in the book. She is using other people to tell Harry, so as they tell him, we find out too. He also finds out why he’s famous in the wizard world. He was the “boy who lived”.
Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasly are quick friends of Harry’s, and they make quite the trio. Hermione is the brain, and Ron is the friend who’s always willing to do anything with Harry. All three end up in the same house of Gryffindor. Just as these three were quick friends, a quick enemy of them, was Draco Malfoy, a first year Slytherin.
Between conflicts of kids getting into trouble and standing up for their friends along with fighting the “bad guy” makes the book interesting, and easy to read. Fictional yes, but the author does a good job of not making it seem impossible. She always has the wizards watching out so that the regular people or muggles don’t find out about the magic. It’s a twist on reality and fun to get lost in.
The first book is a great start to a magical series. She leaves the ending open, so you know that’s right where she’ll pick up in book two.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Ever read a sequel that seemed to miss a step from one book to another? Well that doesn’t happen from book 1 to book 2 in the Harry Potter series. At the end of book one, Harry along with the rest of the students were on their way home for the summer. Book two starts with Harry staying with the Dursleys, miserable as ever. One year away, and he was happy. He can’t wait to get back to the one place that made him happy, where he fit in, and had friends, Hogwarts. Or at least the place he thought he had friends, but over summer, he didn’t receive a single letter.
To his surprise, he friends did write him…Dobby, a house-elf was hiding the letters from him. Dobby tells Harry not to go back to Hogwarts, because something bad will happen to him. Dobby thought if Harry thought he didn’t have friends, he wouldn’t go back. Throughout the whole book, Dobby will cause trouble for Harry, but in the kindest way. It’s all out of protection for him, even though it never really works, and just makes things worse for Harry.
Dobby actually makes Harry miss the train to Hogwarts. To get there instead, Ron and Harry fly Ron’s dad’s car, and end up in the Whomping Willow, not the greatest way to start off a new school year.
On top of all of this, they have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The new teacher is completely in love with Harry because he is famous, and gives him special treatment throughout the whole year, making the others jealous and rather annoyed. It annoys Harry also, because something just doesn’t seem quite right with this new teacher.
Once back into things at school, trouble sneaks up on them. People are being petrified, and no one knows why or how? Harry keeps hearing a strange voice talking to him, that no one else can hear. Messages are being left on walls, in blood. “Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever” is the last message left on the wall. The Heir of Slytherin is trying to open the Chamber of Secrets. Can Harry and Ron figure out who it is, and stop them before it’s too late, and the girl dies?
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The books are getting longer, and having more conflicts as you get deeper into the series. New characters or “things” are added to this book. The author introduces you to Sirius Black, the one accused of telling Lord Voldemort where the Potters were and being responsible for their deaths. He was also accused of killing thirteen people, and was sent to Azkaban, the wizard prison. He has escaped, and believed to be after Harry Potter in order to kill him, because Harry is the reason for the downfall of the Dark Lord.
Rowling also introduces dementors, the darkest creatures there are. They guard the Azkaban prison, and if kissed by one, they suck out your soul. Since the escape of Sirius Black, the dementors have come to Hogwarts. They take all the happiness out of anyone. The first encounter with the dementors and Harry is on the train to Hogwarts.
New creatures are also brought into this book. Buckbeak is half bird and half horse or a hippogriff, and Hargird’s friend. Harry, Ron and Hermione will become quite fond of him also.
There is also a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year, which will be a very important character as you read on throughout the book. He is willing to teach Harry how to protect himself from the dementors, using a boggart. He is loved by the students, but misses of lot of classes where Snape steps in and substitutes.
New characters create new challenges for Harry, Ron and Hermione. First they are trying to protect Harry from suffering the same fate as his parents, along with the devastating reading of the future from the divination teacher, saying Harry was going to suffer a terrible fate. Harry was trying to protect himself from the dementors, which affected him more than others because of his past, and trying to find Sirius before Sirius could find him.
The twisted plot makes the book more interesting than the other two. There are more character conflicts, and more adventures to go on. The third in line is a personal favorite, with an unexpected ending to come. Twisted and enlightening, is the way I would describe it.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry’s scar burns in the middle of the night. Dreams of Voldemort’s killings wake him up. This is the start of a brand new book in the seven book series.
