Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Harry Potter, Book 4
By Carrie R. Wheadon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fourth Potter has brilliant plotting -- and dragons.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
Based on 27 parent reviews
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for kids under 10
What's the Story?
In HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, Harry wakes up at his aunt and uncle's house with a start, his scar searing, after he dreams of Wormtail and Voldemort and murder. He nearly forgets all about it when his friend Ron invites him to the Quidditch World Cup. It's Ireland vs. Bulgaria, and it seems the whole wizarding world is there to watch the excitement. Harry gets his first look at a pro Quidditch match, and everyone is in awe of the Bulgarian Seeker, Viktor Krum. Celebrations after the match carry so far into the night that Harry dozes off -- only to be awakened suddenly by screams of panic. Masked figures are moving through the campsites, floating innocent Muggles in front of them and taunting them for fun. These are the Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers, and they are growing bolder. It's an ominous display that casts a cloud over what is supposed to be a thrilling school year ahead. Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, and two other schools are journeying there to compete: Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Each school gets a champion selected by the magical Goblet of Fire, and the champions will perform three difficult tasks during the year. From Durmstrang, the Goblet selects none other than the famous Seeker Viktor Krum, from Beauxbatons, a girl named Fleur Delacour, and from Hogwarts, handsome Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory. But, to everyone's utter astonishment, the Goblet of Fire spits out one more name: Harry Potter. While the other schools are in an uproar over the unfairness of it all, Harry and those closest to him wonder who could have put his name in the cup. Could it have anything to do with his painful dream before the World Cup, and exactly how much danger is he in now?
Is It Any Good?
This first of the truly hefty Hogwarts volumes -- 300 pages longer than the last one – launches the darker second half of the series with an exciting tournament and the return of a terrifying foe. In Book 3, we get a break from Voldemort-level evil and are scared out of our wits only when those soul-sucking dementors appear. Book 4 begins in Voldemort's lair, not the safe haven of Privet Drive. Voldemort is a grotesque, infant-size thing accompanied by his giant pet snake and Wormtail, his simpering rat-servant. Right away the tone is unsettling, and when Harry wakes up with his scar searing in pain after being witness to a real murder in his dreams, you can predict the intense showdown to come. Yes, this is the one where a student dies, and geez, it's horrible. But Voldemort is ruthless, and the more we learn during the course of the book about his followers, the Death Eaters, and what happened the last time the Dark Lord was in power, the more this senseless loss makes sense, and the more readers will realize what kind of perilous ride is ahead for Harry and friends in the rest of the series.
Like all the Potter books, though, there's a whole school year at Hogwarts to distract us from the inevitable, and even better, a Triwizard Tournament and students from two rival schools, and a Yule Ball with all kinds of crushes and shenanigans -- Harry and friends are 14 now, so it's time for that stuff. Many, many fans call Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire their favorite of the series for one reason: dragons. Maybe the mermaids, too, but definitely not for Hagrid's blast-ended screwts. Older fans will enjoy the hilariously infuriating antics of crooked reporter Rita Skeeter, and budding activists will feel for Hermione's attempts to bring rights to the house elves (a storyline the fantastic movie version doesn't have the time to touch on). We're nearly lulled into a sense that it's just another school year -- that is, if we haven't been paying attention to those mysterious disappearances, or the casting of the Dark Mark at the World Cup, or how exactly Harry became a Triwizard champion at all.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Who trusts the stories she writes and who doesn't? How do you know when you're getting information from a reliable source and how do you know when it's been heavily embellished or downright false? What do news outlets gain by writing sensationalized stories?
Kids just getting into the series will find a whole world of Harry Potter available to them, from Chocolate Frogs for sale at the grocery store to theme parks. A die-hard Potter fan can spend a lot of money in their lifetime on merchandise and experiences. Do you think this is worth your money? Are there other ways you can celebrate books you love without raiding your piggy bank?
At the end of the book, the Minister of Magic outright rejects the startling news Harry tells him. What do you think this will mean for Book 5? If they believed Harry, what do you think would happen next?
Book Details
- Author: J. K. Rowling
- Illustrator: Mary Grandpre
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Activism , Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Adventures , Brothers and Sisters , Bugs , Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Friendship , High School , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Courage , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date: July 8, 2000
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 734
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: June 10, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Magical Reads for Kids Who Love Harry Potter
Harry Potter Movies
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate