So off Harry goes, departing through an invisible platform at King's Cross station to arrive at Hogwarts, where he commences studies in Potions, Spells and Defense Against the Dark Arts, all guaranteed to graduate first-rate wizards. It seems Harry's real parents were prominent spellcasters killed by their rival, the evil wizard Voldemort. On Harry's 11th birthday, he receives a letter announcing his acceptance to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the best school for young witches and wizards in all the land. His only solace comes from escaping to his room, a cramped cupboard under the stairs.īut then a wondrous thing happens, as they are wont to do in books about sorcerers. Rowling's rags-to-riches story is much like the central tale of Harry Potter: An orphaned baby, Potter is taken in by an odious aunt and uncle and spends his childhood trying to escape the fat fists of his spoiled cousin Dudley. Rowling, a struggling single mom living on the dole, who scribbled the manuscript at an Edinburgh cafe. Part of the attention has focused on author J.K. The sequel, already released in England, leaped to the top of the adult hardcover best seller lists. The book, released stateside last month, was a huge hit when issued last year in the United Kingdom, topping the adult best seller list as well as the kids'. Yet they can be just as witty, suspenseful and thought-provoking as adult reads, minus the angst.Ĭase in point: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K.
Stories aimed for young readers are often guileless, seeking fun for fun's sake. The memory goes bad.īut no amount of gray hair need end the pleasure of reading children's books. There's nothing fun about the aging process.