Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:  When all the Harry Potter hoopla hit the media in the late 1990’s, I rushed out to buy the first book.  Thirty years ago my children and I got great pleasure from my reading Tolkien's Ring series aloud.  I hoped that I could read the Potter series to my grandchildren.  As the books dribbled out I and millions of others bought each one. Now as soon as the kids are old enough I can start the reading process.  

Unfortunately, my job may have been usurped by some guy horning in on my territory! Competing with Jim Dale, a man of many voices, who performs the CD version of this book, is a very tall order.  His reading is a true performance,  and it is masterful.  Dale’s voice paints a great picture of each of the fascinating characters, the Dursleys, Hagrid, Harry, Dumbledore and of course Ron and Hermione.  Dale was nominated for a Grammy for his performance.

So now I have to take some long driving trips with the grandchildren so we can listen to Jim Dale tell the story of The Sorcerer’s Stone. It is not a short story, there are 7 CD’s, and 8 hours and 17 minutes of fun listening.  I haven’t found any minimum age recommendations, but seems like seven or eight year olds should be able to enjoy this performance.  Reviewed by Art W. - Grandfather to 4

Once at Hogwarts the adventures continue. Harry begins to hear voices and he's convinced its Draco Malfoy who is behind it all. Soon terrible things start to happen including words written on a wall that proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." Harry, Hermione, and Ron try to solve this 50-year-old mystery. It's suspenseful, creepy, dark and fun. It leaves the listener longing for the next installment.  Reviewed by Art W. - Grandfather to 4

For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The third book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig. 
As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighborhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson 

The Harry Potter movies are marvelous, but of course tickets would cost $150 each if the movie faithfully followed the books. Once your youngster is hooked by the movie, the audio version gives so much more detail and broader coverage. Then after the audio, who wants to wait for the next set of CD’s? They’ll want to read the next book as soon as it is available. At least I hope it works that way.

Jim Dale’s portrayal of all the characters is simply amazing. Dale is transparent and he truly becomes Harry, and all the players in front of you as you listen. How can he switch between 20 or 30 characters, changing voices each time without missing a beat?

As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it?
The fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Somehow, over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teen. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toadlike and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of Defense Against Dark Arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, as well. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.Ls), devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemed black-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Sorcerer's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energized as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvelous, magical series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter 

I'm such a fan of Harry Potter that I couldn't wait for this book to come out.  I've listened to every story on CD, partially because it's easier for me with the kids and also because I just love Jim Dale's reading of the stories.  As usual Jim Dale doesn't disappoint.  

There's much to this story to tell, and much to leave out.  By telling the whole story you learn of some of the surprising twists that are really left to the reader.  So, as not to spoil all the surprises I'll just give you some brief tidbits...

When Harry returns to Hogwarts this year there are some changes.  Snape is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  Horace Slughorn is the new Potions Teacher.  When Harry gets his Advanced Potions book it is filled with annotations in that are written by "The Half-Blood Prince.  These notes enable Harry to excel in his Potions class, something he has never done before.

His long battles with Draco Malfoy continue, whom Harry is convinced is a Death Eater set to destroy him on Voldemort's commands.  Harry and Dumbledore work together to explore Voldemort's past using the Pensive in order to learn how to destroy him and Harry learns about Horcruxes. 

Since Harry and the gang are getting older, there are more romances, but on the whole this book is much darker and definitely leaves you wanting more.  If I told you more about the book I'd give it all away - so I can say is either read or listen to this book today!  

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