Sorcerer's Stone - 1

Overview:

(Released September 1998) Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley.

A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins.

Awards:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, has won the following awards:

• ALA/YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 1999
• ALA/YALSA Best of the Best 100 (Selected from BBYA 1966-99)
• ALA/YALSA Top Ten Books for Teens, 1999 (Ranked #1)
• ALA Notable Children's Books, 1999
• Book Links Lasting Connections, 1998
• Booklist Editors' Choices, 1998
• Booklist: Top Ten Fantasy Novels for Youth
• CCBC Choices, 1998: Fiction for Children
• Publishers Weekly Best Books 1998
• School Library Journal: Best Books 1998
• School Library Journal: One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century
• Parenting magazine: Book of the Year, 1998
• Parenting magazine: Reading Magic Books, 1998
• Voice of Youth Advocates: Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, 1998
• Anne Spencer Lindbergh Prize for Children's Literature
• American Booksellers Association Book of the Year (ABBY)
• CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
• International Reading Association: Children's Choices, 1999
• International Reading Association: Teacher's Choices, 1999
• National Council of Teachers of English: Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 1999
• New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
• Wisconsin Educational Media Association Golden Archer Award (Middle/Junior High), 2000
• Sasquatch Reading Award (Washington), 2000
• Great Stone Face Children's Book Award (New Hampshire), 2000
• Arizona Young Reader's Award, 2000
• Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Book Award, 2000
• Nene Award (Hawaii), 2000
• Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award (Illinois), 2001
• Michigan Reading Association Readers' Choice Award, 2001
• Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2001
• Nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature, 1999
• Nominated for Children's Book Award (Massachusetts), 2000
• Nominated for Children's Book Award (Utah), 2000
• Nominated for New York State Charlotte Award, 2000
• Nominated for Young Reader's Choice Award (Pacific Northwest Library Association), 2001
• Nestle Smarties Book Prize, Gold Medal 9-11 years, 1997
• FCBG Children's Book Award, Overall and Longer Novel Category Winner, 1997
• Birmingham Cable Children's Book Award, 1997
• Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year, 1998
• British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year (NIBBY), 1997
• Sheffield Children's Book Award, 1998
• Whitaker's Platinum Book Award, 2001
• Commended for the 1997 Carnegie Award
• Shortlisted for the 1997 Guardian Children's Award
• W. H. Smith Book of the Year Award, 1997
• New York State Children's Choice Award Nominee

Buy Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from Amazon.com:
Hardback | Collector's Edition | Paperback | Mass Market Paperback
Audio CDs | Audio Cassettes

Other Editions:

The Collector's Edition (image) is leather bound with gold foil pages, and includes a sketch of Harry by J.K. Rowling herself. The Mass Market Paperback is the smaller version with artwork geared toward older readers. The Audio CDs and Cassettes are unabridged, read by Jim Dale. See Amazon.co.uk for UK versions of these titles.

The 10th Anniversary Edition (image) was released by Scholastic on September 23rd, 2008. It features a new cover by Mary GrandPre, depicting Harry in front of the Mirror of Erised. Within the book is a sketch of Snape drawn by JK Rowling herself. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.