Book Review: The Harry Potter Series - Written by J.K. Rowling


People talk a lot about the summer slide, which is a time where many students’ skills slip during summer when schools are out. Because of school closures due to the pandemic, summer slides could be even worse this year. Middle school students can prevent their own summer slide by picking up a good book. Reading is one of the best ways to keep up with your academic skills. For middle school students looking for a good read in fantasy fiction, I recommend the Harry Potter series.

I read my first Harry Potter book when I was in fourth grade and I absolutely loved it. The whole series was exciting, interesting, and hard to put down. Now, as a high school student, I realize how much the books taught me to enjoy reading. These books helped me learn to read for pleasure.

For my younger peers, I recommend starting with the first book in the series-Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone. This book tells the story of the main character, Harry Potter. Harry Potter was an odd but normal boy with no clue who he really was or where he came from. All he knew was that his life was miserable and his aunt and uncle despised him. And then Harry’s life turned upside down.

It all started when unfamiliar letters began arriving at his address, owls started appearing out of nowhere, and a hairy giant named Hagrid arrived claiming that Harry was a famous wizard. He was sent to Hogwarts, a school for wizards and witches. There he met Ron, a dopey red-head, and Hermione, a clever witch. The three of them became best friends, fighting evil forces and encountering the villain that murdered Harry’s parents: Voldemort. As new as Harry was to this side of his life, he still went on adventures and discovered more about his past.

Overall, reading for pleasure is extremely beneficial. It allows your mind to wander and stimulates your creativity. Not only is the summer slide a common occurrence every year, but because of the pandemic this year, there is the possibility for a even larger summer slide. Reading books like the Harry Potter series will help you travel to Hogwarts and become a wizard in your imagination, all the while preventing the dreaded summer slide.

What a great piece. Well written and very interesting. – Shoko Miyagi , UW-Madison (2020-12-17 10:28)
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