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. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Ages 8 to 13) --Karin Snelson

J. K. 罗琳（J. K. Rowling, 1965- ），英国女作家，自小喜欢写作，当过短时间的教师和秘书。二十四岁那年，她在前往伦敦的火车旅途中萌生了创作“哈利·波特”系列小说的念头。七年后，《哈利·波特与魔法石》问世，之后她陆续创作了《哈利·波特与密室》《哈 利·波特与阿兹卡班囚徒》《哈利·波特与火焰杯》《哈利-波特与凤凰社》《哈利·波特与“混血王子”》和《哈利·波特与死亡圣器》，完成了该系列的创作，在全球刮起一股股“哈利·波特”飓风，在世界范围内掀起规模宏大的“哈利·波特”阅读狂潮。另外，在此期间，她还因为慈善事业而先后完成了《神奇动物在哪里》和《神奇的魁地奇球》这两部与“哈利·波特”系列相关的图书，最新完成的作品是《诗翁彼豆故事集》。

J.K.罗琳与她的丈夫及三个孩子生活在爱丁堡，一边尽享家庭生活的幸福，一边文学创作。