Originally Posted by Alstair Ogilvy, 19

Having not met an author before, I didn't know what to expect, but J K Rowling was lovely. I remember being entranced by the expression in her voice as she read to us.

You could tell from the way she answered our questions that she knew the characters inside out. We'd taken along our paintings and poems based on the book and she seemed to be genuinely delighted by them. At the end of the session we were each given signed copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which made us feel special.

Originally Posted by Laura Balfour, 21

Some time around January 1997 I found a manuscript of the first couple of chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in mum's briefcase. I read it in a few minutes and remember begging her somehow (anyhow!) to get hold of the rest of the book. It was the way the book drew you into that magical world of Diagon Alley and Hogwarts that made it so compulsive.

One way and another, Harry Potter became a major influence in my life, despite the media circus that soon engulfed the series and Daniel Radcliffe's frankly spew-inducing screen performance.

Originally Posted by Jill Allardice, 22

It is now 10 years since a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone landed in my letter box. I wasn't overly impressed by the title - I'd never heard of Harry Potter (imagine!) and had no idea what a philosopher did but, not being one to turn down a book, I got stuck in.

People use words such as "gripping" and "page-turner" pretty casually these days, but that's exactly how I remember that first encounter with Harry and Co.