All the Harry Potter Books in Order: Your J.K. Rowling Reading List

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All the harry potter books in order: your j.k. rowling reading list.

All the Harry Potter Books in Order: Your J.K. Rowling Reading List

Of all the zeitgeist-defining fiction to come out of the past twenty years, perhaps none has been more universally beloved than the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. An incredibly imagined fantasy bildungsroman , it follows the eponymous boy wizard as he attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and contends with his destiny to fight the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Fortunately, he always has clever, loyal friends Ron and Hermione by his side — plus the invaluable mentorship of eccentric but wise Hogwarts headmaster, Dumbledore.

As fellow Potterheads will know, it’s virtually impossible to rank these books from best to worst, since each one is brilliant in its own way. That’s why we’ve decided to simply present all the Harry Potter books in order of chronology/publication, hitting the highlights for longtime fans to happily reminisce… and to help budding fans get a taste of the series’ genuine magic .

Here’s a quick catalog of the series, so that you know what you’re in for:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997)

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016)

And then the accompanying “Hogwarts library” texts:

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
  • Quidditch Through the Ages (2016)
  • The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2016)

As well as Rowling's "Pottermore Presents" series and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplays:

  • Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (2016)
  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (2016)
  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroisim, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (2016)
  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: the Original Screenplay (2016)
  • Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald — The Original Screenplay (2018)

Without further ado, let's dive in!

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The main Harry Potter books in order

1. harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone.

the books of harry potter in order

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , the book that started it all (understatement of the century), Harry Potter discovers his true identity in the wee hours of his eleventh birthday: he is a wizard, famous in the magical world for having vanquished the evil Lord Voldemort when he was only a baby. This revelation, delivered by a gruff, hairy giant named Hagrid, sets Harry on a fantastical (if also often frightening) journey of a lifetime.

He meets bosom buddies Ron and Hermione aboard the Hogwarts Express, and is soon sorted with them into Gryffindor: the house of the intrepid and brave. However, Harry also makes plenty of enemies at Hogwarts, most notably the arrogant Draco Malfoy and the nasty potions master, Snape (both affiliated with Slytherin house). And from battling a troll on Halloween to his first exhilarating Quidditch match — not to mention the novel’s climax , in which Harry goes up against Voldemort for the second time in his young life — there’s never a dull moment in the first year of his new adventure.

Sorcerer’s Stone (or Philosopher’s Stone , as it’s titled outside of the US) also perfectly balances exciting action with touching emotion, as Harry finds a true family in Ron and Hermione after years of misery with the Dursleys. Indeed, the book’s small, moving moments — such as Harry being floored by a gift from Ron’s mother, or Hermione’s tearful declaration at the end about “books and cleverness” — are just as magical as the spells themselves.

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

the books of harry potter in order

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Harry and friends return to Hogwarts with a bang — the bang of a flying Ford Anglia as it crashes into the Whomping Willow, that is. After being spotted by Muggles and narrowly avoiding expulsion, you’d think that the rest of Harry’s second year would be smooth sailing in comparison… right?

Wrong. When the school caretaker’s cat is found petrified (essentially paralyzed and comatose, but technically still alive) along with a bone-chilling message that “the Chamber of Secrets has been opened,” fear and suspicions start to arise — and of course, only worsen when students start getting petrified too. Nobody can figure out who the culprit is, only that he refers to himself as “the Heir” and seems to be on the warpath.

But as our young heroes know well by now, if you want a mystery solved right, you have to do it yourself. Which they do — through a combination of Polyjuice potion brewing, mysterious flashbacks provided by a sentient journal, and a truly horrific excursion to see a giant spider called Aragog. The book culminates in a visit to the titular chamber, which lies underneath Hogwarts and contains yet another deadly threat that Harry must face.

But of course, this being an early Potter book, it’s not all din and danger. Comic relief comes in the form of moronic, egocentric professor Gilderoy Lockhart, and toilet ghost Moaning Myrtle — who, in true Rowling fashion, ends up being key to the central plot twist of the story.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

the books of harry potter in order

The third book in the series introduces Sirius Black, a deranged mass murderer who’s just escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban. As a result, swarms of Dementors — dark, faceless beings that “suck the soul” out of their victims and serve as the guards of Azkaban — infiltrate Hogwarts to patrol for Black, who’s supposedly after Harry next. To make matters worse, our normally steadfast hero has a bad reaction to the Dementors, which cause him to faint on a train and even lose a critical Quidditch match.

Again, though, it’s not all doom and gloom. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban also features Professor Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and a school friend of Harry’s late father. Lupin and Harry quickly forge a father-son-like relationship themselves, and Lupin teaches Harry the Patronus Charm (powered by one’s happiest memories) to protect himself from Dementors.

Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione are squabbling even more than usual over their respective pets, Crookshanks the cat and Scabbers the rat. But what seems like a lighthearted subplot turns out to be a major factor in one of the biggest twists of the series , revealed in the last few chapters… and which naturally involves Black and Lupin as well. Oh, and hippogriffs and time traveling, in case that wasn’t enough to sell you on it.

Besides the sheer brilliance of plotting in this book, Rowling also presents some interesting commentary with the Dementors, which symbolize depression and force Harry to grapple with his past trauma. Indeed, though Goblet of Fire is widely identified as the “transition point” into the darker themes of the series’ latter half, Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely where those themes begin to take root.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

the books of harry potter in order

There’s quite a bit to unpack in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , so we’ll dive right in: after attending an eventful Quidditch World Cup with Hermione and the Weasley family, Harry returns to Hogwarts for his fourth year of school. It’s bound to be an exciting one, as Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, in which students from three major wizarding academies will compete. However, only students aged seventeen or older are eligible for the competition, which means Harry is safe for once… or so he thinks, until the ceremonial Goblet of Fire selects him as the fourth Triwizard Champion for no discernible reason.

What follows is a nonstop sequence of thrills, landmarked by the challenges of the tournament — in which the contestants must tackle menacing dragons, malevolent mermaids , and a maze full of potentially fatal tricks and traps. But even between the challenges themselves is plenty of riveting drama, especially with Rita Skeeter (a slimy reporter trying defame Harry and friends), Mad-Eye Moody (the kids’ new D.A.D.A. teacher), and Hermione’s most recent social justice cause (rights for house elves, naturally). And as anyone who’s read it will know, the GoF finale is unprecedented in terms of dark, difficult material, signaling a definitive shift for the series in a more mature direction.

Indeed, for all those wondering whether Rowling could change gears from the relatively lighthearted adventures of the previous three books into a darker and even more elaborate fantasy-thriller, this book proved her undeniably capable. But once again, GoF is not devoid of laughs and simple charm. The Yule Ball is a hilarious glimpse into the all-too-familiar teenage angst of dating and school dances, and the subplot with Ron being jealous of Harry’s constant spotlight is particularly well done. Yes, even in all the grandeur, Rowling never loses sight of what’s true to life — Goblet of Fire demonstrates this most aptly.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

the books of harry potter in order

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix gets political in big way: despite Voldemort’s revival at the end of GoF , the Ministry of Magic continues to deny all rumors and refuse to take action, worried that they’ll upset the public. This means the real adults have to take a leaf out of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s book and start fighting him themselves, through an underground vigilante group called the Order of the Phoenix.

But the Order can’t do much about Dolores Umbridge, the newly instated and highly sadistic Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, who perpetuates the Ministry’s lies about Voldemort. When Harry openly defies her in class, she retaliates by giving him chronic detention — during which he must write lines with a “blood quill” that carves the words into the back of his hand. Despite this torment, he and the rest of the class do not acquiesce to Umbridge, and establish a secret defense organization for themselves called “Dumbledore’s Army.”

On top of all that, Harry keeps having frequent, harrowing visions of Voldemort when he’s asleep, and must take Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape to prevent them. This is a different kind of torture, with Snape forcing entry into Harry’s private memories at every lesson and relishing the opportunity to cause him pain. Of course, Snape’s own twisted motivations are revealed when Harry gains access to his memories — one of which is a bitter altercation with Harry’s father.

Even the most diehard HP fan will admit that Order of the Phoenix is a hard one to get through. From watching Harry suffer in such a myriad of ways, to that devastating climax in which he loses one of the few people he’s come to love and trust, OotP is no walk in the park. Yet it’s this strife and despair that makes it such an authentic, powerful narrative — and, trite as it sounds, Harry’s pain ultimately makes him stronger and more determined to defeat Voldemort than ever.

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

the books of harry potter in order

Things take a turn for the expository in this penultimate installment, which sees Harry learn all about Voldemort’s family and “origin story,” so to speak. Dumbledore gives Harry these lessons to prepare him for a grand future battle with Voldemort, presumably in the vein of keeping his enemies closer. What Harry doesn’t know is that Dumbledore is planning something even bigger — a plan that he, Harry, becomes more inexorably entangled in with each passing day.

At the same time, Harry suspects Malfoy (always a nefarious character) to be colluding with Voldemort, and begins obsessively tracking him on the Marauder’s Map. But each new lead just seems to be a wrong turn, and Harry grows increasingly frustrated with the lack of evidence when he knows that Malfoy is guilty. His only good luck, funnily enough, is in potions class. After receiving a secondhand textbook filled with tips and tricks from the mysterious “Half-Blood Prince,” Harry shines under the tutelage of their new potions professor Slughorn. Hermione, meanwhile, is jealous of Harry’s newfound academic success, and attempts to uncover the Prince’s identity to prove he’s crooked.

Speaking of petty drama, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince also gives the fun, silly sixteen-year-old stuff its due. Ron and Hermione’s chemistry amps up to eleven, with constant bickering over their respective romances. (Ron memorably snogs Lavender Brown with such gusto that it “looks like he’s eating her face.”) Meanwhile Harry’s falling for Ginny, Ron’s sister, and battling his inner demons about whether to ask her out. All this falls to the wayside after yet another epic finale, but it’s another nice reminder of how human and relatable the characters are .

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

the books of harry potter in order

To be fair, the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows aren’t as quotidianly miserable as the events of OotP — at least we know the characters are suffering for a greater purpose. But that doesn’t stop this from being, as you might expect, the darkest book in the series. From the corrupting influence of a locket that causes Ron to abandon his friends, to the tragic prophecy that Harry uncovers through more of Snape’s past memories, this book truly tests the reader’s tolerance for beloved characters in distress. (Don’t even get us started on the Battle of Hogwarts bloodbath .)

But Deathly Hallows is also a masterpiece, wrapping up thousands of pages’ worth of deeply intricate story plotting, character development, and booming thematic resonance in a satisfying manner. Indeed, J.K. Rowling has said she wrote the last pages of Deathly Hallows before Sorcerer’s Stone was even completed — evidence of just how carefully the series was planned.

8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

the books of harry potter in order

While not part of the original seven-book series, Cursed Child and the accompanying stage play have become a generally accepted addition to the Harry Potter canon. This 336-page text picks up where the Deathly Hallows epilogue left off, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy sending their unfortunately named kids off to Hogwarts — Harry’s son Albus and Malfoy’s son Scorpius serve as our protagonists this time around. Upon arrival at Hogwarts, the boys are both sorted into Slytherin and forge an unlikely friendship, which naturally causes tension between Albus and Harry over the next few years.

After a fight with his father, Albus overhears Cedric Diggory’s father Amos asking Harry to use a more powerful version of a Time Turner (which features prominently in PoA ) to go back in time and rescue his son. When Harry refuses, Albus enlists Scorpius to help him save Cedric, with the aid of Diggory’s niece Delphi. However, as anyone who’s seen Back to the Future can attest, messing with timelines is never a good idea… especially in the wizarding world. Things are further complicated by the fact that Delphi is not who she says she is, and may have sinister ulterior motives when it comes to rewriting history.

Between the multiple timelines and various versions of the same characters, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child can definitely be a bit confusing at times — and its somewhat far-fetched plot twists and questionable consistency with Rowling’s established world have led some Potter fans to decry it. But at the end of the day, it’s still another piece of the magical puzzle that we’ve all enjoyed putting together so much: this once-in-a-lifetime literary experience that transcends culture and generations.

The “Hogwarts library” texts

Fantastic beasts and where to find them.

Can't get enough of the fantastical creatures that fill Harry Potter 's pages? You're in luck. As detailed by J.K. Rowling (who writes as famed Magizoologist Newt Scamander), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the definitive compendium to the magical beasts that roam the wizarding world. You'll find some familiar companions — such as the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail — but you'll also discover many, many new creatures to befriend. This is the text that inspired the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie trilogy, so if you're looking to catch up on the source, this is where to start!

Quidditch Through the Ages

Or maybe it's J.K. Rowling's smash-hit sport, Quidditch, that tickles your fancy. Today, Quidditch is an actual sport played at over 100 colleges in the United States — such is the strength of the grip that it's exerted on our public imagination. But if you're interested in the academic side of Quidditch, Rowling's got you covered with Quidditch Through the Ages , which will tell you all that you ever wanted to know about the history and rules behind Quidditch.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of five fairy wizarding tales, told by, well, Beedle the Bard! Professor Dumbledore bequeathed these age-old tales to Hermione Granger, and they (particularly "The Tale of Three Brothers") turned out to be instrumental in helping Harry Potter crack the clues given to him in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now it's your chance to read them for yourself. Though the stories in this book all have a magical twist, the themes at their cores still resonate with what we associate with fairy tales: friendship, the everlasting strength of love, and the magic that each one of us possesses.

Even more Wizarding World extras 🎁

Hogwarts: an incomplete and unreliable guide.

Sourced from the short reads on Pottermore.com and gathered into one book for easy reading, Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide gives you all of the background information that you might want to know about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly. Ever been curious about what the Hufflepuff common room looks like (it was never described in the books themselves)? Did you ever wonder about the origins of Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters? Here's the book that will provide all of the answers.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists

Not everything about Hogwarts and the Wizarding World is bright and shiny — indeed, the series has birthed some of most memorable villains in literature, from Dolores Umbridge to Lord Voldemort himself. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Potergeists (also collected from JK Rowling's writings on Pottermore.com) delves deeper into this darker side of Harry's universe: in particular, it'll walk you through the politics of wizards and the backstories of Hogwart's villains, like Profess Umbridge.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies

Now let's go to the flip side and read about some of the most heroic figures who stand tall in the Wizarding World! In Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroisim, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies , we get the pleasure of revisiting our favorite professors (especially Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin) and discovering their backstories.

The Fantastic Beasts screenplays

Unless you've been living under a rock this entire time, you've probably heard of the two new Wizarding World movies that have hit Hollywood in the past few years. Led by actor Eddie Redmayne and an all-star ensemble cast, the Fantastic Beasts films tell the story of Newt Scamander, Albus Dumbledore, and the dark battle against Gellert Grindelward in the blackened days before Lord Voldemort entered the scene.

Of course, you can choose to simply watch the continuation of the Wizarding World on-screen — but reading the screenplays of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: the Original Screenplay and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald — The Original Screenplay  will undoubtedly give you that extra level of depth and insight into the characters.

So what's the recommended reading order (versus the chronological reading order)?

Fortunately, Harry Potter isn't one of those series like Star Wars has a sprawling number of canon novels, film novelizations, reference books, and comics to read. Instead, it's a finite universe — which makes catching up on it much easier. We recommend reading the main series chronologically so that you can see Harry and his friends grow up. Then — if you're still thirsting for more of the Wizarding World — you can see where your interests most strongly lie (whether it's in magizoology or Quidditch, for instance), and start again there.

If you still haven’t read Harry Potter , just know that it’s never too late to start — and even for those who have, you’re never too old to go back and relive the magic. ⚡

Can't get enough? Check out our list of the 20 best books like Harry Potter , or 60 best fantasy books for kids ! (Naturally, HP makes the list.)

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Reading Lists → Harry Potter

Harry Potter Books In Order (Full List)

Harry Potter is a series of 8 books by J. K. Rowling. The first book published in the series is Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets in 1998. Here is a complete list of Harry Potter books in order.

Last update: January 11, 2024

1. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (1998)

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

In the thrilling second installment of J.K. Rowling's beloved series, Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to uncover the mystery behind the Chamber of Secrets, encountering menacing foes and spellbinding adventures along the way.

  • 📇 341 Pages
  • 📝 85,250 - 102,300 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 11 Hours Reading Time
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2. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (1999)

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

In J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Harry returns to Hogwarts for his third year, encountering the sinister Sirius Black. As secrets unravel, Harry must navigate the treacherous path of friendship, time-travel, and life-changing revelations.

  • 📇 435 Pages
  • 📝 108,750 - 130,500 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 15 Hours Reading Time

3. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2000)

"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."

In J.K. Rowling's spellbinding fourth installment of the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire," young wizard Harry faces thrilling trials, dark secrets, and twisted challenges as he competes in the dangerous Triwizard Tournament.

  • 📇 734 Pages
  • 📝 183,500 - 220,200 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 24 Hours Reading Time

4. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (2003)

"Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have."

