Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (audio)

We are a family of Harry Potter-ites. I've read the series, with the exception of the 7th book, three times. My daughter has read the series once. We have seen all of the movies (the earlier ones ad nauseum), and even have a Harry Potter Scene It game. But the one untouched bit of media was the audio book. I'd heard the narration was beyond compare. So when the Harry Potter Reading Challenge presented itself, I thought it was time to give it a try. I will listen to all of the audios in the car with the kids.

I know that it is not necessary to rehash the plot. I don't think there is a red-blooded human on earth that doesn't know the premise of Harry Potter. So I will just move on to my musings!

It is always interesting to me that with each reading of HP, I notice small details that I missed in previous ones. The book is chock full of clever little nuggets of humor and plot, and I never tire of the discovery. Also, knowing the ultimate fate of the characters, it is almost eerie to see how it all began so innocently. Ironies and foreshadowing are not lost on me, and more than once found myself with goosebumps. In a recent review of this book in blogland, the comment was made that the story seemed more childish now than when first read, which is absolutely true. Knowing what we know about the destiny of Harry, his friends and enemies, the Sorcerer's Stone seems like a playful, magical romp. I am content to stay snug under the protection of the invisibility cloak, knowing that it won't be long before all hell breaks loose and the magic turns dark.

The audio is absolutely brilliant. In the hands of Jim Dale, the narrator, the story is not only an edge-of-your-seat experience, it is laugh-out-loud hilarious. I always appreciated Rowlings' wit, but on the audio it comes alive. Interestingly, I noted that while this audio was produced long before the movie, the "voices" of the characters are uncannily similar to the ones on screen. How did they do that? My only explanation is that Mr. Dale has such an innate sense of the spirit of the characters, with the help of Rowling's vision, that his voice embodied what we see now on the silver screen. It isn't surprising to learn that Jim Dale has a long, successful history of experience on the stage, on television and at the movies. He is masterful. Here is a brief clip of Dale talking about the beauty of the Harry Potter audio experience:

Another dimension indeed. If you think you've had enough Harry Potter to last a lifetime, but haven't tried the audios, I would highly recommend them. You have never experienced Harry Potter like this before!

So, what do you think? Are you up for it? Have you listened to the audios already? I'd love to hear your opinions!