Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone vs The BFG: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
“Mr. And Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”
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Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'. HARRY POTTER has never even heard of Hogwarts…
The BFG
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This book is a great book for all ages. It is a fantasy/adventure book.The BFG stands for 'Big Friendly Giant'. He isn't like other giants, instead of going out to different countries to eat children he catches dreams.…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone highest: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 4.5 · The BFG 4.2.
- The BFG is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has the widest readership — 11767753 ratings behind its score.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | The BFG | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.5 (11767753) | 4.2 (539397) |
| Hardcover | 4.3 (9265) | 4.1 (530) |
| Google Books | 5.0 (1) | 4.0 (19) |
| Apple Books | — | 4.5 (683) |
Reception
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | The BFG | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 11767753 | 539397 |
| Editions | 399 | 136 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1836537 | 198443 |
| Reading it now | 287150 | — |
| Written reviews | 203304 | 13942 |
| Wikipedia attention | 102689 | 10574 |
| Pages | 334 | 207 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone or The BFG?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 4.5/5, The BFG 4.2/5).
Which is shorter to read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone or The BFG?
The BFG is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The BFG (207 pages, ≈ 3 h 50 m); Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (334 pages, ≈ 6 h 11 m).
Which is harder to read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone or The BFG?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Moderate; The BFG: Light.
Have both books been made into films?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: 1 film adaptation; The BFG: 5 film adaptations.