In the penultimate installment of the captivating Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling takes readers on a thrilling journey as Harry faces new challenges, discovers the power of unity, and battles against the rising darkness of Voldemort's regime. Prepare for magic, mystery, and unforgettable moments.

  • 📇 912 Pages
  • 📝 228,000 - 273,600 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 30 Hours Reading Time

5. Harry Potter And The Half-blood Prince (2005)

"It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more."

In the penultimate installment of the enchanting Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling delivers another riveting adventure as Harry navigates sinister secrets, potent potions, and unexpected alliances while preparing to face his greatest foe in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince.

  • 📇 652 Pages
  • 📝 163,000 - 195,600 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 22 Hours Reading Time

6. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (2007)

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love."

In the epic conclusion to the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling takes readers on a spellbinding journey as Harry, Ron, and Hermione face their ultimate battle against Voldemort, navigating through darkness, sacrifice, and the power of love.

  • 📇 759 Pages
  • 📝 189,750 - 227,700 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 25 Hours Reading Time

7. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (2009)

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

In this enchanting opening to the spellbinding Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling introduces readers to the curious wizarding world as young Harry embarks on his incredible journey at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, facing supernatural challenges that will test his courage and unlock his unique destiny.

  • 📇 192 Pages
  • 📝 48,000 - 57,600 Word Count
  • ⏱️ 6 Hours Reading Time

8. Harry Potter And The Cursed Child: Parts One And Two (2016)

"Those we love never truly leave us, Harry. There are things that death cannot touch."

In Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two, J.K. Rowling takes readers on an enchanting journey back to the wizarding world, as Harry grapples with the challenges of parenthood, friendship, and a dark new threat emerging from unexpected places.

  • 📇 343 Pages
  • 📝 85,750 - 102,900 Word Count

the books of harry potter in order

Harry Potter Books In Order

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Harry Potter has been called the greatest childrens book series ever to have been printed. The series combines a sense of wonder, adventure, and magic that matures with its audience, against a backdrop of one of the greatest stories of good and evil ever told. Comprised of seven novels, eight movies, and a slew of add ons and tie-ins including video games, toys, and clothing, it is a classical coming of age story, a bildungsroman that transcends age and generations to tell a sometimes funny, oftentimes sad, yet always entertaining. The story centers around the trials and lessens of a young wizard named Harry Potter, the victim of an unspeakable tragedy and unlikely hero at his school, Hogwarts.

Written by J.K. Rowling, a native of the U.K., Harry Potter is far from the classical idea of the hero. Riddled with all the feelings of angst and inadequacies of childhood, and saddled with the uncertainties of a world on the cusp, he goes from being an average eleven year old boy to a wizard, and not only a wizard, but a famous wizard. The series captures all the mystery and romanticism of a much more mature author, but makes it accessible and easy for young adult readers to comprehend and enjoy.

The books primarily take place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for magic that children are preselected to attend, somewhere on the Scotland/England border. It is described as a fantastical and wondrous castle, filled with talking portraiture, moving staircases, ghosts and of course, normal, everyday children going to school. Except that instead of learning their letters and arithmetic, they attend Potions class and Transfiguration lectures. They practice dueling with magic wands and play their very own wizarding sport, Quidditch, on flying broomsticks. Harry Potter has shown himself adept however, at getting into all the hijinks that normal, growing boys are expected to indulge in, being caught out of bed, out-of-bounds, and generally being a teenager.

Harry Potter himself is a wiry youth, with knock knees and messy, jet-black hair. He wears round glasses, and, when not in the school uniform of black robes and a pointed wizards cap, wears clothes that are to large for him, secondhand items that are given to him by his horrible and magic fearing family, the Dursleys. His most distinguishing feature is his small, lightening-shaped scar that is streaked across his forehead, a souvenir from his encounter with the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This relationship between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord is a main theme of the series, and is explored in every installment of the series, either directly or circumspectly.

Why He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named killed Harry’s parents and tried to kill Harry, yet failed spectacularly, is still a mystery at the beginning of the series, and is a source of continual speculation for everyone in the wizarding world. As the series progresses, more and more information comes to light about Harry’s parents, James and Lily Potter, and the love that Harry feels for them and the sacrifice that they made on his behalf are a continual source of both pain and pride for Harry Potter.

Harry Potter goes from being universally unlike and unloved at his foster families home, whom he lives with after the murder of his parents by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, to being known far and wide as the wizard that defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, almost a household name. He has two great friends through the series, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Ronald Weasley is from a family of pure-bloods, or people who are almost exclusively wizards, all with bright red hair and freckles, and for the most part accepting and affectionate. Ron is described as being tall and lanky, with the red hair and freckles that characterize his whole family, and being very ashamed that his family, though ancient

and respected, are very poor. He acts as comic relief throughout the books and films, but has shown genuine feelings for both Harry and Hermione, being fiercely protective of both them and his family. Hermione Granger is from a Muggle family, or a non-magic family. Her parents are both dentists, and she got the invitation to attend Hogwarts in the same way as Harry Potter, out of the blue. She is described as being pretty, but with overly large front teeth and very bushy brunette hair. Hermione is also a bit of a know it all, and is the first in class at ever subject she takes, except Divination, or fortune-telling. With these two compatriots, Harry winds his way through the wonderful and dangerous world of magic, encountering fantastic beasts and spectacular sorcery along the way.

When he first begins to attend Hogwarts, Harry is known for his so called defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and everyone in the wizarding world knows his name. This gives him a little bit of discomfort, however, as he dislikes being known far and wide for something that he can’t remember. He spends a lot of time in the series not only dealing with all of the regular problems that regular boys deal with, but also the issues that are forced on him due to his connection to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He is not spectacular in school, but is above average in the classes that he likes, and passes even the ones he finds difficult or dislikes. His main antagonist, outside of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master at Hogwarts, who has a grudge against Harry for something that happened between him Harry’s parents and himself a long time ago.

The Harry Potter series gained worldwide popularity, and all seven books in the series ranked on international bestseller list across the planet. Harry Potter has had his story translated into more than 60 languages, and is the best selling book series of all time. Not without his share of controversy, Harry Potter is more often lauded for encouraging children to read more often, especially at the dawn of the internet age, and with telling such an accessible and entertaining story filled with concepts and ideas to stimulate a child’s imagination. Not limited to children or young adult readers, people of all ages can fall in love with the charming story of the boy wizard, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.

2 Responses to “Harry Potter”

I think you should write at least a stand-alone about Luna Lovegood before she attended Hogwarts, because she is such an interesting character, and a worldwide favorite [perhaps Sirius], so I think you would get many, many fans for said Luna book. – Me

R.K. Rowling you should really make a movie for the Cursed Child book. Also you should do a whole series on their kids cause people were really interested in the Cursed Child. Also the reason why you should do a movie is because there is already a script written out and your letting many Harry Potter fans down including myself. Sincerely Rylan Strong p.s: please think about this and please a movie on the cursed child. Also please write a whole series on their kids and the cursed child please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please and thank you

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Order of Books

Order of Harry Potter Books

the books of harry potter in order

Below is the order of all of the Harry Potter books, as well as recommendations for other books like Harry Potter:

Get notified when J.K. Rowling releases a new book at BookNotification.com .

Publication Order of Harry Potter Books

Publication order of harry potter companion books, publication order of harry potter: a journey through... books, publication order of pottermore presents books, publication order of fantastic beasts the original screenplay books, (by: j.k. rowling, steve kloves), publication order of harry potter short stories/novellas, chronological order of harry potter books.

The chronological order of the Harry Potter books is the same as the publication order.

Notes: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the US title of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone . Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was written by John Tiffany & Jack Thorne, based on the work of J.K. Rowling.

If You Like Harry Potter Books, You’ll Love…

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Harry Potter Synopses: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US) is the first novel in the beloved fantasy series written by J.K. Rowling. It introduces readers to the magical world of Harry Potter, a young boy who discovers that he is a wizard on his eleventh birthday.

Living with his neglectful and abusive aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, Harry’s life takes an unexpected turn when he receives a series of mysterious letters addressed to him in green ink. Despite his aunt and uncle’s efforts to keep him away from the letters, a giant named Rubeus Hagrid arrives on Harry’s birthday and reveals the truth: Harry is a wizard and has been accepted to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hagrid escorts Harry into the wizarding world, where he learns about his true heritage, makes new friends like Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and discovers the magical wonders of Hogwarts. As Harry starts his first year at Hogwarts, he also begins to uncover the mysteries surrounding his past, particularly his connection to the dark wizard who killed his parents, Lord Voldemort.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. In this installment, Harry returns to Hogwarts for his second year and finds himself facing new challenges and mysteries.

The story begins with Harry spending another miserable summer with the Dursleys, his aunt and uncle. He is visited by Dobby, a house-elf, who warns him not to return to Hogwarts because he believes that terrible things are going to happen. Despite Dobby’s warnings, Harry is determined to return to school. With the help of Ron Weasley and his twin brothers Fred and George, Harry is rescued in a flying car.

Back at Hogwarts, strange and ominous events start occurring. Students are found mysteriously petrified, seemingly turned to stone. Harry begins to hear mysterious voices and discovers that he can understand a strange language that no one else can hear. As the attacks continue, Harry and his friends become determined to uncover the truth behind the Chamber of Secrets, a hidden part of Hogwarts’ history that holds dark secrets.

With the help of Ron, Hermione, and others, Harry uncovers the connection between the Chamber of Secrets, a dangerous monster, and the past of Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin. The mystery deepens as the trio tries to figure out who is responsible for opening the chamber and controlling the monster within.

4 Responses to “Order of Harry Potter Books”

In 1997 my mother, an avid reader all of her life, was 83 years old. She had gone blind several years previously but continued to “read” via audio books.

I had never heard of Harry Potter but saw an elaborate display of the book “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in our local book store. Since the audio book had so many discs I bought a copy thinking it would entertain my mother for a long time. This first book, and all the following books in the series entertained her for ten years. (Through 2007) She died in 2012 at the age of 98.

Thank you J.K. Rowling for giving my mother an enchanting way to spend her final years.

its not philoshpers stone its soceres stone get it rite man

*It’s *Philosopher’s *Stone *it’s *Sorcerer’s *Stone *right

And it IS Philosopher’s Stone. Sorcerer’s Stone was a one-off version made for the USA, because they felt Americans were too ignorant to read a book with the words “Philosopher” in the title.

I think we may have just seen an example of that ignorance, LOL!

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Harry Potter Books

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  • Movie Magic Series 5 books
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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Movie Magic: Extraordinary People and Fascinating Places

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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Quidditch Through the Ages

The Creatives Behind the Books

J.K. Rowling is the author of the record-breaking, multi-award-winning Harry Potter novels. Loved by fans around the world, the series has sold over 500 million copies, been translated into 80 languages, and made into 8 blockbuster films. She has written three companion volumes in aid of charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (in aid of Comic Relief and Lumos), and The Tales of Beedle the Bard (in aid of Lumos), as well as a film script inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which marked the start of a five-film series to be written by the author. She has also collaborated on a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two, which opened in London’s West End in the summer of 2016 and on Broadway in early 2018. In 2012, J.K. Rowling’s digital company Pottermore was launched, where fans can enjoy news, features and articles, as well as original content from J.K. Rowling. She has also written The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adult readers, and the Strike crime series, written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. As well as receiving an OBE for services to children’s literature, she has received many awards and honours, including an OBE and Companion of Honour, France’s Légion d’honneur, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

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Harry Potter books in order

How to Complete Harry Potter Books in Order ~ All 20!

Have you read the Harry Potter series?

If not, you might be wondering what is the order of the Harry Potter books ? And, do you have to read the Harry Potter books in order ? Or maybe, can I get a list of the Harry Potter books in order? In this post, I’ll address all of those questions and much more!

Harry Potter bucket list

Why Read the Harry Potter Books in order

The fact of the matter is that reading the Harry Potter books in order is important!

The books follow the life of young Harry Potter from 11 years old through 18 years old. Each book is a complete school year, so the order of the Harry Potter books is pretty important. It could get very confusing if you don’t know the storyline.

Harry Potter and my family

Harry Potter has been part of my family’s story since before my kids were born. They grew up on Harry Potter, and Harry Potter has been part of our family vacations over the years.

We have been reading our way through all the Harry Potter books in order and checking them off our Bucket List

Harry Potter Bucket List

Harry Potter Books in Order

There are 7 Books in the original Harry Potter series. And, as I mentioned earlier, reading the Harry Potter books in order is important. Along with this list of Harry Potter books, I also have a list of Harry Potter additional books you will want to take a look at.

You might be wondering what is the order of the Harry Potter books? The most important book, in my opinion, is Harry Potter’s first book.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

the books of harry potter in order

This first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , welcomes you into the magical world that JK Rowling created.

Growing up with his aunt, uncle, and cousin who barely tolerates him, Harry is surprised on this eleventh birthday to learn that he’s different and special.

Harry learns that he is a wizard and that an incredible adventure is about to begin!

2. Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets

the books of harry potter in order

Continuing the Harry Potter books in order, the next up is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which starts Harry’s second year at Hogwarts. If he can make it there…

Harry Potter’s summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and a daring rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car!

Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors – and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone…

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

the books of harry potter in order

The next on our list of Harry Potter books is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .

The summer is long a grueling for Harry, having to stay with the Dursleys all summer. But when Aunt Marge shows up, Harry can’t stand it anymore.

After running away, Harry is picked up by the Knight Bus and another extraordinary year begins.

This one includes an escaped mass murderer on the loose, the followers of Lord Voldemort start ramping things up a bit, and new classes are added to Harry’s school schedule!

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

the books of harry potter in order

The fourth book in the Harry Potter book order is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

This is an exciting year in the wizarding community. The World Quidditch Cup is being held and the Weasley’s have invited Harry to join them. And, at school, the exciting and dangerous Triwizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts.

But, someone is out to get Harry hurt, or worse. His name winds up in the tournament and so he will face death-defying tasks, dragons, and Dark wizards.

But with the help of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, he might just make it through – alive!

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

the books of harry potter in order

While continuing our way through the Harry Potter books in order, the next up is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix .

Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors’ attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him.

There are many who deny the Dark Lord’s return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces.

Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort’s savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time…

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

the books of harry potter in order

The sixth on the list of Harry Potter books is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince .

When Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive one summer night to collect Harry Potter, his wand hand is blackened and shriveled, but he does not reveal why.

Secrets and suspicion are spreading through the wizarding world, and Hogwarts itself is not safe.

Harry will need powerful magic and true friends as he explores Voldemort’s darkest secrets, and Dumbledore prepares him to face his destiny…

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

the books of harry potter in order

When reading the Harry Potter books in order, the final book of the original series is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . This is a huge book (which is why it took 2 movies to make it), but it wraps up the series nicely!

As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid’s motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind.

The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes.

The final battle must begin – Harry must stand and face his enemy …

Harry Potter Additional Books

Harry potter and the cursed child.

the books of harry potter in order

So, if you’re reading the Harry Potter books in order, this would be the next chronologically. This is the playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , the wildly popular show in London! It is set after the Harry Potter series concludes.

Here’s the summary:

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted.

As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

The Hogwart’s Library Collection

From this point on, it’s not as important to read the rest of these Harry Potter extra books in order.

This collection of three books is called the Library Collection. They are each referenced multiple times throughout the Harry Potter book series.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

the books of harry potter in order

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the textbook that the movie of the same name is based on. The movie script is further down this list of Harry Potter books.

This book is the textbook Harry and his classmates used in class at Hogwarts. And while if we wanted to be chronological with the textbooks, it would break up the 7 books in the series. Since I’m not really a fan of that, I’ve chosen to put these Harry Potter books in order by when they came out.

Newt Scamander’s masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the wizarding world.

Scamander’s years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance.

Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books – the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail… Others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist. Dip in to discover the curious habits of magical beasts across five continents…

Quidditch Through the Ages

the books of harry potter in order

Probably the only book in the Hogwarts library that Harry actually read,  Quidditch Through the Ages contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules – and the breaking of the rules – of the noble sport of Quidditch.

Packed with fascinating facts, this definitive guide by the esteemed Quidditch writer Kennilworthy Whisp charts the game’s history from its early origins in the medieval mists on Queerditch Marsh, through to the modern-day sport loved by so many wizard and Muggle families around the world.

With comprehensive coverage of famous Quidditch teams, the commonest fouls, the development of racing brooms, and much more, this is a must-have sporting bible for all Harry Potter fans, Quidditch lovers and players, whether the weekend amateur or the seasoned Chudley Cannons season-ticket holder.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

the books of harry potter in order

While we muggles grow up with the Grimm Brothers’ tales of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel, children in the wizarding world children grow up learning the Tales of Beedle the Bard .

This book winds up playing a starring role in book seven of the Harry Potter book series. Ron is stunned when neither Harry nor Hermione knew the story of the Three Brothers, also known as the Deathly Hallows tale.

Pottermore Presents series

This series is a fun group of Harry Potter additional books. Unlike some of the other books, this short series doesn’t build in plot development from one to the next. So you don’t need to worry about reading these Harry Potter books in order.

