The first book in the series of seven Harry Potter books written by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone introduces us to Harry Potter and his school for wizards. It is an English boarding school story with a twist: the boarding school is a school for wizards. Instead of studying maths, science, geography and history, the students study the subjects of flying, making charms, and defending against the dark arts.
Young Harry Potter lives with his uncle and aunt and cousin. He has been mistreated by his uncle and aunt, made to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, and bullied by his cousin. One day he finds out that he is a wizard and must go to the Hogwart's school for wizards. Even more astoundingly, he finds out that he is a hero among all the students and teachers at school for having survived, as an infant, the attack of the one who must not be named - Voldemort. At school, he makes friends with Hermione and Ron, who become his best friends and help him in his fight against Voldemort.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone combines the good old themes of a boarding school - friendship, adventures, rivalry - with the fantasy plot of wizardry. Then there is also that heart-warming Cinderella theme: of the underdog Harry Potter in the Muggle (non-wizard and non-witch) world, becoming an all time hero in the Wizard world. It culminates, as many good novels do, with an epic battle, with the outcome the victory of the hero and the defeat of the evil one. These make the book an irresistible read, for young and old alike.