As you probably expect from this modern classic, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This very creative premise follows the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, as he discovers his true destiny as a wizard, not just an average Muggle. Born from two very magical parents, Harry Potter severely weakened the Dark Lord, Voldemort, at age one while his parents were killed. Poor Harry was unhappily taken in by the Dursleys, Mrs. Dursley being Harry's mother's sister. These Muggles, living on number fout Privet Drive are about as average a family as you can get. They refuse to believe in anything that is out of the ordinary. As you might expect, Harry definitely pushes their buttons with his accidental magic, including growing his hair at rapid speeds and freeing a snake from the zoo. On the young boy's eleventh birthday, he receives a letter from the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry itself, Hogwarts. Vernon and Petunia Dursley try everything in their power to stop these invitations, but eventually give up as the half-giant Hagrid, Hogwart's gamekeeper, shows up and takes Harry away to where he belongs. From here, every thing extraordinary occurs in a world where paintings move, dragons hatch and broom sticks fly. With his new friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry defeats a three-headed dog, turns invisible and fights Voldemort once again.
This book is incredibly imaginative. Every detail is fleshed out from candies to cauldrons. A whole new universe is built with just enough of the human world incorporated to eliminate confusion. The mysteries these characters face are fascinating are solved in very clever ways. The students and teachers all face real problems with important desicions to make and they do suffer the consequences of them. Even though most of you have probably read this novel before, I suggest picking it up and giving it a good read.