This series of books were released only on e-book from JK Rowling and her Pottermore website.

In these books, Rowling gives behind-the-scenes information on some of our favorite characters, beasts, and our favorite castle!

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (book 1)

the books of harry potter in order

Book One in the Pottermore Presents series is Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies .

These stories profile two of the Harry Potter book series’ most courageous and iconic characters: Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin.

J.K. Rowling also gives us a peek behind the closed curtains of Sybill Trelawney’s life, and you’ll encounter the reckless, magical-beast-loving Silvanus Kettleburn along the way.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (book 2)

the books of harry potter in order

The second book in the Pottermore Presents series is Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists .

These stories give us a glimpse into the darker side of the wizarding world.

They reveal the ruthless roots of Professor Umbridge, the lowdown on the Ministers for Magic, the history of the wizarding prison Azkaban and of course Peeves, everyone’s favorite poltergeist.

You will also delve deeper into Horace Slughorn’s early years as Potions master at Hogwarts – and his acquaintance with one Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Hogwarts: An Incomplete & Unreliable Guide (book 3)

the books of harry potter in order

The third and final book in the Pottermore Presents series is Hogwarts An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide .

This book takes us on a journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You’ll venture into the Hogwarts grounds, become better acquainted with its more permanent residents, learn more about lessons taught at Hogwarts and discover secrets of the castle . . . all at the turn of a page.

A Journey Through series

As you can already see, there is quite a long list of Harry Potter books. And, we’re just getting started. And, as mentioned earlier, it’s not nearly as important to read these Harry Potter additional books in order.

This Harry Potter book series is based on the exhibit at the British Library about Harry Potter. 

These books dive into the classes at Hogwarts and give behind-the-scenes information about them.

A History of Magic: A Journey Through Charms & Defence Against the Dark Arts (Book 1)

the books of harry potter in order

The first book in the Harry Potter Journey Through series is A History Of Magic: A Journey Through Charms & Defence Against the Dark Arts .

How to become invisible, to make someone fall in love with you, to transform into another creature: these are all things that people have believed in, yearned for, or feared, throughout history.

Spells and charms have captured the imagination for hundreds of years. Warding off evil is also something that has concerned people throughout history.

From werewolves to all manner of snakes in the wizarding world, you’d learn how to face a number of strange and frightening forces in Defence Against the Dark Arts classes.

This eBook short examines the colorful characters and curious incidents of the real history of magic, and how they relate to the Hogwarts lesson subjects of Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts.

A History of Magic: A Journey Through Potions & Herbology (Book 2)

the books of harry potter in order

The second book in the Journey Through series is A History of Magic: A Journey Through Potions and Herbology .

Potions have been made for thousands of years – associated with bubbling pots and mysterious ingredients, they have been brewed to make medicines, drugs, and poisons.

Harry Potter became much better at Potions with a little help from the Half-Blood Prince in the sixth book of the Harry Potter series.

Plants have also been important components of medicines as much as myth-making and magic. A source of danger as well as a means of overcoming obstacles, Herbology was a subject that had a major bearing on Harry’s key decisions and mistakes in the wizarding world.

This eBook short examines the colorful characters and curious incidents of the real history of magic, and how they relate to the Hogwarts lesson subjects of Potions and Herbology.

A History of Magic: A Journey Through Divination & Astronomy (Book 3)

the books of harry potter in order

The third book in the Journey Through series is A History of Magic: A Journey Through Divination and Astronomy .

Harry, Ron and Hermione started taking Divination in their third year at Hogwarts. While Hermione didn’t finish the class, Ron and Harry did – even though they thought it was a bunch of bunk.

Gazing in crystal balls, reading tea leaves, studying dreams and trying to predict the future is what Divination is all about at Hogwarts.

Astronomy holds a special place in the wizarding world as a source of inspiration and identity for Harry Potter’s life at Hogwarts, and beyond.

This eBook short examines the colorful characters and curious incidents of the real history of magic, and how they relate to the Hogwarts lesson subjects of Divination and Astronomy.

A History of Magic: A Journey Through Care of Magical Creatures (Book 4)

the books of harry potter in order

The fourth book in the Journey Through series is A History Of Magic: A Journey Through Care of Magical Creatures .

Well-known creatures from folklore like giants, dragons and merpeople, and lesser-known beings such as Acromantula and Hippogriffs, all play a key role in Harry Potter’s journey.

We think that truth and myth are easily distinguished today, but magical creatures and the stories around them continue to fascinate us – and they are as central to the Harry Potter book series as Harry, Hermione and Ron.

This eBook short examines the colorful characters and curious incidents of the real history of magic, and how they relate to the Hogwarts lesson subjects of Care of Magical Creatures.

Fantastic Beasts (Screenplay) series

If you wanted to read the Harry Potter books in order chronologically, these would be first on the list. But, since this series isn’t complete yet, I’m going to leave it down here.

This successful and popular movie series is a precursor to the original Harry Potter book series. It explores some of the characters that we know and love in Harry Potter along with some new ones.

We are also introduced to the magical community in the United States.

the books of harry potter in order

The first book, well screenplay, in this new Harry Potter series is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them .

Newt Scamander, Uk Magizoologist and author of the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , is coming to New York for a brief stopover.

But, when his magical case is misplaced, some of his fantastic beasts escape, and muggles get involved, his time in America is extended.

Chaos erupts and it spells trouble for everyone! But, it’s not all Newts fault or is it…

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

the books of harry potter in order

The second in the Fantastic Beasts series is The Crimes of Grindelwald .

At the end of  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured in New York with the help of Newt Scamander.

But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes custody and sets about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists Newt, his former Hogwarts student, who agrees to help once again, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead.

Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

Fantastic Beasts: 3

There isn’t any information available about this movie yet, except that it is due out in November of 2021 ! Because of Coronavirus, the movie schedule has been pushed back. There is no new date at the time of publication.

List of Harry Potter Books in Order

As you can see, it is important to read at least some of the Harry Potter books in order! Since you’re watching Harry grow up, it’s important to follow along on the journey in the right chronological order.

If you’re looking for a fun reading challenge for the year, how about working your way through ALL the Harry Potter books in order!

That would be all 20 Harry Potter books for the year! That’s doable!

Other Articles You Might Enjoy

Harry Potter Vacation Ideas in the US

Throw an Awesome Harry Potter Feast

Useful Harry Potter Products

Want to join a Harry Potter reading challenge? Check out what order to read in and grab a checklist of all the books!

Becki is the author and founder of A Book Lover’s Adventures. She has a degree in elementary education, has worked and volunteered in libraries for years, and spent several years in the travel industry. All of this has led to a love of books and travel. Becki loves to share her love by finding literary escapes to share!

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10 Delightful Christmas novels that will make you Holiday Ready

10 Delightful Christmas novels that will make you Holiday Ready

I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year!  I love curling up with a Christmas novel and a cup of coffee (or tea) and whiling away a day.  Granted, I don’t have a lot of day to while away, but this is one of my favorite ways to spend time.  And,…

Best movie i have ever seen !

The books are even better!

Wow! This is an extraordinary list which every Harry Potter fan needs. What a great article, thanks Becki!

Thanks Nicole! It was fun seeing just how many books there are to read!

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T.L. Branson

All 20+ Harry Potter Books in Order | How to Read J.K. Rowling’s Books

I was slow to join the Harry Potter bandwagon. It was 2016 when I read the first book, but now rereading and watching the Harry Potter movies has become a yearly tradition in my family. If you’re like me, and are late to the party, you might be looking for a list of Harry Potter books in order .

Fewer franchises have taken the world by storm like Harry Potter . Yet despite it’s place as a household name and its widespread fame, new readers are finding their way to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World every day.

A direct friend of mine who is a huge YA Fantasy fan has yet to read these books. Maybe eventually I’ll get her to take the plunge.

There’s not a whole lot of mystery surrounding actual order of the main series, but there are a lot of extras as well as the Fantastic Beasts series.

About J.K. Rowling

While she has been the center of controversy in recent years, J.K. Rowling’s path to authorship has become an inspirational story for many struggling writers.

That’s because before she became a household name, J.K. Rowling was a struggling writer herself and before that, a young bookworm with glasses and freckles.

The idea of a fellow bespectacled young boy who learns there is a world full of magic came to Rowling in 1990 while she was aboard a train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. The symbolism of a train takes the form of the Hogwarts Express in the hearts of many Potterheads. But the first Harry Potter book would not be published until 1997.

Rowling lived in northern Portugal for a brief spell, married and had one daughter, before the marriage ended and she moved to Edinburgh. Her suitcase contained the first three chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and, subsequently, the Scottish capital has become iconic for its Harry Potter memorabilia.

A common trivia fact is that the Rowling’s second initial, K, stands for her paternal grandmother’s name, Kathleen. This is because Rowling does not have a middle name, but using initials was at her publisher’s request.

After completing the original Harry Potter books with the seventh novel in 2007, Rowling then published her first adult novel: The Casual Vacancy. She has also published a crime thriller series under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, which did not remain a secret for long. If you would like to read the Cormoran Strike novels, you can check out our article about the Robert Galbraith books in order .

#1 Harry Potter Books in Order by Series

But now, where do you start and what’s the best way to read the Harry Potter books in order? Series order is the easiest way to read the Harry Potter books in order.

Within the series, I’ve included the book by publication order. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with reading the Harry Potter books the way millions of others have read them through the years.

The Main Books

Harry potter.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997) 2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998) 3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999) 4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) 5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003) 6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) 7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007) 8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Official Playscript (2017)

Fantastic Beasts

9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Original Screenplay (2016) 10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald, Original Screenplay (2018) 11. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Complete Screenplay (2022)

Everything Else

Before we continue, I wanted to add that everything below this point is considered supplementary. They’re like big appendixes that dive deeper into the world, but aren’t more adventures of Harry Potter and friends.

The Hogwarts Library Collection

12. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001) 13. Quidditch through the Ages (2001) 14. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008) 15. The Hogwarts Library 3-Book Collection (2012)

Pottermore Presents

16. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (2016) 17. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (2016) 18. Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (2016)

A History of Magic

17. A Journey Through Charms & Defense Against the Dark Arts (2019) 18. A Journey Through Potions and Herbology (2019) 19. A Journey Through Divination and Astronomy (2019) 20. A Journey Through Care of Magical Creatures (2019) 21. Hogwarts: A History of Magic Collection (2018)

Special Editions

22. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Behind the Scenes 23. Harry Potter and the Sorcery’s Stone MinaLima Edition 24. Harry Potter the Illustrated Collection Books 1-3 25. Harry Potter: A Pop-up Guide to Hogwarts 26. Harry Potter Complete Book Series Special Edition Boxed Set

There are a host of other guides and encyclopedias out there if you search around. None of those are official, meaning they aren’t published by J.K. Rowling or Pottermore.

Book to Screen Adaptations

Original harry potter movies.

Perhaps just as iconic as the Harry Potter books in order, and as financially successful, are the movie adaptations. The books and movies have been intrinsically connected throughout the years, even though there have been many debates about what the movies left out or got wrong.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson grew up on the screens and in the imaginations of fans around the world as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

It’s been 12 years since the last movie premiered, but the iconic films are still near and dear to the hearts of many Potterheads. Since then, there have also been three Fantastic Beasts movies, and The Cursed Child stage play.

The original movie adaptations each invoke a strong feeling of nostalgia for those who grew up attending the premieres with almost every movie capturing a different ambience. This is in part due to the changes in directors throughout the series, alongside the movies getting darker as the characters aged and the Battle of Hogwarts neared.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone contains the maximum dose of nostalgia for many fans with its wintery atmosphere and comforting Christmas scenes. Chris Columbus was the director for Sorcerer’s Stone and the sequel Chamber of Secrets before the first directorial shift took place.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was Alfonso Cuarón’s only Harry Potter film and features a distinct tone with him in the director’s seat. This was also the first movie in the franchise starring Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore following the death of Richard Harris, who portrayed Dumbledore in the first two movies.

Mike Newell was the director for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, before the reins were handed over to David Yates, who directed the last four movies.

New Harry Potter TV Show

Suffice to say, between the comforting nostalgia of the original films and the controversial figure J.K. Rowling has become, the April 2023 announcement of a TV show reboot divided fans. Some are excited at the prospect of being able to include more details from the books that were left on the cutting room floor, while others just can’t fathom recasting iconic and beloved characters.

The new TV series is expected to run on air for a decade with each of the main Harry Potter books in order to be made into one season. Rowling will be an executive producer on the project alongside Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts. There are rumors David Heyman will also executive produce, which will be significant to fans of the movies as he produced all eight original films.

It will air on Max, previously HBO Max, in association with Brontë Film and TV, and Warner Bros. Television. Warner Bros. is the studio for all eight Harry Potter movies as well.

Since filming has not yet begun and casting is still taking place, the earliest fans might expect to tune in won’t be until 2025 or 2026.

Harry Potter TV Show Changes

The greatly expanded runtime that comes with a television series spanning a decade versus feature-length films means there is an opportunity to include elements from the books which are missing from the movies.

For example, the important subplot of house elves and Hermione’s S.P.E.W. initiative. Exploring the book canon regarding house elves provides an opportunity to examine race and class tensions within the Wizarding World, instead of it being an afterthought. There is also that death during the Battle of Hogwarts which directly contradicts book canon.

Fan grievances about the movies span from small details — why change the colour of Hermione’s dress at the Yule Ball? — to larger elements — where is Peeves? — but there is one change that can be summarized in a single word that will rouse many book fans into a frenzy: Calmly.

However, despite the things the movies did not get quite right, they are iconic for a reason. It feels unsurmountable to many fans to recast beloved actors who became synonymous with their characters.

To a generation, Alan Rickman is Severus Snape, Robbie Coltrane is Rubeus Hagrid, and Maggie Smith is Minerva McGonagall. Recasting the Golden Trio feels just as impossible a task.

Regardless, the project is underway and a full recast is what has been promised. If the show hopes to entice fans of the original franchise, sticking to the book canon will be the safe way forward.

#2 Harry Potter Books in Chronological Order

There is another way to read the Harry Potter books in order, though, and that’s chronologically.

I wouldn’t recommend this reading method for any newcomers. This is purely a reading method for those seasoned veterans looking for a new way to read the Harry Potter books in order.

1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Original Screenplay 2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald, Original Screenplay 3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Original Screenplay 4. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies 6. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists 7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 8. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 9. Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide 10. Quidditch through the Ages 11. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 12. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 14. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 15. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 16. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 17. The Tales of Beedle the Bard 18. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Official Playscript

In the above list, I inserted the Hogwarts Library Collection and Short Story books where they belong according to first mention. For instance, Quidditch is first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, so I thought you might want to read about Quidditch either during or after that book.

Fantastic Beasts is first mentioned in The Sorcerer’s Stone, and Tales of the Beedle the Bard is first mentioned in The Deathly Hallows.

The books below don’t really fit anywhere in the timeline. Though, if I’m being 100% honest, I haven’t read these.

1. A Journey Through Charms & Defense Against the Dark Arts 2. A Journey Through Potions and Herbology 3. A Journey Through Divination and Astronomy 4. A Journey Through Care of Magical Creatures

Harry Potter Books in Order

Summary of the Harry Potter Books in Order

But if you are looking to read the Harry Potter books in order for the first time, it is essential to begin your magical journey with the main books. In this section I’ll include summaries for each book within the original Harry Potter series, as well as the Fantastic Beasts prequel series.

It is important to begin your journey with the original series before reading the prequels or supplementary material, so you have a thorough understanding of the Wizarding World first.

Finally, if you’ve managed to make it this far without coming across any Harry Potter spoilers, read the below summaries with caution. They will contain minor spoilers for the original series and the prequels as the books progress.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Harry Potter Books in Order

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone begins Harry Potter’s journey. After living with his Aunt and Uncle who hate him all his life, Harry discovers he’s a wizard when he’s invited to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

But then he discovers the wizard who killed his parents isn’t as dead as everyone thinks and he’s out to finish the job he left undone the night Harry was orphaned.

The Chamber of Secrets ebook

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his second year of school along with his best friend, Ronald Weasley. This year, Ron’s little sister, Ginny attends Hogwarts.

When students are found petrified, it’s discovered that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened once more.

Harry and Ginny finds themselves at the center of a plot they couldn’t have fathomed.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for this third year of school. When notorious murderer, Sirius Black, escapes from Azkaban prison, the wizarding world fears he has one target: Harry Potter.

The Goblet of Fire Book Cover

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

During Harry Potter’s fourth year at Hogwarts, it’s time for the Triwizard tournament to once again begin. When Harry’s name is placed into the cup, he finds himself in a deadly competition with only a single, nefarious goal.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter Books in Order

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Voldemort is back, but the wizarding world is in denial. Only the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization started by Dumbledore, can stop him. With Dumbledore on the outs with the minister, Dolores Umbridge is assigned to Hogwarts as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She will stop at nothing to see Dumbledore and Harry Potter disgraced.