Harry accompanies the Weasleys and Hermione to the Quidditch World Cup tournament. Since Harry is a quidditch player, he loves every minute of it, but chaos breaks out there. Someone sends the dark mark into the air…is Voldemort back? Are there Death Eaters at the tournament? People are frantic trying to figure out what is going on.
Later on back at school, quidditch is cancelled for the school year, but instead there is going to be a tournament with other magical schools. This tournament hasn’t been held in a hundred years. Harry wants to compete, but he isn’t old enough to get past the age barrier to put his name in the Goblet. The tournament is full of dangerous tasks like trying to get past dragons, and in then end only one person will win.
All of this is going on, and Voldmort is still out there. He’s always getting in the way, and no one can forget the dark mark sent into the air at the Quidditch World Cup.
This book is also the start of teenage dating. Harry has his first crush on Cho Chang. Hermione has a secret crush, and the boy/girl thing between the three good friends is becoming more obvious every day.
This book is darker than the rest, with every day becoming more dangerous for the legendary Harry Potter. Three years at Hogwarts, and he’s already had to fight for his life more than once. Voldemort wants him dead, and the battle continues on…
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are back at Hogwarts in the 5th year of school at Hogwarts before coming of age into the wizard world. At the end of the year, each student will take their O.W.L. exams to narrow their studies to the specific courses they do well in. First, they have to make it through their 5th year though.
Voldemort is back, and he’s out to kill. The Order of Phoenix is set up to try and stop him, before he can kill more innocent people as he has done in the past. Voldemort is a dark wizard and has many dark followers, the death eaters. The only wizard Voldemort has ever feared is Dumbledore. Dumbledore is a part of the Order of Phoenix, along with Harry’s Godfather and others trying to protect the innocent.
Umbridge is the new Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher, and is hated by many. She thinks she can handle more than Dumbledore. With Umbridge around, and Dumbledore missing in action, will Hogwarts stay open? Will the school continue to teach underage wizards, and is it safe anymore?
For Harry, these aren’t the only issues. There issues are minor, but to a kid, occupy your time. Harry’s best friend Ron is now the keeper on the quidditch team. That isn’t a bad thing, except for how nervous Ron always gets. Will Gryffindor even stand a chance this year? And on top of that, prefects are chosen in the fifth year…who will be the prefects for Gryffindor?
The plot is thick, and the danger is great. People are going to get killed, and many more are going to get hurt. Can Harry, Ron, and Hermione all survive another year together?
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The sixth book in the Harry Potter series is no less exciting or breath-taking than the other five. However, the book is darker than the rest. More people will die, and more will get hurt.
This tale will take you on a wild adventure of fearing for life. Voldemort (he-who-must-not-be-named) is back. In the other five, he was attempting to regain strength and come back. Well now, he is. He is back and his trusted followers, the Death Eaters, are out to kill. These are the darkest wizards there are, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. In the end, what Voldemort wants, is Harry dead and complete control of their whole world.
Harry has his work cut out for him. He is dodging Voldemort and trying to help Dumbledore figure out a way to destroy him. Plus, Snape has now gotten the job he’s always wanted as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher which is troublesome to some wizards. On top of all of this, Harry is in his O.W.L. year where the subjects get harder.
In potions, Harry doesn’t have his book, and Slughorn (the new Potion’s teacher) loans him an old one. He loans him “the Half-Blood Prince’s” text book. Instead of returning it and using his new book, Harry switches covers and keeps it. He uses the notes in the margin to help with his potions, and even some of the spells on other students.
Hermione and Ron are still at Harry’s side throughout the book. There is also another girl who comes into Harry’s life becoming his new girlfriend. Besides the classes, Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Harry, Ron and Hermione are growing up and starting to date causing enough issues to keep you entertained by itself.
This book is a great mix of teenage romance, mystery, killing, and adventure. Reading this book, you’ll find out who the Half-Blood Price is, along with how much trouble he is going to cause, besides what Lord Voldemort is causing. You’ll also find out who dies. A main character will get killed, but who? Read the book and find out. It’s a perfect set-up to lead into the seventh and final year for Harry and the gang at Hogwarts…or will they be? |
