Ages 8+1-min guideFantasyFriendshipSchool
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
by J.K. Rowling
Good fitA great fit for most kids 8 and up. The first book is the gentlest of the series. A few dark moments, all handled with a lot of warmth and humor.
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What it’s about
Harry learns on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard and leaves his unkind aunt and uncle for Hogwarts. He makes true friends and uncovers a plot to steal a stone that grants eternal life.
The ending
What might come up
Death and lossSomeHarry’s parents were killed before the story begins; he sees them in a magic mirror. Quirrell is left to die at the end.
Scary momentsSomeA troll, a hooded figure drinking unicorn blood in the forest, and Voldemort’s face at the end.
ViolenceA littleA troll fight, a violent chess game, and Quirrell’s skin burning at Harry’s touch.
Unkind behaviorSomeThe Dursleys neglect Harry and make him sleep in a cupboard.
LanguageA littleOne 'damn' and a 'good Lord'.
RomanceNone
Why kids like it
Owl letters, Quidditch, and a school where the rules are magic.
Read it, then watch it
Read the book first, then watch it together and talk about what changed.