The Half-Blood Prince ebook

6. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince

The war against Voldemort rages on. The wizarding world can no longer deny his return. Hogwarts is the only truly safe place, or is it?

Draco Malfoy, under the employ of Voldemort, is seeking for a way to defeat Dumbledore once and for all.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore is chasing his own leads to destroy Voldemort and he’s conscripted Harry to help him.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

7. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

Dumbledore is dead and the only one standing between Voldemort and total world domination is Harry Potter and his friends, Ron and Hermione.

Can they stop him before he destroys the wizarding world?

The Cursed Child Book Cover

8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Official Playscript

The Cursed Child is a play written by J.K. Rowling and follows the children of Harry and Ginny at Hogwarts.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Harry Potter Books in Order

9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Original Screenplay

After you have read the main Harry Potter books, you may choose to read the prequels next, which document the adventures of Magizoologist Newt Scamander.

Fantastic Beasts The Crimes of Grindelwald

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald, Original Screenplay

The Fantastic Beasts series is back with the Crimes of Grindewald, the official adaptation of the movie.

Fantastic Beasts The Secrets of Dumbledore

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Complete Screenplay

The final book in the Fantastic Beasts series is The Secrets of Dumbledore. This movie didn’t go over well in the box office, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the official adaptation.

Final thoughts on Harry Potter books in order

Reading the Harry Potter books in order is an enchanting experience. At the core of these books are themes of good vs. evil and the power of love and sacrifice.

The original seven books are essential reading and then you can take your Harry Potter reading journey in whichever direction you would like. Either diving deeper into the world with the complimentary material, or reading the Fantastic Beasts prequels.

Looking for more books to read?

Check out these 10 Books like Throne of Glass .

2 thoughts on “ All 20+ Harry Potter Books in Order | How to Read J.K. Rowling’s Books ”

“Fantastic Beasts is first mentioned in The Prisoner of Azkaban” This is not true. you can read Fantastic Beasts mentioned in SS.

Thanks for that. I’ll get it changed. I was literally pulling the info from another article I read. It’s been awhile since I read the books myself to remember exactly.

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Harry Potter Books in Order: A Complete Guide to Reading the Series

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Harry Potter is a fantasy novel series by British author J.K. Rowling. The series follows the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The novels have gained immense popularity and have been adapted into movie franchises, theme parks, and video games.

To fully enjoy the Harry Potter series, reading the books in order is important. The series consists of seven books, starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and concluding with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In addition to these seven books, several spin-offs and additional novels are set in the wizarding world, such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Pottermore Presents .

What to Note about Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone

  • Harry Potter is a popular series of fantasy novels written by J.K. Rowling.
  • The series follows the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
  • It is important to read the Harry Potter books in order to enjoy the series fully.

What are the Harry Potter books in Order?

The names of all the Harry Potter books in order are:

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  • Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter Books In Order:

the books of harry potter in order

Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone

the books of harry potter in order

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the first book in the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling. In the United States, it was released under the title H arry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . The book introduces readers to the protagonist, Harry Potter, and his life with the Dursleys, his cruel and neglectful relatives.

On his eleventh birthday, Harry discovers he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He makes new friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, and enemies, such as Draco Malfoy. The trio gets into various adventures and mysteries, including the discovery of the Philosopher’s Stone, which can grant immortality and infinite wealth.

The book also introduces readers to the magical world of Hogwarts, including the four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. It also features the game of Quidditch, a popular sport in the wizarding world, and the lovable half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, who serves as the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone set the stage for the rest of the series and is a must-read for any Harry Potter fan.

In the second book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , the story follows Harry’s second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The book was published in 1998 and was written by J.K. Rowling.

The book starts with Harry spending a miserable summer with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He is visited by Dobby, a house-elf who warns him of danger at Hogwarts and tells him not to return. However, Harry ignores the warning and returns to Hogwarts with his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

The book introduces new characters such as Gilderoy Lockhart, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister. Lockhart is a vain and self-centered wizard who is more interested in fame and fortune than teaching his students. Ginny, on the other hand, is shy and quiet and has a crush on Harry.

The main plot of the book revolves around the Chamber of Secrets, a hidden chamber within Hogwarts that is said to contain a monster that can only be controlled by the heir of Slytherin. As mysterious attacks start happening around the school, Harry and his friends set out to uncover the truth behind the Chamber of Secrets and the monster within.

Throughout the book, Harry and his friends encounter many obstacles, including a giant spider, a ghost who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and a deadly basilisk. With the help of their friends and their own magical abilities, they are able to solve the mystery and save Hogwarts from destruction.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a thrilling and exciting addition to the Harry Potter series. It introduces new characters and expands on the magical world created by J.K. Rowling.

In the third book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Harry is back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his third year. However, this year is different as a notorious prisoner, Sirius Black, has escaped from the wizarding prison, Azkaban.

The book starts with Harry living with his abusive relatives, the Dursleys, during the summer. After getting into an argument with his Aunt Marge, Harry accidentally inflates her and runs away from home. He then goes to the Leaky Cauldron and later to Hogwarts, where he finds out that Sirius Black is after him.

The story takes an unexpected turn as Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione learn about the truth behind Sirius Black’s imprisonment and his connection to Harry’s past. They also encounter Dementors, the guards of Azkaban, which are soul-sucking creatures that can only be repelled by the Patronus charm.

In this book, readers are introduced to new characters such as Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher. The book also delves deeper into the wizarding world’s history and lore, including the origin of the Marauder’s Map, which plays a crucial role in the story.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a brilliant addition to the series, with a gripping plot and richly developed characters. It explores themes of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of love and friendship.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth book in the Harry Potter series. It was written by J.K. Rowling and published in 2000. The book is set during Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and it follows Harry as he competes in the Triwizard Tournament, a dangerous competition between three wizarding schools.

The book begins with Harry attending the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasley family. However, the event is interrupted by a group of Death Eaters, Voldemort’s followers, who cause chaos and destruction. This sets the tone for the rest of the book, which is darker and more intense than the previous ones.

One of the main themes of the book is the return of Voldemort, who has been absent since his defeat at the hands of Harry as a baby. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Voldemort is regaining his strength and preparing to make a comeback. This creates a sense of urgency and danger, as Harry and his friends try to uncover Voldemort’s plans and stop him before it’s too late.

Another important aspect of the book is the Triwizard Tournament, which is a series of challenges designed to test the skills of the participating students. Harry is unexpectedly chosen as one of the champions, despite being underage, and he must navigate the dangerous tasks while also dealing with the hostility of some of his fellow competitors.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a thrilling and suspenseful addition to the series. It introduces new characters, expands the world-building, and sets the stage for the events to come.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book in the Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling. In this book, Harry returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his fifth year, but the Ministry of Magic refuses to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned. Instead, they appoint Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and she begins to enforce strict rules and regulations at Hogwarts.

Meanwhile, Harry is plagued by disturbing dreams about Voldemort and struggles to control his emotions. He also receives private lessons in Occlumency from Professor Snape, but these do not go well. As Harry becomes more isolated, he starts to question the loyalty of his friends and allies.

The Order of the Phoenix, a secret society led by Albus Dumbledore, is dedicated to fighting Voldemort and his followers. Harry joins the group, but they must operate outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Magic, which is headed by the corrupt and stubborn Cornelius Fudge. In the end, Harry and his friends must battle against Voldemort and his Death Eaters in a fierce battle at the Ministry of Magic.

Throughout the book, themes of loyalty, friendship, and the power of propaganda are explored. The characters also face difficult moral choices and must deal with the consequences of their actions. 

Overall, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a thought-provoking addition to the series that sets the stage for the final two books.

In the sixth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , the story follows Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The book was published in 2005 and was written by J.K. Rowling.

The title of the book refers to the identity of the Half-Blood Prince, a mysterious character whose potions textbook Harry finds and uses throughout the year. The book also explores the backstory of Voldemort and his rise to power, as well as the ongoing conflict between the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix.

One of the major plot points in the book is the revelation of Severus Snape’s true loyalties. Throughout the series, Snape is portrayed as a villainous character, but in this book, it is revealed that he has been working as a double agent for Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. This revelation has major implications for the rest of the series.

Another important aspect of the book is the development of Harry’s relationships with his friends and love interests. Harry begins to develop feelings for Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister, and the two begin a relationship towards the end of the book. Additionally, Ron and Hermione’s relationship becomes more complicated when Ron begins dating Lavender Brown, causing tension between him and Hermione.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a pivotal book in the series, setting up many of the events that take place in the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . With its complex plot, well-developed characters, and exciting action sequences, it is a must-read for any fan of the series.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series. In this book, Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest to destroy the remaining Horcruxes, objects that contain a piece of Lord Voldemort’s soul, in order to defeat him once and for all.

The title of the book refers to the three Deathly Hallows, which are objects that are said to make the owner master of death. These objects include the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set out to find and destroy the Horcruxes while also searching for the Deathly Hallows.

Throughout the book, the trio faces many challenges and dangers as they try to stay one step ahead of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They also learn more about Dumbledore’s past and his involvement with the Deathly Hallows.

In the climactic final battle, Harry finally faces off against Voldemort, and the fate of the wizarding world hangs in the balance. The book ends with an epilogue set nineteen years later, showing Harry, Ron, and Hermione as adults with families of their own.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows offers a satisfying conclusion to the Harry Potter series, tying up loose ends and providing closure for the beloved characters.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a stage play written by Jack Thorne, based on an original story written by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Thorne. The story is set nineteen years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . It follows Harry Potter, now Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic, and his son, Albus Severus Potter, who is about to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The play is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It received its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016, and has since been performed in several countries around the world.

The play has received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Some have praised the play for its engaging storyline and impressive special effects, while others have criticized it for its departure from the original series’ tone and themes.

Despite the mixed reviews, the play has been a commercial success, grossing over $2 billion worldwide. It has also spawned several merchandise tie-ins, including a LEGO set and a book adaptation of the play.

Warner Bros. has also announced plans to adapt the play into a movie, though no release date or casting information has been announced yet.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a unique addition to the Harry Potter universe, offering fans a chance to see their favorite characters in a new light.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a book written by Newt Scamander, a magizoologist in the magical universe of Harry Potter . It is a textbook for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is used by students in their Care of Magical Creatures class. The book describes different magical creatures and their characteristics.

In 2016, Warner Bros. released a film adaptation of the book, also titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them . The movie is set in 1926 and follows the adventures of Newt Scamander as he travels to New York City with a suitcase full of magical creatures. The film was directed by David Yates and stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein, and Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski.

The film was a commercial success and received positive reviews from critics. It was followed by a sequel in 2018, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald . The movie takes place in 1927 and follows Newt Scamander as he joins forces with a young Albus Dumbledore to stop the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. The film was also directed by David Yates and stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, and Dan Fogler, along with Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore and Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald.

While the Fantastic Beasts series is set in the same universe as the Harry Potter books and movies, it takes place decades before the events of the original series. The films introduce new characters and explore different aspects of the wizarding world.

In the Harry Potter series, the term “Muggle” is used to refer to non-magical people. The Fantastic Beasts movies also use this term, as they are set in the same universe. However, in the United States, the term “No-Maj” is used instead of “Muggle”. This is because the word “Muggle” is of British origin and does not have the same meaning in American English.

Overall, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an entertaining and informative book that adds depth to the Harry Potter universe. The film adaptations are also enjoyable and offer a fresh perspective on the wizarding world.

Pottermore Presents

Pottermore Presents is a series of eBooks that delve deeper into the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. The series includes three books: Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide , Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power , Politics and Pesky Poltergeists , and Quidditch Through the Ages . The books were originally featured on Pottermore.com and were later compiled into a collection.

Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide provides a closer look at the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry. It includes information on the Hogwarts ghosts, the Sorting Hat, and the castle’s hidden secrets. The book also explores the history of Hogwarts and its founders.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists features stories about the darker side of the wizarding world. It includes tales about the Ministry of Magic, the Azkaban prison, and the infamous Dolores Umbridge.

Quidditch Through the Ages is a comprehensive guide to the wizarding sport of Quidditch. It includes information on the history of the sport, the rules, and the teams. The book also features profiles of famous Quidditch players and teams.

In addition to the three books, Pottermore Presents also includes The Tales of Beedle the Bard . This book features five fairy tales from the wizarding world, including “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” which was featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows .

Overall, Pottermore Presents provides readers with a deeper understanding of the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. The books are a must-read for any Harry Potter fan looking to expand their knowledge of the magical universe.

Additional Harry Potter Novels

In addition to the seven main Harry Potter novels, there are a few other books that expand on the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. These books provide additional insight into the characters and events of the series, and can be a great way for fans to delve deeper into the world of Harry Potter .

One such book is The Tales of Beedle the Bard , a collection of wizarding fairy tales that are mentioned throughout the Harry Potter series. The book includes five stories, each with its own unique message and lesson. It was first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , and was later published as a real book in 2008.

Another book that fans may enjoy is Quidditch Through the Ages , a guide to the wizarding world’s favorite sport. The book covers the history of Quidditch, as well as the rules and regulations of the game. It was written by Kennilworthy Whisp, a fictional character in the Harry Potter universe, and was published in 2001.

For those interested in the chronological order of events in the Harry Potter universe, The Harry Potter Chronicles is a helpful resource. This book provides a timeline of events that occur in the series, including the birth and death dates of various characters and the dates of important events such as the Battle of Hogwarts. It was published in 2005.

In addition to these books, fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest news and events in the Harry Potter universe through various websites and social media accounts. The official Harry Potter website provides updates on new merchandise, events, and other news related to the series. Fans can also follow the Hogwarts Express podcast, which covers all things Harry Potter.

Overall, there are many ways for fans to continue exploring the world of Harry Potter beyond the main series of novels. Whether through additional books, online resources, or social media accounts, there is always more to discover in this magical universe.

Harry Potter in Other Media

The Harry Potter franchise has expanded beyond the books and movies, with various forms of media allowing fans to immerse themselves in the wizarding world. Here are some of the most notable examples:

Movie Franchise

The Harry Potter movies, produced by Warner Bros., have grossed over $9 billion worldwide and are some of the highest-grossing films of all time. The series consists of eight films, with the last two films being split into two parts each. The movies have been praised for their faithfulness to the books, as well as their production design, visual effects, and performances.

Lego has released several Harry Potter -themed sets, including sets based on Hogwarts Castle, the Hogwarts Express, and various scenes from the movies. The sets are popular among both children and adult fans of the franchise, and are known for their attention to detail and high-quality design.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros., the studio behind the Harry Potter movies, has also released several video games based on the franchise. These include games based on the movies, as well as original games set in the wizarding world. The games have been praised for their attention to detail and their ability to immerse players in the world of Harry Potter .

The Harry Potter franchise has also been adapted into several theme park attractions, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida and Hollywood, California. These attractions allow fans to explore Hogwarts Castle, Diagon Alley, and other iconic locations from the books and movies.

The Harry Potter franchise continues to make headlines, with news of a new Harry Potter TV series in the works for Warner Bros.’ streaming service, HBO Max. While details are scarce, the series is expected to explore new stories set in the wizarding world, and could potentially feature characters from the original books and movies.

In conclusion, the Harry Potter series is a timeless classic that has captured the hearts of readers of all ages. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the wizarding world, there are several ways to enjoy the books.

One of the most important things to consider when starting the Harry Potter series is the reading order. It is important to read the Harry Potter books in order to truly enjoy them.While there are several options available, the most popular and recommended reading order is the publication order. 

This means starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US) and then progressing through the series in the order they were published. This allows readers to experience the story as it was originally intended and to follow the character development and plot twists in the order they were meant to be revealed.

For those who prefer a chronological order, it is important to note that the events of the Harry Potter series are not presented in a strictly linear fashion. However, the chronological order of the books is as follows: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows .

It is also worth noting that there are additional books in the Harry Potter series, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bar d. While these books are not essential to understanding the main story, they offer additional insight into the wizarding world and are a must-read for any true Harry Potter fan.

Overall, the Harry Potter series is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy, adventure, and great storytelling. With its unforgettable characters, intricate plot, and rich world-building, it is no wonder that the series has become a cultural phenomenon. Whether you are reading the books for the first time or revisiting them for the hundredth time, the magic of Harry Potter never fades.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct order of the harry potter books.

Here are the Harry Potter books in order:

How many books are in the Harry Potter series?

There are seven books in the Harry Potter series.

How many copies of Harry Potter books have been sold?

As of 2021, over 500 million copies of Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide.

What is the latest book in the Harry Potter series?

The latest book in the Harry Potter series is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , which was published in 2007.

How do the Harry Potter book release dates compare to the movie release dates?

The Harry Potter books were released before the movies. The first book was published in 1997 and the first movie was released in 2001. The last book was published in 2007 and the last movie was released in 2011.

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MMB Book Blog

Complete List of All Harry Potter Books in Order

By: Author Jen - MMB Book Blog

Posted on Published: 7 November 2023  - Last updated: 7 April 2024

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the books of harry potter in order

I was twelve years old when I read the first Harry Potter book when it was released in 1997 and I was instantly hooked on the magical world J.K Rowling had created. I knew I desperately wanted to read all Harry Potter books in order and would impatiently wait for the next instalment.

