Harry Potter and
the Philosopher's Stone (U.K.- center and right)
Harry Potter and
the Sorcerer's Stone (U.S.- left)
SUMMARY (by me):
This is the first
Harry Potter Book. Harry Potter is an orphan who lives
with the only living relatives he knows: his fat, mustachy Uncle
Vernon, his thin, blond Aunt Petunia, and his round, pink cousin
Dudley Dursley. His aunt and uncle treat him like a
pebble in their shoe and Dudley is always bullying him. Harry
lives in a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, full of spiders
and dust. He is spending a dreadful summer with the
Dursleys when a letter arrives- for Harry! Soon everything
changes in Harry's life- perhaps for the better...
U.S. U.K.
BOOK 2
Harry Potter and
the Chamber of Secrets
SUMMARY (by me):
This is the story
of Harry's second year in Hogwarts. If you've never
read any of the books before, check Book One's summary for some
background info. The book opens on Harry's 12th birthday. Harry
has had an almost decent summer due to the Dursley's fear of his
magic. But now, the Dursleys are more concerned with
important vistors from Uncle Vernon's work. They don't
even realize it's Harry's birthday (not that they'd care anyway). And
Harry has had no word from his friends Hermione Granger or Ron
Weasley. Then an odd little elf comes to Harry with
a message that he must never return to Hogwarts. Of
course, Harry doesn't listen- no more Hogwarts would leave him
with the Dursleys and no more wizarding world. Due
to Harry's response, the elf causes Harry to get the blame for
smashing a pudding, WITH MAGIC!!! Soon Harry has lost
his last defense- tormenting the Dursley's (especially Dudley)
with the idea that he could turn them into frogs. Now
they know that if he does, he will be thrown out of school! Harry's
summer turns into a nightmare. The Dursleys lock Harry
up in his room, put bars on his window, and almost starve him. But
then someone comes who could perhaps give Harry the first happy
summer of his life...
U.S. U.K.
BOOK 3
Harry Potter and
the Prisoner of Azkaban
SUMMARY (by me):
If you've never
read any of the books before, check Book One's summary for some
background info. Once more it is summer and Harry Potter's
only joy is the glimmer of hope in the end of the summer: his
approaching third year at Hogwarts. He learns that
third years are allowed to visit the wizarding town of Hogsmeade,
if they get their form signed. How will Harry get Uncle
Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign his form? But something
is amiss in the wizarding world, unknown to Harry. The
infamous convict Sirius Black has escaped the wizard prison of
Azkaban. Black was accused of murdering twelve muggles
and a wizard in an open street with only ONE curse!!! No
one has ever escaped before. Some say he used powerful
Dark Magic to escape and will try to bring You-Know-Who back to
power, no matter what it takes. Back at the Dursleys,
Harry is having horrible trouble with Uncle Vernon's sister- 'Aunt'
Marge. She treats Harry like one of her bulldogs. Harry
only deals with it so that Uncle Vernon will sign his Hogsmeade
form. But Harry can't take it anymore. He
looses control of his emotions, 'blows up' (like a balloon!) Aunt
Marge, and runs away. Things look bad for Harry untill
he manages to signal the Knight Bus (you'll have to read the book
to find out more). He gives a fake name and is happy
until he discovers the danger on the loose; and what it's after...
U.S. U.K.
BOOK 4
Harry Potter and
the Goblet of Fire
SUMMARY (by me):
Be prepared for
a long, but excellent read. This is the newest book,
and, according to J.K. Rowling herself, is the most frightening
and one of the longest (Book 7 will be long, too). Certain
chapters should be read in daylight! If you've never
read any other books, DO NOT read this one first. Many
characters mentioned in previous books return. The
story begins in a muggle town and tells the tale of 'The
Riddle House' (that name should ring a bell if you read Book 2). I
will try not to reveal too much, so I won't say anything else. This
book is full of suprise and suspense- another masterpiece by Rowling.
You re-meet characters such as Dobby, Sirius, Wormtail, the Weasleys
(yup, all of them, including Bill and Charlie), and Cornelius
Fudge. Some new charcters include Mad-Eye Moody, Winky,
Viktor Krum, Ludo Bagman, Barty Crouch, Madame Olympe Maxime,
and many more. This is the story of the Quidditch World
Cup and the stange happenings that occur there; the tale of the
mysterious event happening at Hogwarts for the first time in a
hundred years, involving other schools, that Harry finds himself
in the middle of; the prediction that the Dark Lord may still
be alive and about to rise again, 'greater and more powerful then
ever before...'
U.K.
U.K.
U.K.
