Series: Book 1 in the Harry Potter series
Rating: ****
Tags: Humorous Stories, England, Juvenile Fiction, Children's literature, Fantasy & Magic, Fiction, Wizards, Witches, Large type books, Schools, Magic, School & Education, Lang:en
Summary
With six two-page spreads featuring the key scenes from
__, this Harry Potter pop-up book allows younger children to
begin to experience the thrilling saga of Harry Potter's
first year at Hogwarts. Every page literally pops out with
creative 3-D engineering in full color, while pull-tabs allow
readers to bring a Quidditch game to life or help Harry see
his heart's desire in the Mirror of Erised. The cartoonish
art is muddy and unspectacular, but fans and collectors
blinded by their enthusiasm for the boy wizard may not care a
bit. (Ages 4 and older) Readers are in for a delightful romp with this
award-winning debut from a British author who dances in the
footsteps of P.L. Travers and Roald Dahl. As the story opens,
mysterious goings-on ruffle the self-satisfied suburban world
of the Dursleys, culminating in a trio of strangers
depositing the Dursleys' infant nephew Harry in a basket on
their doorstep. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at
the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley,
Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid,
who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and
a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry himself. Most surprising of all,
Harry is a legend in the witch world for having survived an
attack by the evil sorcerer Voldemort, who killed his parents
and left Harry with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.
And so the fun begins, with Harry going off to boarding
school like a typical English kid?only his supplies include a
message-carrying owl and a magic wand. There is enchantment,
suspense and danger galore (as well as enough creepy
creatures to satisfy the most bogeymen-loving readers, and
even a magical game of soccerlike Quidditch to entertain
sports fans) as Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione plumb
the secrets of the forbidden third floor at Hogwarts to
battle evil and unravel the mystery behind Harry's scar.
Rowling leaves the door wide open for a sequel; bedazzled
readers will surely clamor for one. Ages 8-12.
Amazon.com Review
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.