I would definitely recommend reading the Harry Potter books in order . The story builds on previous events, and characters undergo significant development throughout the series. Reading the books in order allows readers to witness the personal growth, struggles, and triumphs of not only Harry but also his friends and foes.

In this blog post, I’ll take you through all Harry Potter books in order along with a nod to the Harry Potter movies that brought the Wizarding World to life on the big screen.

Harry Potter books in order by book cover

All Harry Potter Books in Order Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

Harry Potter Books by J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter books tell the tale of a young wizard’s journey from a seemingly ordinary life to one filled with adventure and magic. The journey through Hogwarts, and beyond is one that never loses its magic.

J. K. Rowling masterfully develops her characters over the course of the series.

If you’ve enjoyed the Harry Potter films, reading the books in order offers a more in-depth and detailed experience of the story. You’ll discover scenes, subplots, and characters that the films may have omitted or condensed in the movies .

Harry Potter Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997) This book was published under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the United States. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was the original title in the United Kingdom. Our journey begins with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Here, we meet young Harry Potter, who discovers his true heritage as a wizard on his 11th birthday. He receives his invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and embarks on a journey filled with magical creatures, new friendships, and the mysteries surrounding the Philosopher’s Stone. The film adaptation, released in 2001, was our first glimpse into the visual wonder of the Wizarding World.
Harry Potter Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998) In the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry returns for his second year at Hogwarts. Mysterious occurrences are happening at the school, and Harry and his friends must uncover the dark secrets hidden within the Chamber of Secrets to save the day. The film adaptation, released in 2002, takes us deeper into the enchanting realm of Hogwarts, introducing new characters and magical creatures.
Harry Potter Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999) The third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, brings new adventures and revelations. Harry learns about his family’s past, faces the notorious Sirius Black, and discovers the power of the Marauder’s Map. This instalment, adapted into a film in 2004, explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of one’s choices.
Harry Potter Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire marks a turning point in the series as Harry is unexpectedly entered into the Triwizard Tournament, a perilous magical competition. The story takes a darker and more intense turn, foreshadowing the challenges and dangers that lie ahead. The film adaptation, released in 2005, captures the excitement and tension of the tournament and the emergence of the Dark Lord’s return.
Harry Potter Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003) The fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, delves deeper into the political and emotional aspects of the Wizarding World. Harry, Ron, and Hermione face growing threats from the Ministry of Magic’s denial of Voldemort’s return. The film adaptation, released in 2007, showcases Harry’s determination and the formation of Dumbledore’s Army.
Harry Potter Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince unravels the secrets surrounding Voldemort’s Horcruxes and the past of the enigmatic Severus Snape. As Harry and his friends come of age, they face personal challenges and an impending war against the Dark Lord. The film adaptation, released in 2009, delves into the history of Voldemort’s rise to power and the sacrifices made to defeat him.
Harry Potter Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007) The epic conclusion to the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sees Harry, Ron, and Hermione on a quest to destroy the Horcruxes and ultimately confront Voldemort. This emotional and action-packed finale ties up all the loose ends and brings the story full circle. The film adaptation, released in two parts in 2010 and 2011, masterfully captures the grandeur of the final battle and the profound sacrifices made by our beloved characters.
Other Harry Potter Books Quidditch Through the Ages (2001) – Contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules – and the breaking of the rules – of the noble sport of Quidditch. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008) – A collection of wizarding fairy tales mentioned in the series. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016) – A two-part stage play script co-written by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne. These works collectively make up the core Harry Potter original series and the expanded universe, offering fans a more comprehensive experience of the Wizarding World.

Fantastic Beasts Series

the books of harry potter in order

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is part of the Harry Potter universe and focuses on magical creatures and the adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander .

The series takes place several decades before the events of the Harry Potter books.

For more information, check out my Fantastic Beasts books guide .

Fantastic Beasts Books in Order Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (2016) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay (2018) Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – The Original Screenplay (2022)

Who Are The Main Characters in Harry Potter?

The Harry Potter book series features a rich cast of characters. However, the main characters who play pivotal roles throughout the series are:

  • Harry Potter
  • Ron Weasley
  • Hermione Granger
  • Lord Voldemort/Tom Riddle
  • Albus Dumbledore
  • Rubeus Hagrid
  • Severus Snape
  • Draco Malfoy
  • Remus Lupin
  • Sirius Black

How Many Harry Potter Books Are There?

There are seven Harry Potter books in the original series. The entire series consists of spin offs and short story collections but there are only seven books in the main series.

Are there 7 or 8 books in the Harry Potter series?

Although there are eight Harry Potter films, there are only seven Harry Potter books. This is because The Deathly Hallows was split into two halves for the movie series as the book was so long.

What is the Best Harry Potter Book?

Determining the best Harry Potter book is subjective and can vary from person to person, as it often depends on individual preferences, favourite moments, and personal connections to the story. Each book in the series has its own unique qualities and strengths, however, my personal favourite was The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Whether you’re a seasoned Hogwarts alum or a first-time reader, the magic of the Wizarding World is always ready to transport you to a place where imagination knows no bounds.

If you’re looking for more reading inspiration why not check out my other book lists and book reviews. I have book guides listed by author and book guides listed by genre . I also have author reading lists and series order lists to help inspire you.

Related Lists

You may also be interested in these other books lists.

  • Fantastic Beasts Books in Order
  • Harry Potter Quotes About Friendship

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wereadtweenbooks.com

Harry Potter Books in Order: The Ultimate Guide to this Popular Fantasy Series

Tween readers will fall in love with Harry, Hermione and Ron in the Harry Potter series! Discover all of the Harry Potter books in order plus all of the fun, extra books a part of this fantastic and popular book series.

* Disclosure : I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program so if you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I wonder if J.K. Rowling had any idea of how popular the Harry Potter books and series would become when she was writing snippets on napkins in cafes throughout Edinburgh.

Her story as a struggling single mother to best-selling author is an inspiration in itself which I hope inspires tween readers and writers out there that success can come from any hardship.

The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , released in 1997 followed by six additional books in the series which have gone on to sell over 500 million copies worldwide .

What are the Harry Potter Books About?

Harry Potter is an orphan who discovers that his parents were a witch and wizard and that he too is a wizard.

He is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he meets his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

Harry and his friends have many adventures during their years at Hogwarts as the evil wizard Voldemort plans his return to power. 

Who Will Enjoy the Harry Potter Books?

The Harry Potter book series will appeal most to tween readers who love fantasy and magic, but also to those who love stories about friendship and perseverance.

Harry Potter Reading Level

The Harry Potter books do get a bit more intense as the series continues so I will give the recommended age and recommended grade levels for each of the books in order as they are listed.

  • Harry Potter Illustrated Editions

It seems like MANY book series are churning out graphic novel editions these days so the question comes up if the Harry Potter books have been created into graphic novels.

The answer is NO, however there are two sets of illustrated editions that are just beautiful and must haves for all Harry Potter fans’ libraries.

The first set is illustrated by Jim Kay and the second set is illustrated by Minalima. Check them out below!

  • Harry Potter Movies

I think everyone has heard of the Harry Potter movies because they crushed it at the box office.

There are a total of 8 Harry Potter movies because the last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was made into two movies.

This book list gives all of the Harry Potter books in order PLUS additional books that relate to the series that you shouldn’t miss as well as the list of Harry Potter movies!

Harry Potter fans are not going to want to miss these extras.

Harry Potter Books in Order:

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997)
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

Harry Potter Series Extras:

  • Hogwarts Library Books
  • Official Harry Potter Coloring Books
  • Harry Potter Craft Books
  • Extra Books
  • Harry Potter Fan Club
  • Harry Potter Experiences

Harry Potter Books in Order with Publisher Descriptions:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Recommended Age: 7+ Recommended Grades: 4-7

Publisher’s Description:

Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

But fortunately for Harry, he’s about to be granted a scholarship to a unique boarding school called THE HOGWORTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, where he will become a school hero at the game of Quidditch (a kind of aerial soccer played high above the ground on broomsticks), he will make some wonderful friends, and, unfortunately, a few terrible enemies.

For although he seems to be getting your run-of-the-mill boarding school experience (well, ok, even that’s pretty darn out of the ordinary), Harry Potter has a destiny that he was born to fulfill. A destiny that others would kill to keep him from.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Recommended Reading Level: Age 8+, Grades 4-7

The summer after his first year at Hogwarts is worse than ever for Harry Potter. The Dursleys of Privet Drive are more horrible to him than ever before.

And just when he thinks the endless summer vacation is over, a creature named Dobby the house-elf shows up issuing a grave warning to Harry not to go back to school or disaster will happen!

Of course, Harry has to go back- and he does so in grand style, in a flying-car magicked by his friends Ron and Percy Weasley. But getting back to Hogwarts isn’t the cure Harry expects it to be.

Almost immediately a student is found turned to stone, and then another. And somehow Harry stands accused.

Could Harry Potter be the long-feared heir of Slytherin? Harry and friends Hermione and Fred are stretched to their limits in a desperate fight against Draco Malfoy and his gang, the hideously stuck-up new professor Gilderoy Lockheart, the malevolent owner of the diary of Tom Riddle, giant spiders, and perhaps even…Hagrid!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of ending thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter’s defeat of You-Know-Who was Black’s downfall as well. And the Azkban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, “He’s at Hogwarts…he’s at Hogwarts.” Harry Potter isn’t safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

The Triwizard Tournament is to be held at Hogwarts. Only wizards who are over seventeen are allowed to enter – but that doesn’t stop Harry dreaming that he will win the competition.

Then at Hallowe’en, when the Goblet of Fire makes its selection, Harry is amazed to find his name is one of those that the magical cup picks out.

He will face daring tasks, dragons and Dark wizards, but with the help of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, he might just make it through – alive!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Recommended Reading Level: 9+, Grades 4-7

Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors’ attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him.

There are many who deny the Dark Lord’s return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces.

Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort’s savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Recommended Reading Level: Age 9+, Grades 4-7

When Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive one summer night to collect Harry Potter, his wand hand is blackened and shrivelled, but he does not reveal why.

Secrets and suspicion are spreading through the wizarding world, and Hogwarts itself is not safe. Harry is convinced that Malfoy bears the Dark Mark.

Harry will need powerful magic and true friends as he explores Voldemort’s darkest secrets, and Dumbledore prepares him to face his destiny.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid’s motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort is not far behind.

The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. T

he final battle must begin – Harry must stand and face his enemy.

Harry Potter Books in Order: Illustrated Editions

There are two sets of Harry Potter illustrated books that are just beautiful. The first set is by illustrator Jim Kay and the second is by studio Minalima.

You’ll want to have both sets for your library!

Harry Potter Illustrated Books by Jim Kay

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Illustrated edition by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: The Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Jim Kay

Publisher’s Description: Prepare to be spellbound by this dazzling depiction of the wizarding world and its much-loved characters in this exclusive Kindle in Motion edition of one of the world’s favourite books – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Brimming with rich detail and humour that perfectly complements J.K. Rowling’s timeless classic, Jim Kay’s glorious illustrations will captivate fans and new readers alike. In this Kindle in Motion edition, Jim Kay’s illustrations are available for the first time in a beautifully designed digital reading experience, with the artist’s interpretations of much-loved locations, characters and magical creatures newly animated to come alive on your device.

See the smoke from the Hogwarts Express billow around Platform 9 ¾, experience the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley, and witness the enchanting spectacle of the Sorting Ceremony.

All this and other surprises and delights await in this specially-created digital book.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated edition by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Version by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Jim Kay

Publisher’s Description:

Award-winning artist Jim Kay illustrates year two of Harry Potter’s adventures at Hogwarts, in a stunning, gift-ready format.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated edition by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Jim Kay

The third book in the bestselling Harry Potter series, now illustrated in glorious full color by award-winning artist Jim Kay!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated edition by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Jim Kay

The fourth book in the beloved Harry Potter series, now illustrated in glorious full color by award-winning artist Jim Kay. With over 150 illustrations!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated edition by J.K. Rowling is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Jim Kay with Neil Packer

The fifth book in the beloved, bestselling Harry Potter series, now illustrated in brilliant full color.

This stunning illustrated edition brings together the talents of award-winning artists Jim Kay and Neil Packer in a visual feast, featuring iconic scenes and much loved characters — Tonks, Luna Lovegood, and many more — as the Order of the Phoenix keeps watch over Harry Potter’s fifth year at Hogwarts.

With its oversized format, high-quality paper, ribbon bookmark, and color on nearly every page, this edition is the perfect gift for Harry Potter fans and book lovers of all ages.

Harry Potter a Magical Year by Jim Kay is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter: A Magical Year — The Illustrations of Jim Kay

A unique and beautiful gift book celebrating the art of Jim Kay — 366 magical moments from J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, evoked in spellbinding brushstrokes, characterful ink work, and illuminating pencil sketches.

This irresistible gift book takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the seasons at Hogwarts. Jim Kay’s captivating illustrations, paired with much-loved quotations from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels — one moment, anniversary, or memory for every day of the year — bring to life all of the magic, beauty, and wonder of the wizarding world.

Jim Kay has been enchanting readers since the publication of the Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2015.

Now, in Harry Potter: A Magical Year, a selection of Kay’s most iconic illustrations are joined by previously unseen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, offering unique and fascinating insight into the artist’s sketchbook.

From the snowy towers of Hogwarts, to the dancing eyes of Professor Albus Dumbledore, to the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley, this visual feast is the perfect companion for readers of all ages, at any point on their Harry Potter journey, and a gift to cherish for years to come.

Harry Potter Illustrated Books by Minalima

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Illustrated edition by Minalima is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Minalima Edition by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Minalima

A dazzling new edition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, fully illustrated in brilliant color and featuring exclusive interactive paper craft elements, including a foldout Hogwarts letter and more!

In this stunning new edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, experience the story as never before. J.K. Rowling’s complete and unabridged text is accompanied by full-color illustrations on nearly every page and eight exclusive, interactive paper craft elements: Readers will open Harry’s Hogwarts letter, reveal the magical entryway to Diagon Alley, make a sumptuous feast appear in the Great Hall, and more.

Designed and illustrated by award-winning design studio MinaLima — best known for establishing the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films — this edition is sure to be a keepsake for Harry Potter fans, a beautiful addition to any collector’s bookshelf, and an enchanting way to introduce the first book in this beloved series to a new generation of readers.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated edition by Minalima is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Minalima Edition by J.K. Rowling Illustrated by Minalima

A stunning new edition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, with beautiful full color illustrations and eight interactive paper craft elements featuring the Whomping Willow, the Weasleys’ Burrow, and more.

A gift to be treasured by Harry Potter fans and book lovers of all ages!

Prepare to be dazzled by this new edition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, designed and illustrated by MinaLima.

With over 150 full-color illustrations and eight exclusive, interactive paper craft elements, readers will travel via the Floo Network, watch out for the Whomping Willow, reveal the spiral staircase to Dumbledore’s office, pull Mandrakes from their pots, and more.

This keepsake edition is the perfect gift for Harry Potter fans of all ages, a beautiful addition to any collector’s bookshelf, and an enchanting way to introduce this beloved series to a new generation of readers.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts One and Two: The Official Playscript of the Original West End Production by J.K. Rowljng, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany

The official playscript of the original West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It’s been nineteen years since Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger saved the wizarding world, and now they’re back on a most extraordinary adventure, joined by a brave new generation that’s only just arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son, Albus, struggles with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted.

As past and present collide, both father and son are locked in a race through time as they battle mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the complete and unabridged playscript of the award-winning West End production.

This edition includes the final dialogue and stage directions of the original, two-part play, a conversation piece between director John Tiffany and playwright Jack Thorne, the Potter family tree, and a timeline of key events in the wizarding world leading up to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Harry Potter Hogwarts Library Books

There are three Hogwarts Library books that are written by J.K. Rowling and which appear in the Harry Potter books.

Harry Potter fans will enjoy these books to learn more about the magical creatures and beasts of the wizarding world, the wizarding world’s favorite sport, quidditch, and the fairy tales written for young witches and wizards.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: A Harry Potter Hogwarts Library Book by J.K. Rowling and Newt Scamander Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

As every fan of the Harry Potter stories knows, the shelves of the Hogwarts Library are home to all sorts of fascinating books.

There are three in particular you might have heard mentioned by certain Hogwarts students, and that you can add to your reading list too, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. A set textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander’s masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the wizarding world. Flipping through the pages of Newt’s famous journal, you’ll journey around the globe and discover the many and varied creatures that he made it his life’s work to study and protect.

Some of the beasts will be familiar to fans of the Wizarding World – the Hippogriff, the Niffler, the Hungarian Horntail… while others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist.

Quidditch Through the Ages is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Quidditch Through the Ages: A Harry Potter Hogwarts Library Book   by J.K. Rowling and Kennilworthy Whisp

Publisher’s Description: Maybe you dream of catching the elusive Golden Snitch to the sound of deafening cheers all around you, as a certain Harry Potter once did.

