Synopsis
Eleven-year-old Harry Potter was a baby when his parents died, and since that time he has been living with his horrible Uncle Vernon, dislikable Aunt Petunia, and truly disgusting cousin Dudley. Miserable and lonely, Harry is shocked when he receives a letter inviting him to attend the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. At this special school, which is kept a secret from all those not involved in the worlds of magic, Harry begins to learn the truth about the death of his parents and discovers his own unbelievably amazing family history. This book is the first entry in the phenomenally popular Harry Potter series of books. Enjoyed by both children and adults, these books literally changed the face of children's publishing when, as a result of their stunning popularity, the New York Times began compiling and publishing a list of best-selling children's books--for the first time in that newspaper's history.

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Witchraft and Wizardry.

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

Details
Publication Date:	1998-09-01
Series:	Harry Potter Series
Illustrator:	Mary Grandpre
Edition Description:	1st Edition

Size
Length:	309 pages
Height:	9.3 in
Width:	6.0 in
Thickness:	1.2 in
Weight:	25.6 oz

Publisher's Note
What did Harry Potter know about magic? He was stuck with the decidedly un-magical Dursleys, who hated him. He slept in a closet and ate their leftovers. But an owl messenger changes all that, with an invitation to attend the Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches, where it turns out Harry is already famous.. . . Full color.

Industry Reviews
"Readers may think at first that they have stumbled into a new Roald Dahl book....This amusing adventure will have fantasy lovers waiting impatiently for the promised sequel."
Book - Kathleen Odean

"On the whole, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' is as funny, moving and impressive as the story behind it. J.K. Rowling, a teacher by training, was a 30-year-old single mother living on welfare in a cold one-bedroom flat in Edinburgh when she began writing it in longhand during her baby daughter's nap times. But like Harry Potter, she had wizardry inside, and has soared beyond her modest Muggle surroundings to achieve something quite special."
New York Times - Michael Winerip (02/14/1999)

"This hugely enjoyable fantasy is filled with imaginative details, from oddly flavored jelly beans to dragons' eggs hatched on the hearth. It's slanted toward action-oriented readers, who will find that Briticisms meld with all the other wonders of magic school."
Kahlenberg