Analyse the Harry Potter reviews

What do you think about the Harry Potter books and films? What do you know about the second one in the series?

Read the book review below to see whether it mentions any of the things that you did (without picking up your pens yet).

Grade 3-8-Fans of the phenomenally popular Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone (Scholastic, 1998) won’t be disappointing when they rejoin Harry, now on break after finishing his the first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Reluctantly spending the summer with the Dursleys, his mean relatives who they fear and dettest magic, Harry is soon whisked away by his friends Ron, Fred, and George Weasley, who appear at his window in a flying Ford Anglia to taking him away to enjoy the rest of the holidays with their very wizardly family. things don’t go as well, though, when the school term begin. Someone, or something, is (literally) petrifying Hogwarts’ residents one by one and leaving thretening messages referring of a Chamber of Secrets and an heir of Slytherin. Somehow, Harry is often around when the attacks happens and he is soon suspected of being the perpetrator. The climacks has Harry looking very much like Indiana Jones, battleing a giant serpent in the depths of the awesome and terrible Chamber of Secrets. Along with most the teachers and students introduced in the previous book, Draco Malfoy has return for his second year and is more despicable than ever. The novel marked throughout by the same sly and sophisticated humor found in the first book, along with inventive new, matter-of-fact uses of magic who will once again have readers longing to emulate Harry and his wizards friends.

Try to correct the mistakes in the review above.

Does the reviewer above have a positive, negative or mixed view of the book? What makes you think that?

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How many stars(between one and five) do you think each of the reviews below gave Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?

Review A

I think this book had a very good ending but it was a slow start. I almost stopped reading the book. Filled with suspense and action, this book has a good plot but is very “thin” in my opinion. This book was ok because the ending more than picked up the slack. In all in all, the book was very good if you’re patient but if you aren’t you’ll never get through this book.

Review B

A relentlessly stupid sequel to the promising opening of “Stone”, “Chamber” is a dull, boring book with a “mystery” you’ll figure out before the protagonists do. Ron has a few good moments but for the most part the humor and the so called “human drama” is very flat and sadly lacking. Also features Hermione making the most incredibly stupid out-of-character mistake in the history of out-of-character mistakes. As hard as it is to believe, the film adaptation of Chamber is even worse.

Review C

OK, even though I am a little old for Harry Potter books, I can’t help it. I was babysitting and I picked it up, and I just couldn’t put it down, so of course, I had to run out and buy all 3 so that I could get the whole story, and read them all in about 2 days, and I am now eagerly awaiting the next one. “Chamber of Secrets” was good, but I don’t think it had quite the flair of the first one. By no means is this book tough going, it’s quite easy to read, and it is quite entertaining. I enjoy reading something light, and Harry’s adventures in Hogwarts, playing Quidditch, and dealing with muggles make for fun reading. I now have a book I can read for myself, I can read it to my niece, I can pull it out when I babysit, even my Mom likes them. Harry Potter has all around appeal, and almost anyone can enjoy this book immensely.

Review D

After reading the original of the recent hits and chart-topping Harry Potter series, I just had to read the second. It once again begins over summer vacation and takes Harry to his second year at Hogwarts, the best wizarding school of the day. But for some reason, people begin to be attacked by someone – or something. Harry, Ron, and Hermione start on another slew of detective work to find out what’s going on, and how to save the students of Hogwarts…it’s hard to give a plot summary without exposing the secrets of the ending, which, by the way, was a total surprise!

This book is truly engrossing, more intense and frightening than the first. I loved it! It was both fun and funny, much like the other two in the series. It is interesting to read, and I honestly think it appeals to all ages. Even older readers will enjoy being taken back to the days when the line between fantasy and reality was blurred, and all the books would keep any modern teenager enthralled. Harry Potter No. 2 actually kept me laughing throughout. At some points in the middle, the story may get slightly bland, but don’t worry: the best part is yet to come. I love children’s stories, have read many, and these are the best, most modern works out there. There’s a reason they are so hot right now, and all these other 5-star reviews are deserved! This series breaks the ordinary mould of children’s books which are not always written with the same flair J.K. Rowling successfully incorporates into the plot, and they each possess their own sense of magic, not allowing the reader to put the book down! The Harry Potter books are highly recommended!

Review E

I know by doing this, I risk the hatred of the entire world. Please don’t hate me. I’m only voicing my opinion. I think that Harry Potter requires no thought; you hate the villains, you love the heroes. I’m not saying that they’re bad. They aren’t. They’re imaginative, and funny, and all-round feel-good books. I do recommend them, but not if you’re looking for marvellously worked-out, amazingly profound books.

Which review was probably written by a young child? Which one was written by an older child or teenager?

What positive and negative words are used in each of the reviews above?

What topics do they talk about (e.g. the plot)?

Work together to brainstorm more possible topics and questions you could answer when writing a review of a book:

Think of a book and secretly write down the number of stars you would give it. Describe the book and your opinions and see if your partner can guess how many stars you have written down.

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Answer key and teacher’s notes

Grade 3-8-Fans of the phenomenally popular Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Scholastic, 1998) won’t be disappointed when they rejoin Harry, now on break after finishing his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Reluctantly spending the summer with the Dursleys, his mean relatives who fear and detest magic, Harry is soon whisked away by his friends Ron, Fred, and George Weasley, who appear at his window in a flying Ford Anglia to take him away to enjoy the rest of the holidays with their very wizardly family. Things don’t go as well, though, when the school term begins. Someone, or something, is (literally) petrifying Hogwarts’ residents one by one and leaving threatening messages referring to a Chamber of Secrets and an heir of Slytherin. Somehow, Harry is often around when the attacks happen and he is soon suspected of being the perpetrator. The climax has Harry looking very much like Indiana Jones, battling a giant serpent in the depths of the awesome and terrible Chamber of Secrets. Along with most of the teachers and students introduced in the previous book, Draco Malfoy has returned for his second year and is more despicable than ever. The novel is marked throughout by the same sly and sophisticated humor found in the first book, along with inventive, new, matter-of-fact uses of magic that will once again have readers longing to emulate Harry and his wizard friends.

Five stars- Review D

Four stars- Review C

Three stars- Review A

Two stars- Review E

One star- Review B

Hints you can give the students

There is one mistake in every line of the review, and one review for each of the possible number of stars