Or perhaps, like Hermione Granger, your thirst for knowledge is somehow just never quite satisfied.

Whether you’re a seasoned fan or a complete newcomer to the sport, you’ll be in good company when you pick up this particular Hogwarts Library book. From its origins on Queerditch Marsh in the eleventh century to the sophisticated sport played today, discover how ‘Quidditch unites witches and wizards from all walks of life, bringing us together to share moments of exhilaration, triumph and (for those who support the Chudley Cannons) despair’, according to Professor Albus Dumbledore’s foreword. Do you know why refereeing a Quidditch match was once a task for only the bravest witches and wizards, or how to tell a Transylvanian Tackle from a Woollongong Shimmy?

In this enlightening and highly popular Hogwarts library book, Kennilworthy Whisp reveals the daring highs and dangerous lows of the glorious game of Quidditch.

The Tales of Beedle and the Bard is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

The Tales of Beedle and the Bard by J.K. Rowling

Publisher’s Description: As familiar to Hogwarts students as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are to Muggle children, Beedle’s stories are a collection of popular fairy tales written for young witches and wizards.

So, if you’re wondering what’s in store… well, you’re in for a treat! You’re bound to laugh when you read about the havoc wreaked by a father’s impish gift to his son in The Wizard and the Hopping Pot. The Fountain of Fair Fortune will take you on a quest through an enchanted garden, alongside three witches and a luckless knight. In The Warlock’s Hairy Heart you’ll be warned about a young warlock who is fearful of love, and turns to dark magic to avoid it at all costs. The calamitous meeting of a foolish king, a cunning charlatan and a mischievous washerwoman unravels in Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump. And finally, the most iconic of Beedle’s stories. The Tale of the Three Brothers – with its message of humility and wisdom – will introduce you, dear reader, to the Deathly Hallows. Each of the tales is accompanied by wise and whimsical notes from a certain Albus Dumbledore, surely everyone’s favourite headmaster. We’re told these five fables have been firm favourites in wizarding households for centuries. Now it’s your turn to experience these tales from the Wizarding World.

Harry Potter Crafting Wizardry is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter: Crafting Wizardry: The Official Harry Potter Craft Book

Filled with imaginative projects, this official book of craft activities channels the magic of the Wizarding World into your home. Featuring over 25 crafts covering a range of skill levels, Crafting Wizardry includes clear, step-by-step, illustrated instructions so that the whole family can share in the magic.

Inside you’ll learn how to craft your very own wand, decorate your home to showcase your Hogwarts house pride, create your own pop-ups, and so much more. Sprinkled with fun facts and behind-the-scenes insights, this book also features film stills, original concept art, and blueprints from the making of the Harry Potter films to take you deeper into the Wizarding World and further inspire your creativity.

So get ready, it’s time for some crafting wizardry!

Harry Potter Coloring Book is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter Coloring Book

Unleash your creativity and escape to one of the most beloved series of all time.

From the heraldry of the four Hogwarts houses to the extravagant wares of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, the world of Harry Potter overflows with radiant color.

Filled with intricate illustrations and elaborate designs used in the making of the Harry Potter films, this book invites you to imbue the wizarding world with color in your own explorations of Hogwarts Castle, the Forbidden Forest, and much more.

You will also find pages of magical creatures and iconic scenes from the films, from the Sorting Ceremony in Harry’s first year, to the unforgettable final battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort, as well as some of the marvelous props used in the movies, such as The Quibbler, Quidditch World Cup posters, and the Triwizard Cup.

Also includes sixteen pages of full-color art from the movies to inspire you as you draw.

Harry Potter Magical Creatures Coloring Book is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter Magical Creatures Coloring Book

House-elves and merpeople, Cornish pixies and dragons–the wizarding world is populated by an unforgettable cast of magical beings and extraordinarybeasts.

Filled with detailed illustrations inspired by the Harry Potter films, this coloring book presents the creatures of the Forbidden Forest, the Great Lake, andmuch more. Relive favorite scenes like Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s escape from Gringotts on the back of a dragon and explore intricate creature-themed patterns in this interactive journey through the wizarding world.

Also included is a selection of stunning concept art and film stills from the making of the Harry Potter films to stimulate your creativity.

Harry Potter Magical Places and Characters coloring book is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter Magical Places and Characters Coloring Book

Explore the many places and characters of the Harry Potter films through the magic of color. From the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall at Hogwarts to the garish tones of the Dursley’s living room, this deluxe coloring book is filled with intricate images that bring fan-favorite wizarding locales to life.

With pages of designs inspired by the characters themselves, this coloring book has something for every Harry Potter fan.

Harry Potter Magical Artifacts coloring book is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter Magical Artifacts Coloring Book

Featuring intricate line drawings inspired by the Harry Potter films, this stunning coloring book gives readers the opportunity to color their way through over eighty pages of detailed artifacts and props.

From wands, potions bottles, and brooms to Voldemort’s Horcruxes and the enchanted textbooks and paintings of Hogwarts, the complex designs in this coloring book offer hours of relaxation and artistic fun.

Quirky and imaginative, this incredible follow-up to the best-selling Harry Potter Coloring Book is the perfect gift for fans of all ages.

Harry Potter Origami is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter Origami

This Harry Potter origami book comes with fifteen foldable crafts!

Ever wanted to fold your own Howler? Or play a desktop game of Quidditch? Experience the Wizarding World like never before with this deluxe, 112-page origami guidebook!

Packed with step-by-step instructions, fans can learn to fold fifteen unique origami pieces, including objects, creatures, and settings straight from the films of Harry Potter!Harry Potter Origami includes:-

Special sheets of illustrated origami paper custom designed for each craft- Step-by-step instructions with illustrations- Photography of the real, finished origami for helpful reference- Advice for keeping your origami looking magical.

Don’t miss this enchanting guide to paper folding–the perfect gift for every Harry Potter fan!

Harry Potter Origami Volume 2 is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter Origami Volume 2

Paper magic at its finest! This second Harry Potter Origami book gives you step-by-step instructions to create 15 magical props inspired by the Harry Potter films.

Craft fifteen amazing props as seen in the Harry Potter films with this easy-to-follow origami book!

You’ll be able to fold amazing objects, like the Flying Ford Anglia and Hagrid’s Hut, as well as familiar characters, like house-elves, Dementors, and Scabbers the rat.

What’s more, you’ll get to fold your own Hogwarts house crest, complete with full-color photography and sheets to fold in the back.

Harry Potter Origami #2 includes:

– Special sheets of illustrated origami paper custom designed for each craft

– Step-by-step instructions with illustrations

– Photography of the real, finished origami for helpful reference

– Advice for keeping your origami looking magical

This second origami book includes 15 new origami pieces to make. It’s the perfect gift for every Harry Potter fan, young and old!

Harry Potter Guided Journals

Harry Potter Wisdom: A Ravenclaw Guided Journal is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter: Wisdom: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Ravenclaw by Insight Editions

Discover the wisdom of your inner Ravenclaw with this yearlong guided journal inspired by the beloved Harry Potter films. In the Harry Potter films, students sorted into the house of Ravenclaw are known for their wisdom, wit, and intelligence.

Now, fans of the iconic film series can embrace their inner Ravenclaw with this deluxe guided journal.

Featuring classic Ravenclaw iconography, this yearlong journal includes a mixture of one-line-a-day activities, lists, and free-writing prompts to help fans tap into and develop the key trait that makes Ravenclaws so special: their wisdom.

With film quotes from famous Ravenclaws throughout and prompts and activities inspired by key scenes from the movies, From the Films of Harry Potter: Wisdom: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Ravenclaw offers Harry Potter fans a space for self-reflection, evaluation, and empowerment inspired by the movies they love.

Harry Potter Loyalty Guided Journal for Hufflepuff is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter: Loyalty: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Hufflepuff by Insight Editions

Discover the loyalty of your inner Hufflepuff with this yearlong guided journal inspired by the beloved Harry Potter films. In the Harry Potter films, students sorted into the house of Hufflepuff are known for their kindness and loyalty.

Now, fans of the iconic film series can embrace their inner Hufflepuff with this deluxe guided journal.

Featuring classic Hufflepuff iconography, this yearlong journal includes a mixture of one-line-a-day activities, lists, and free-writing prompts to help fans tap into and develop the key trait that makes Hufflepuffs so special: their loyalty.

With film quotes from famous Hufflepuffs throughout and prompts and activities inspired by key scenes from the movies, From the Films of Harry Potter: Kindness: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Hufflepuff offers Harry Potter fans a space for self-reflection, evaluation, and empowerment inspired by the movies they love.

Harry Potter Courage: A Guided Journal for Gryffindor is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter: Courage: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Gryffindor by Insight Editions

Discover the bravery of your inner Gryffindor with this yearlong guided journal inspired by the beloved Harry Potter films. In the Harry Potter films, students sorted into the house of Gryffindor are known for their daring, nerve, and chivalry.

Now, fans of the iconic film series can embrace their inner Gryffindor with this deluxe guided journal.

Featuring classic Gryffindor iconography, this yearlong journal includes a mixture of one-line-a-day activities, lists, and free-writing prompts to help fans tap into and develop the key trait that makes Gryffindors so special: their courage.

With film quotes from famous Gryffindors throughout and prompts and activities inspired by key scenes from the movies, this thoughtful journal offers Harry Potter fans a space for self-reflection, evaluation, and empowerment inspired by the movies they love.

Harry Potter Ambition: A Guided Journal for Slytherin is part of the best series for tween readers. Check out the ultimate guide of all the Harry Potter books in order from bloggers, We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter: Ambition: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Slytherin by Insight Editions

Discover the ambition of your inner Slytherin with this yearlong guided journal inspired by the beloved Harry Potter films. In the Harry Potter films, students sorted into the house of Slytherin are known for their ambition, cunning, and resourcefulness.

Now, fans of the iconic film series can embrace their inner Slytherin with this deluxe guided journal.

Featuring classic Slytherin iconography, this yearlong journal includes a mixture of one-line-a-day activities, lists, and free-writing prompts to help fans tap into and develop the key trait that makes Slytherins so special: their ambition.

With film quotes from famous Slytherins throughout and prompts and activities inspired by key scenes from the movies, From the Films of Harry Potter: Ambition: A Guided Journal for Embracing Your Inner Slytherin offers Harry Potter fans a space for self-reflection, evaluation, and empowerment inspired by the movies they love.

Harry Potter Books to Movies

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone movie.

Wizarding World: The Harry Potter Fan Club

Wizarding World is the ultimate fan experience for Harry Potter fans.

No fan can go without visiting Wizarding World – the place for Harry Potter fans filled with puzzles, quizzes, games and more!

Join the Harry Potter Fan club and let the sorting hat pick which house you are in.

Harry Potter The Exhibition

The Harry Potter Experience is a must see for all fans as well as the epic list of all the Harry Potter books in order from We Read Tween Books.

Harry Potter fans will want to attend Harry Potter The Exhibition ! This first debuted in Philadelphia, PA and opened in 2022 in Atlanta, GA before heading to Vienna, Austria and Paris, France. It’s next stop will be New York City!

Check out my Harry Potter: The Exhibition review of our trip there with kids where I tell you what we thought of it and tips you should consider before your own visit!

Harry Potter™: The Exhibition is a groundbreaking touring exhibition that celebrates the iconic moments, characters, settings, and beasts as seen in the Harry Potter™ film series and the Wizarding World through best-in-class immersive design and technology.

This unique in-depth exhibition delights visitors through powerful storytelling and innovative, interactive technology and features original props and costumes.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios

Discover the Wizarding World at Universal Studios and the list of Harry Potter books in order on We Read Tween Books.

Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Orlando and the Wizarding World of Harry Pottery – Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood !

Ride thrilling rides, buy an interactive wand to cast spells, drink Butterbeer and see Hogwarts castle light up the night.

Visiting one of these three parks is a must for all Harry Potter fans!

Discover the Best Chapter Book Series for Tweens!

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Related Book Lists:

  • Harry Potter Illustrated Books: The Ultimate Guide
  • Harry Potter: The Exhibition Review of Our Visit with Kids
  • Fairy Tale Reform School: The Ultimate Guide

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Harry Potter Books In Order: Complete List & Reviews

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It’s a little impossible to be a bookworm and not know the name: Harry Potter. Harry Potter is one of the most famous series in the world. The Harry Potter books have sold more than 500 million copies since the first book came out in 1997. That kind of number is incredibly mind-blowing.

And since then it’s only grown, sprawling into a magical universe of books, movies, a theme park, stage plays, and endlessly merchandise. I mean, are we really Potterheads if we haven’t secretly coveted a scarf in our house colors once or twice?

But what if you haven’t read Harry Potter yet? What if you don’t know why we say “the boy who lived” or “he who must not be named”? What if you’re reading this and inwardly whispering, “what the heck are house colors ?!?!?” while your brain is just one long line of question marks?

That’s actually okay! Not everyone grew up reading Harry Potter books in order. I had my head stuck in Narnia personally and didn’t discover Hogwarts until I was in my late teens. I still don’t have a scarf!! It’s very sad!

There’s no age limit for falling in love with a magical book series.

So whether you’re a new fan or a returning fan or someone with a bad memory and you don’t remember where to start with your Harry Potter journey — this post is for you.

Let’s talk about how to read the Harry Potter books in order!

Table of Contents

What is Harry Potter?

Harry Potter is a series of 7 books about an orphan named Harry Potter who receives a letter to attend a magical school of mischief, mayhem, and magic.

He discovers his parents were great wizards but were murdered by the horrifying villain, Voldemort — a monstrous immortal wizard who Harry is prophesied to defeat.

The series starts off when Harry is eleven (each book covers a year of school) with plenty of shenanigans amongst friends and magical creatures. There are mysteries to solve and life at a wizarding school to survive.

It’s like the ultimate boarding school series, but there’s also monsters and witchcraft and trolls and some serious evil that isn’t going away.

Your heart gets tangled up with the golden trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as they tackle homework and sports tryouts and magical chocolates… And also the dark arts.

The world is swirling and vast and enchanting. This is why readers fall in love.

It’s not just the plot: it’s this chance to taste magic and deep unshakeable friendship and explore a history of wizards and witches.

How Many Harry Potter Books are There and Where do you Start?

There are 7 total books in the Harry Potter series. It’s best to read them in the publishing order. So try working through books like this:

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997)
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

Then you can launch into Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016), which is a script of the screenplay.

You can also grab the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them screenplay and the most recent The Crimes of Grindlewald screenplay.

If you’re craving more Harry Potter – yay time for bonus content! We have the Hogwarts Library Collection:

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
  • Quidditch Through The Ages
  • The Tales of Beedle The Bard

And lastly some extra little eBooks! These are under 100 pages long.

  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies
  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists
  • Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide

Summary of Harry Potter Books In Order

1. harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone.

Harry Potter is an orphan who’s living with his wretched aunt’s family, unloved and unwanted, until the day he receives a magical letter inviting him to attend the Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

There, he discovers he’s part of a prophecy to defeat a dark lord, but honestly, Harry’s focus is on fitting into a new school where magic is normal.

There are still bullies, classes to attend, homework and friendships to sort out. Your teacher might shape-shift into a cat, sure, but you better get your homework done on time.

It’s a fun and excitingly addictive introduction into the world and definitely will catch your heart and imagination. Not to mention fun!

There are humorous lines and quips, bizarre wizardry behavior, and a mystery for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to unravel… which may just lead them to the knowledge that Voldemort isn’t as dead as the world thought he was.

Find out how Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone changed one reader’s life in this essay , which was also a winner in the 2019 Hooked To Books Scholarship contest.

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

It’s Harry’s second year at Hogwarts and he’s still pinching himself that this gets to be his life now. Less time with his horrible relatives, maximum time with Hogwart’s magic and mayhem.

But school isn’t picture-perfect of course. He has a bully to contend with (Draco Malfoy), a cruel teacher to avoid (Snape), and a confusingly stuck-up new professor (Gilderoy Lockhart) who maybe is hiding a dark secret.

Then something starts turning students to stone and people are suspecting Harry himself.

I particularly adored the dry humor and the banter, although the structure of this one is very similar to the first book, so there are fewer surprises, but comfort in knowing how things will unravel.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Things are never what they seem for Harry while he attends Hogwarts. Sirius Black (a convicted murderer) has broken out of the infamous Azkaban prison and he’s hunting Harry, plus we get introduced to the awful dementors who suck out souls.

There’s a new Defence of the Dark Arts teacher and Harry is making a name for himself in Quidditch, but is safety at Hogwarts ever a possibility? Sirius Black is coming. And his secrets are not what Harry expects.

Every Harry Potter book dives more into the world, and I think one of my favorite things in this one were all the names! Like the lollies at Honeydukes: “toothfloosing stringmints” and “butterbeer” and “fizzing whizzbees”.

I’m sure half the reason this series is so famous that the world is incredibly easy to fall in love with and get lost in.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire

The series was written to grow with its audience, so by the 4 th book, it’s moving away from being middle-grade and now it’s focused more on a solid young-adult audience.

