Let's talk about Harry Potter Book 1

Let's talk about Harry Potter Book 1 Learn English with the magic of Harry Potter! Practice reading, conversation and vocabulary.

1. Can you describe what you see on this cover? 2. Does this cover make you think that you will like the story? 3. What sort of story is it?

1. Have you read this book? 2. Have you seen the movie? 3. Do you think this cover paints the correct picture of the story? 4. How would you change the cover?

"Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t hold with such nonsense." Does this first paragraph give you any clues about what the story will be about?

1. Where do Mr and Mrs Dursley live? 2. What are they like? 3. Do you think they are good or bad?

Can you describe this picture? In this Picture I can see....

"Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man’s name was Albus Dumbledore."

1. What does this paragraph tell us about Albus Dumbledore? 2. What sort of person do you think he is? 3. How is he different from Mr and Mrs Dursley? 4. Do you think he will be an important character in the story? 5. Do you think he is good or bad?

Can you describe this picture? In this picture I can see...

"He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets."

1. What do these paragraphs tell us about Hagrid? 2. What does he look like? 3. Would you be afraid of Hagrid?

"Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning. ‘Is that where –?’ whispered Professor McGonagall. ‘Yes,’ said Dumbledore. ‘He’ll have that scar for ever.’ Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys’ house." What have we found out about Harry Potter so far?

"Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours’ time by Mrs Dursley’s scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles. He couldn’t know that, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying: ‘To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!’" Why do they call Harry ‘the boy who lived?’

1. Who brings Harry Potter to the Dursley’s house? 2. What is the real name of ‘you-know-who?’ 3. What is the first name of Professor Dumbledore? 4. Where is Harry’s scar and what shape is it?

Mr and Mrs Dursley are perfectly normal The Dursleys are Harry’s Grandparents Mrs Dursley like spying on the neighbours Professor McGonagall changed into an owl

What interesting things have happened in Chapter 1? Can you retell the story using the words, Dursley Normal Baby Scar Boy who lived?

Who is your favourite character from this story? Describe who they are what do they look like? What is their personality like? Would you like to be friends with this character?