This book arrives with over 600 juicy pages and we see Harry Potter attending the International Quidditch Cup and discover there’s a competition happening at Hogwarts this year that will bring rival schools together. Harry thought this would be his chill year at Hogwarts but…ha. Someone enters his name into the contest and its nonstop action.

Some of my notable favorite moments in this one were more time with the messy, sprawling Weasley family (who are bizarre and cozy and loveable; Fred and George continue to be the absolute mischievous bests) and we also see Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s friendship tested as well as strengthened.

But this book is when stakes start to rise and with the first important character death, you start to know JK Rowling means business and things are going to get darker from here.

5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The war against Voldemort has officially begun in this book, inciting a civil war amongst the Wizarding world while darkness spreads.

But Harry & friends are still at Hogwarts, trying to keep on as they face exams and learn darker and more complex magic.

Harry becomes captain of the Quidditch team and spends his free time pursuing Draco Malfoy, certain he’s behind dark conspiracies.

But one of Harry’s second-hand school books has clever notes from a past student known as “the Half-Blood Prince” and it’s helping Harry making terrific but dangerous potions… that are definitely going to get him into trouble. Or maybe help him discover more about who Lord Voldemort was before it’s too late to stop him.

This is the book I clearly remember finishing and having to scream softly into a pillow. It’s dark and addictive, exciting and lovely at times, as well as dangerous.

Learning more about Voldemort’s backstory makes you both hate and be intrigued by him. And bigger and darker secrets start spilling. 

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I have fond memories of this one, even though I can never spell Phoenix right on the first go (oops!). In this book, we’re with Harry for his fifth year at Hogwarts. War rages.

The new Defence Against the Dark Arts makes life difficult. Huge exams are looming and destinies are unsure.

But worse is the fact that Voldemort’s strength is growing and no one can stop him. Your favorite characters’ safety is about to be shaken.

Unwinding new backstories for the characters and slotting together pieces of the mystery on how to defeat Voldemort make the plot action-packed and compelling.

Our favorite golden trio is rather fractious, though I continue to maintain the fact Hermione is basically keeping everyone alive at this point.

My best memory of reading this book is thoroughly losing track of time while turning the page.

Love Harry Potter? Check out our list of favorite Harry Potter quotes !

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

And lastly, we make it to the final book. It’s Harry’s last year at Hogwarts, but with war and Death Eaters rising and prophecies turning dark and poisonous, the question will be: who makes it out alive?

Every bond is tested, characters are on the run, the Dark Lord has nearly won and Harry can’t keep hiding. Someone has to fulfill their fate. Destroy the Horcruxes — or watch Voldemort destroy the Wizarding World.

Finales are always so bittersweet, especially when you know you’ll be saying goodbye to beloved characters and a world you’ve fallen so deeply in love with over seven books. The battle in this was terrific, the twists heart-stopping.

Complex histories of hated characters are also revealed. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are pushed to the limits as they search for the last Horcruxes and unravel the secret history of the Deathly Hallows tale.

It was a fantastic finale, satisfying and teary and triumphant. Not without pain, but definitely with hope.

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About the Author

CG Drews is a YA book blogger with the goal to read every book in existence. She’s aiming for immortality for this. When not reading, she writes novels and blogs at paperfury.com.

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Harry Potter Series in Order: Complete Guide in Chronological order

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

The “Harry Potter” series, penned by the illustrious J.K. Rowling, is a fantasy saga that spans seven books, published between 1997 and 2007. Set in a magical world intertwined with our own, the narrative follows the life of Harry Potter, an orphaned boy who learns of his wizarding heritage on his eleventh birthday. Alongside his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Harry navigates the challenges of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all while confronting the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. The series delves into profound themes such as friendship, love, bravery, and prejudice. Garnering widespread acclaim from critics and readers alike, the books have been transformed into a successful film series and have left an indelible mark on global pop culture. Fun tidbits include Rowling’s inspiration for the series during a train journey and the record-breaking sales of the final book.

Main Characters

  • Harry Potter: The protagonist of the series, an orphaned boy who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard. He attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and faces various challenges, including his nemesis, Lord Voldemort.
  • Hermione Granger: One of Harry’s best friends, she is known for her intelligence and resourcefulness. Hermione is a Muggle-born witch, meaning both her parents are non-magical.
  • Ron Weasley: Another of Harry’s closest friends, Ron comes from a large, loving wizarding family. He’s loyal and often provides comic relief.
  • Lord Voldemort: The primary antagonist of the series, he is a dark wizard intent on becoming immortal and ruling the wizarding world.

Themes and Motif

  • Friendship: The series emphasizes the importance of friendship, loyalty, and trust, as seen through the close bond between Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
  • Love: Love, especially a mother’s love for her child, plays a crucial role in the series, providing protection and strength.
  • Courage and Bravery: Many characters, especially those in Gryffindor, display acts of bravery and stand up against evil.
  • Prejudice: The series delves into issues of prejudice, especially through the treatment of Muggle-borns and “half-bloods” by “pure-blood” wizards.

Harry Potter Series in Order

  • Critical Reception: The Harry Potter series has been widely acclaimed by critics for its complex characters, intricate plot, and exploration of deep themes.
  • Reader Reception: The series has a massive global fanbase, with readers of all ages. It has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages.

Adaptations

  • Release Dates: 2001 – 2011
  • Director: Various directors, including Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates.
  • Cast: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and many others.
  • Reception: The film adaptations were generally well-received and grossed over $7.7 billion worldwide.

Trivia and Fun Facts

  • The idea for the series came to Rowling during a train journey from Manchester to London in 1990.
  • The character of Hermione is somewhat based on Rowling herself when she was younger.
  • The last book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

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Rajat Mehta

Meet Rajat, the coolest cat at The Serial Binger! This writer is all about that Manga/Manhwa and Book life. With an unbreakable love for the lovely stories, Rajat hooks readers up with the freshest and mind-blowing updates. Get ready to groove and geek out with Rajat's funky articles!

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Harry Potter Books in Order: Complete Guide to the Series in 2023 +PDF

the books of harry potter in order

I fell in love with the Harry Potter series years ago. In fact, I remember standing in line at midnight waiting for the newest book to launch and then pulling an all-nighter so that I could read the entire thing. I definitely read the Harry Potter books in order but, is it necessary?

The Harry Potter books have become iconic. They are so well known that many people know the story before ever reading the books. So, we are often asked, “Should I read the Harry Potter Series in order?” We have everything you need to know about Harry Potter right here!

*Harry Potter Books in Order Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.

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Table of Contents

Should I Read the Harry Potter Series in Order?

Definitely! J.K. Rowling is a storyteller who plays the long game. I think of her as the marathon runner of writers. The story has clues and important information throughout all seven books. It is important to read all the Harry Potter books in order to understand the story.

How Many Books Are in the Harry Potter Series?

The Book Series of Harry Potter has 7 books with a number of other books associated with Harry Potter. There are also illustrated editions of the books.

There are 8 Harry Potter movies in addition to a number of prequels, including the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

Harry Potter books in order

Harry Potter Books in Order

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997)
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (2003)
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

Harry Potter Books in Order: From the Hogwarts Library

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
  • Quidditch Through the Ages
  • Tales of Beetle the Bard

Screenplays by J.K. Rowling

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
  • The Crimes of Grindelwald
  • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry potter reading list

Harry Potter Series Reading List

Download the complete book list below and subscribe to our newsletter here for exclusive access to more reading lists and printables!

Reviews of the Harry Potter Series in Order

Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone and more fantasy books for tweens

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K Rowling

I was in university when this book was published and the first four were sitting on my younger brother’s bookshelf before I picked it up to see what the fuss was about. I read all four books in as many days and was married with a child before the final book was published. 

This story introduces us to Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger; our fearless trio.  We also meet the other favorite beloved and detested characters that make the Harry Potter book series so special. After all, what would Hogwarts be without Hagrid, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Draco Malfoy?

Why We Love This Book:  In our opinion, this is the best children’s fantasy series ever written. It features strong lessons on morality, inventive plotlines, and hidden threads woven throughout the entire series. Jim Dale’s audiobook narration of this book is award-winning. He voices over 200 characters, each with distinct accents. Appropriate for ages  9-13 Find this book in Books like Harry Potter / Books Like Percy Jackson / 21 Adult Books Similar to Harry Potter / Harry Potter Books in Order / Best Audiobooks for Kids

Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter Book 2) by J.K Rowling

This is the second book in the Harry Potter series. If you are reading the Harry Potter books in order then this book picks up at the end of the summer right before Harry is supposed to go back to school. But, our sweet friend Dobby, the house elf, has something to say about that.

When Ron comes to get Harry in an enchanted car, they miss the train, fly to school, and nearly get creamed by the whooping willow; you know the year will be an eventful one. After all, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has not even started yet.

prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter Book 3) by J.K Rowling

Harry Potter is back at Hogwarts in The third book in the Harry Potter series. His life is in danger once again but this time, it is from the escaped convict, Sirius Black. He has escaped from the wizard prison, Azkaban, and seeks revenge on Harry.

Sirius Black is a mass murderer and a follower of Voldemort. Now, there are Dementors patrolling the school and Harry can only read of death and destruction in his divination class with Professor Trelawney. What else could go wrong?

HP Goblet of fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4) by J.K Rowling

Although the order changes sometimes, this is my second favorite Harry Potter book in the series. In my opinion, it was the first book that really showed Rowling’s potential for great storytelling. If you are reading the Harry Potter books in order, as you should, you will LOVE this book.

Harry Potter finds himself participating in the Triwizard Tournament when someone tricked the Goblet of Fire and entered Harry’s name. He must compete against much more experienced wizards in tasks that will bring him glory or death.

Harry faces dragons, dark wizards, and mermaids while performing magic he never thought possible. He faces the Deatheaters for the first time (which is how Harry found himself on our list of books about secret societies ).

order of the

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter Book 5) by J.K. Rowling

The fifth installment of the Harry Potter series is the longest book at 766 pages. Harry knows that Voldemort wants Harry dead and that somehow, they have a connection. It is up to professor snape to teach Harry how to protect his mind from Voldemort using occlumency.

This is by far the darkest book in the series, in my opinion. We are introduced to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor who is also the senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. Professor Umbridge is one of the characters who have no redeeming features!

half blood prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter Book #6) by J.K. Rowling

This book starts off with Dumbledore arriving at Harry’s house with a blackened hand and a mission. Harry has no idea that this is the start of the epic journey he must complete if he wants to live and defeat Voldemort.

Harry is convinced that Draco Malfoy is not only up to something but also bears the Dark Mark of the Deatheaters. Now, Harry will have to put his trust in Dumbledore as they explore Voldemort’s darkest secrets.

Deathly hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter Book #7) by J.K Rowling

This is the stunning conclusion of the EPIC Harry Potter Series. And if you read the entire Harry Potter series in order, how did you feel about the ending?

I felt elated at the ending and devastated that the series was over. It took me 10 years to read these books and when I finished the last page, I was so sad to say goodbye to the characters and to the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Thankfully, this last book was just the beginning of what would become an empire. Whether you watched the movies, have visited Universal Studios, plan to watch the tv show or none of the above; we think that these books have opened up the world of books to an entire generation of readers.

Reviews of Books from the Hogwarts Library

fantastic beasts

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K Rowling and Newt Scamander

This gorgeous book is full of full-color illustrations of all the amazing and fantastic beasts. This is not the screenplay but rather, a compendium of magical creatures!

quidditch through the ages

Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling and Kennilworthy Whisp

This is one of the three books from the Hogwarts Library that we, as muggles, are allowed to read.

This is a beautifully illustrated edition that will give you a history of the game that unites witches and wizards from around the world. The audio version of the book even has an except from the world cup!

beetle the bard

Tales of Beetle the Bard by J.K Rowling

As Muggles, we grew up with fairy tales like Snow White and Rapunzel. Wizard children grew up with the stories of Beetles the Bard and I am sure there are many copies of this book on the shelves of Hogwarts.

Inside this book, you will find many brand new stories, but if you read the Harry Potter books in order, you will be familiar with The Tale of the Three Brothers and their story of the deathly hallows. So, it is up to you to decide if all of these stories are made up or if they are true.

Reviews of J.K. Rowling’s Screenplays

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

The first in a five-part movie series featuring New Scamander, a magical zoologist, and writer of the famed book from which Harry Potter studies.

If you loved these movies and are looking for books related to Harry Potter, this collector’s edition of the screenplay will make a wonderful addition to your home library

crimes of grindelwald

The Crimes of Grindelwald by J.K. Rowling

The second screenplay in the Fantastic Beast series, this book features the plot of The Crimes of Grindelwald movie.

This edition comes with gorgeous art created by MinaLima, the artist behind many of the on-screen artwork. MinaLima books are all must-reads, especially this pick from our list of books related to Harry Potter

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne

The famed Broadway show gets special treatment with this set featuring plays 1 and 2. It would be interesting to see which parts have been omitted from the new show that only has one play! For any hard-core Potter fan, this pick from books related to Harry Potter is a must for your bookshelf.

Harry Potter’s story continues when his son Albus is sorted into Slytherin and befriends Draco’s son. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I loved seeing Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Malfoy as parents in the plays.

Harry Potter Illustrated Editions

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Harry Potter Book Series (MinaLima Edition)

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We LOVE to support independent bookstores. You can shop our entire list of Harry Potter Books in Order on bookshop.org

Harry potter series television.

All Seven Books in the Harry Potter series will be coming to television in a TV series based on the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Each book will be an in-depth look into each book in the series and with Rowling as a producer, you can be sure the tv adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter books will be accurate and maintain the integrity of the books.

The Harry Potter series is set to run for 10 years, but, because there are only seven books in the series, there is speculation about what that will look like as it will not be one book per season. The Network, Max Original, did say that Fantastic Beasts will NOT be a part of the TV show.

With no release date set yet, we cannot wait to see the adaptation of the Harry Potter book series in action!

Harry Potter Merch

Which harry potter book is the longest.

The longest Harry Potter book is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It is 766 pages or 30 hours 18 mins.

What is the Name of the First Book in the Harry Potter Series?

In the United States, the name of the first book in the series is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In the UK and Canada, the name of the first book is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

How many languages have the Harry Potter series been translated into?

The Harry Potter books have been translated into 80 languages.

That’s the order of the Harry Potters. Which is your favorite Harry Potter book?

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45+ Best Fantasy Books for Tweens and Middle-Grade Fantasy Readers

Do you love the Harry Potter book series? We have the Ultimate list of middle-grade Fantasy Books!

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Harry Potter Books in Order

Cover Image for Harry Potter Books in Order

The universe of Harry Potter, conjured by J.K. Rowling, has been a significant phenomenon in the realm of modern literature. The magical journey, beginning with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone" and culminating in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," has captured the imaginations of readers worldwide.

In Rowling's enchanting world, we evolve alongside Harry, Hermione, and Ron, experiencing their empyreal yet grueling journeys and many landmark moments of both adolescent growth and wizarding adventures. For those who haven't yet immersed themselves in this captivating world, or simply wish to revisit, here's a guide to the Harry Potter series in both chronological and publication order.

The main series consists of seven books:

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone in the US) (1997) 2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998) 3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999) 4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) 5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003) 6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) 7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

The series maintains a resilient linear narrative, thus it is advised to follow the above-mentioned order to witness the thrilling transformation and maturing of the characters, while truly experiencing the essence of their magical world.

Rowling didn’t stop at Deathly Hallows; she continued to spellbind us by expanding the magical universe. An integral addition is "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." This dramatic script, Rowling's collaborative creation, emphasizes the trials faced by Harry's son, Albus. Published in 2016, it is ideally read after completing the main series.

For true Potterheads looking to delve deeper into the Wizarding World and uncover its magical secrets, Rowling offers a trove of additional reading material. The Hogwarts Library, a treasure for all those intrigued by magical creatures, eccentric sports, or enchanting folklore includes:

1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001) 2. Quidditch Through the Ages (2001) 3. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008)

Moving ahead, for those wanting to explore every nook and cranny of this magical universe, the "Pottermore Presents" series divulges even more secrets and provides endless fascinating facts about the Wizarding World.

Lastly, the screenplays for the "Fantastic Beasts" movies:

1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (2016) 2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay (2018)

These introduce us to Newt Scamander, the infamous Magizoologist, and his adventures taking place several decades before Harry's time, further broadening our perspective of this vast, mystical universe.

It's never too late to start reading the Potter series nor is there any harm in revisiting. Whether you're a soon-to-be Potterhead or one seeking new magical lands beyond Hogwarts, this chronicle will keep you hooked. The nuances, the growth of characters, the potion of emotions, and the undying spirit of friendship reiterate that the Harry Potter series is not simply a saga of witchcraft and wizardry, but a textbook of life and virtues.

No matter which book you choose to pull from the shelf, each page will teleport you into the magical center stage, where every glance could reveal an enchanting secret, and every turn might lead to an unforgettable adventure.

Now let's dive into each story one by one:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

The beginning of the magical journey starts with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone," published in 1997. We're introduced to Harry, an orphan living under the staircase of his cruel aunt and uncle’s house. On his eleventh birthday, Harry discovers he's a wizard and his life takes a complete turn. Accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he befriends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. The trio soon uncovers the truth about the Sorcerer's Stone and has their first encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort.

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Published in 1998, the sequel voyages into Harry's second year at Hogwarts. The book uncovers mysteries of a hidden chamber within Hogwarts, a secret diary, and Harry's ability to speak parseltongue.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The series' third installment, published in 1999, introduces the infamous prisoner Sirius Black, who escapes from Azkaban. The school year at Hogwarts is filled with Dementor scares and surprising revelations about Harry's past.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Published in 2000, this fourth volume witnesses the Triwizard Tournament, where Harry finds himself unwillingly selected as the fourth contestant. The exciting competition ends with a shocking revelation and a tragic loss.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The fifth book, published in 2003, reveals a secret society aiming to protect the wizarding world. Hogwarts is invaded by Possibly the most hated character - Dolores Umbridge. This book teaches us about loss and the importance of standing for what's right.

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The series takes a dark turn in 2005 with the sixth installment. Secrets about Tom Riddle's past are explored, Harry and Dumbledore seek Horcruxes, and a beloved character makes a heartbreaking exit.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Published in 2007, this final installment culminates in an epic battle between good and evil at Hogwarts. Harry, Hermione, and Ron's journey to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes leads to the thrilling finale of the series.

Rowling's captivating series doesn't just stop here. The world of Harry Potter goes beyond it, allowing us to dip our toes into stories about magical creatures, distinctive sports, and intriguing folklore, and revisiting simpler times at Hogwarts, reminding us of the saying, "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." Whether you're new to this magical universe or revisiting it, each trip to this world of witchcraft and wizardry is sure to be a remarkable journey.

How many ‘Harry Potter’ books are there?

Becoming a wizard has never been easier.

Harry Potter trio

In 1997, the world of fiction took a turn, joining magic and adventure like it had never happened before. Since its first book’s release, Harry Potter almost immediately emptied out shelves all across the United Kingdom, quickly earning a status as one of fantasy fiction’s biggest names.

Crafted and engineered by the extremely controversial British author J.K. Rowling , Harry Potter went on to adapt the books onto the silver screen, garnering even more success worldwide. In 2026, fans will be once again gifted one more adaptation, this time led by Max , through an episodic format. For all those aiming to finally reach the Hogwarts sphere, here’s the best possible order to read this magical series — which just so happens to be the exact release order of the books.

How many Harry Potter books are there in total?

the books of harry potter in order

Harry Potter ‘s gigantic success was not limited to a one-time wonder, as the series went on to have seven books attached to its name. The books were followed by the stratospheric popularization of the magical world of Hogwarts through eight films created based entirely on its literary original series . Nearly everyone who has grown up between 1997 and 2007 is sure to have crossed paths with Harry Potter in one way or another, but perhaps never got the chance to pick up the books.

How to read the Harry Potter books in order

Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone (1997), harry potter and the chamber of secrets (1998), harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban (1999), harry potter and the goblet of fire (2000), harry potter and the order of the phoenix (2003), harry potter and the half-blood prince (2005), harry potter and the deathly hallows (2007), harry potter and the cursed child (2016), harry potter library textbooks and screenplays.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

The best way to get into Harry Potter ‘s world is through its first novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , which came out in 1997. This first book introduces its readers to the magical world of Hogwarts, through the eyes of an orphan boy living among humans (or muggles, as they’re called). Almost following the perfect recipe for success, the first book immediately shows a relatable and antagonized kid , who wishes to get away from his abusive family and finally reach what he always felt had been lacking in his life.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

A year after its debut novel, Harry Potter sees the beloved trio — Harry, Hermione, and Ron — embark on a completely new adventure filled with an arsenal of new magical creatures. This time, the year once again does not go smoothly for these kids , who are left to solve a new mystery after the school caretaker’s cat is found petrified. The chilling message, “The Chamber of Secrets has been opened,” immediately spurs the trio to find the culprit, who refers to himself as the “heir.”

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Arguably one of the most beloved books in the series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the series, and the first one to bring much darker themes and motives than its previous installments. Introducing a new side of Hogwarts through the prison fugitive Sirius Black and the Dementors, the dark and faceless beings who suck the soul out of their victims, the third book offers a new glimpse into the Harry Potter lore, in a much darker sociopolitical and psychological sense.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

For many, the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was the exact turning point that kept older readers hooked into this changing saga. As the trio returns to Hogwarts for their fourth year of school, the magical grounds are hosting the Triwizard Tournament, which three major wizarding academies are attending and competing in. Hoping for this year to be uneventful for once, Harry is once again put in a tight spot when the ceremonial Goblet of Fire selects him as the fourth Triwizard Champion , despite him not being eligible to participate due to his young age.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book of the saga that revolutionized the magic world of wizardry. By far the most politically-forward book in the series , Order of the Phoenix revives Voldemort as a threat that has been overlooked by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to take action in fear of public outrage. This lack of action by those in power begs for the creation of an underground group working to dismantle Voldemort and his followers, called Order of the Phoenix.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

The sixth book in the saga is also the penultimate Harry Potter book. As the obvious culminating force that heads to the story’s climax, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Princ e introduces an entirely new side to Voldemort, or Tom Riddle , as Harry sees his past and backstory. Moreover, this book also sees Dumbledore’s new large-scale plan, while he prepares Harry for his imminent and unavoidable battle with the story’s antagonist.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The wizarding world comes to an end – until 2016 at least. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows wraps up the saga that allowed an entire generation of teens to connect with their inner wizards. Finally reaching the highly anticipated battle between Voldemort and Harry, the last book is undeniably a perfect ending to any story, obviously carefully planned from the start. Undeniably the darkest book out of the entire saga, Deathly Hallows sees Harry, Hermione, and Ron suffering like never before .

Wrapping up the story of a decade into one book, J.K. Rowling takes this booming story with a perfectly satisfying ending. With hundreds of characters, and thousands of pages, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was seemingly the last possible drop in the saga, but to the surprise of many, one more book came around almost 20 years after the series’ first release.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Set nineteen years after the events of Deathly Hallows , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child became an unofficial canon part of the original series, albeit written by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne – though inspired by an original story written by Rowling, Tiffany, and Thorne. This time focused on Harry and Sirius’ kids, Albus and Scorpius, respectively, the Cursed Child picks up exactly where the previous book left off.

This book, although technically not canonically part of the series , has been confirmed by Rowling to be exactly the story she envisioned for her original characters. With many fans expectantly waiting for Hogwarts to return, the success of the book was guaranteed. Though it never reached the level of popularity of its original stories, it still received no shortage of hype among the most avid of Potterheads.

fantastic beasts

In addition to all seven books and Cursed Child , Rowling has given fans one more chance to live out their dream of becoming Hogwarts students. Three textbooks from Hogwarts library were written in detail, all mentioned in the original story. These books are also allegedly written by their original authors in the series, though all three of them are written by Rowling herself. Neither of them has a correct order to be read.

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
  • Quidditch Through the Ages
  • The Tales of Beedle the Bard

A few more extras were also written by the author, including several screenplays and guides, also with no correct reading order.

  • Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide
  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics, and Pesky Poltergeists
  • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship, and Dangerous Hobbies
  • The Fantastic Beasts screenplays

Despite all controversies surrounding Rowling’s bigoted opinions , Harry Potter is still a huge part of people’s childhoods, all of whom still look at the series fondly. After all, who never wanted to be a wizard, even just for a moment?

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the books of harry potter in order

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How to Watch Harry Potter Movies In Order: See All 11 Movies Chronologically

Everyone came into the Wizarding World through the Harry Potter books and movies, which introduced us to a gifted 11-year-old, his friends Ron and Hermione, and their hallowed school of magic, Hogwarts. Watching the Harry Potter movies in order, seeing the story unfold chronologically in-universe, used to be as easy as finding the one where Daniel Radcliffe looks youngest and starting from there.

But the series has expanded now with the Fantastic Beasts movies, set some 70 years before The Sorcerer’s Stone . So to watch the Harry Potter movies in order, your journey now begins with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , set in 1926 and starring Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scarmander. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is set in 1927. The third Fantastic Beasts intends to release July 2022, with two more movies to close out the Scarmander and Grindelwald saga.

Then the story of Harry himself begins, starting with Sorcerer’s Stone and concluding in the second-part of The Deathly Hallows , for eight Certified Fresh movies in a row. There’s also a Harry Potter series early in development for HBO Max. For now, see our guide below on how to watch all Harry Potter movies in order. — Alex Vo

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) 74%

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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) 36%

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Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) 46%

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) 81%

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 82%

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 90%

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) 88%

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) 78%

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) 84%

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 77%

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 96%

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The Harry Potter Movies in Chronological Order by Date of Release

  • Movies or TV
  • IMDb Rating
  • In Theaters
  • Release Year

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

PG | 152 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.

Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson , Richard Harris

Votes: 854,262 | Gross: $317.58M

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

PG | 161 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

An ancient prophecy seems to be coming true when a mysterious presence begins stalking the corridors of a school of magic and leaving its victims paralyzed.

Votes: 690,828 | Gross: $261.99M

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

PG | 142 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.

Director: Alfonso Cuarón | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Richard Griffiths

Votes: 689,946 | Gross: $249.36M

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

PG-13 | 157 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Harry Potter finds himself competing in a hazardous tournament between rival schools of magic, but he is distracted by recurring nightmares.

Director: Mike Newell | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Eric Sykes

Votes: 679,977 | Gross: $290.01M

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

PG-13 | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Family

With their warning about Lord Voldemort's return scoffed at, Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by the Wizard authorities as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts.

Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Brendan Gleeson

Votes: 631,785 | Gross: $292.00M

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

PG | 153 min | Action, Adventure, Family

As Harry Potter begins his sixth year at Hogwarts, he discovers an old book marked as "the property of the Half-Blood Prince" and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's dark past.

Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Michael Gambon

Votes: 594,163 | Gross: $301.96M

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

PG-13 | 146 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

As Harry, Ron and Hermione race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of the three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Bill Nighy

Votes: 597,764 | Gross: $295.98M

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

PG-13 | 130 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.

Votes: 945,829 | Gross: $381.01M

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Harry Potter: The Books' Most Memorable Wizard Duels

Quick links, the dumbledore brothers kill ariana with grindelwand, fawkes the phoenix swallows a killing curse, the other professors team up against snape, voldemort is fueled by bellatrix's death, adult harry & draco duel like children, hagrid takes on several wizards at once, dumbledore single-handedly eliminates four members of the ministry, flitwick bests a notorious death eater, bellatrix attacks tonks before killing sirius, percy fights the minister of magic.

It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. CBR supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find CBR's continuing coverage on Rowling here .

HBO's upcoming Harry Potter reboot has big shoes to fill, but it also has a wide range of opportunities at its disposal. The Harry Potter films shaped a generation of Potterheads, but they also alter or altogether omit many beloved storylines from the books. A television series revival means more time and care can be given to the source material and, hopefully, rectify some of the original series' mistakes. One such error is the lack of on-screen wizard duels.

The Harry Potter films not only change the essence of dueling, but they completely ignore some of the books' best wizard duels. These wizard duels not only showcase a character's talents and skills, but also often speak volumes about their relationships and loyalties. From Hagrid and McGonagall's fight against Umbridge to Bellatrix defeating Tonks, these epic wizard duels are only remembered by true Harry Potter book fans.

30 Harry Potter Spells, Ranked From Weakest To Strongest

Harry potter and the deathly hallows.

The wizard duel between Albus Dumbledore, his brother Aberforth, and Gellert Grindelwald is a deeply intense display of emotions. The fight initiates from Aberforth's anger towards Dumbledore and is further fueled by Gellert's devotion to his and Dumbledore's wizard supremacy movement. Dumbledore's conflicting feelings for Gellert and his brother no doubt inhibits his performance. The three tormented boys quickly lose control of the three-way duel. Ariana Dumbledore, their younger sister, is killed as a result.

This tragic duel is briefly discussed in Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore , but the film series glosses over it. However, the duel plays an important part in Dumbledore's character development. It's a recurring plot point in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that forever changes Dumbledore's perception, which is something book fans know and remember.

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

10 best dumbledore moments in harry potter.

Both Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore are incredibly powerful wizards . Naturally, Dumbledore’s showdown with Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is one of the film series' highlights. However - as usual - things go down a lot differently in the books. Originally, Dumbledore gets tons of help in the wizard duel, which signifies the series' recurring theme of strength in numbers. Dumbledore charms the ministry’s statues to life, who come to the rescue and help. One takes the Killing Curse to save Harry and then continues to shield him, while another attacks Bellatrix (which prevents her from aiding Voldemort), and another charges at Voldemort.

However, Dumbledore’s real savior is Fawkes, who swallows one of the Killing Curses that gets thrown at the headmaster. The duel in the book is also a lot more fast-paced than its cinematic counterpart. This signifies the truly intense and well-matched nature of these two wizards. The film shows Dumbledore's duel with Voldemort, but it omits the extra players that help bring this face-off to life. The end result is a wizard duel that's quite different than that one that fans are familiar with from the books.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 gives fans a memorable McGonagall versus Snape duel , but it’s absolutely nothing like the version of events that occurs in the Deathly Hallows source material. This showdown instead incorporates McGonagall’s face-off with the Carrows for a more dramatic on-screen adaptation. In the book, just before the Battle of Hogwarts begins, McGonagall gets tired of Snape's investigation into Harry and pulls out her wand. What ensues is an epic and chaotic battle between the skilled professors, complete with a lasso of fire from McGonagall and a giant black serpent from Snape.

Flitwick, Sprout, and Slughorn come to McGonagall's aid, and it's Flitwick who drives Snape out of hiding. Although Snape escapes, it’s clear that the other professors have the upper hand. This leads Snape to retreat and disappear into the night. Sadly, like most cinematic Battle of Hogwarts scenes, the true wizard duel never makes it to the screen in all its glory. The movie version can't compare with the iconic book duel that fans remember.

Bellatrix Lestrange remains Lord Voldemort's most devoted Death Eater until the bitter end. The Harry Potter films display their relationship as fairly one-sided, but the books highlight Voldemort's need for Bellatrix on more than one occasion. Bellatrix's importance to the Dark Lord is particularly prominent during his duel that immediately follows her death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows .

Voldemort, before Bellatrix dies, is locked in an intense battle with McGonagall, Slughorn, and Shacklebolt. Bellatrix gets hit with Molly's Killing Curse and Voldemort screams over her loss. This fury soon transfers to Voldemort's wand and the other three are quickly knocked off their feet in one swift blast. The wizard duel not only proves Voldemort's reliance on his best Death Eater, but also how rage fuels the Dark Lord's magical abilities. The film never touches on this significant detail and Voldemort's penultimate wizard duel is only known to book readers.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child

Every actor who played voldemort in the harry potter movies, ranked.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is widely disregarded by many Potterheads. The screenplay feels less like a canonical new chapter of the Wizarding World, but rather more like a piece of fan-fiction. This is especially true when it comes to Harry and Draco's duel in Act Two. Draco comes to speak to Harry as he's worried about Scorpius. Harry, distressed over Voldemort's offspring, questions Scorpius' parentage and Draco angrily draws his wand.

The resulting wizard duel isn't so much a test of skill as it is a cheeky verbal argument that gets thrown back and forth, which is at least entertaining for Draco and Harry shippers . This feud also demonstrates Draco and Harry's changed dynamic as they've grown from bitter school rivals to adult frenemies who can confront their differences (albeit not in the most mature ways). Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has not yet been adapted for the big screen, so this entertaining duel between Draco and Harry remains a hidden gem for fans who've seen the play or read its book.

Rubeus Hagrid is one of the sweetest Harry Potter characters, but the blundering giant is also one of the franchise's strongest. Hagrid’s power is never quite showcased in the films, but a duel in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix depicts his brute strength. Dolores Umbridge decides to ambush Hagrid in the middle of the night during Harry’s astronomy exam. Dolores and a few other Ministry members surround the giant and throw stunning spells in an attempt to subdue him.

Hagrid never yields and remains fairly calm until both Fang and Minerva McGonagall are attacked for coming to his aid. The beloved professor takes four stunning spells to the chest, which knocks her to the ground and worries all the students who witness the interaction from the astronomy tower. This provokes Hagrid, who retaliates by swinging at his attackers. The battle showcases McGonagall and Hagrid’s fierce loyalty and care for one another. It's a close relationship that is omitted from the films, but is admired by book fans who remember the spells that they heroically take for each other.

Once Dumbledore’s Army gets outed in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , Albus takes the blame onto his own head to save Harry from punishment. In the Harry Potter films, Dumbledore puts up no fight and simply disappears into Fawkes’ flames. In the book, however, a grand wizard duel breaks out that demonstrates Dumbledore’s unmatched skills.

Fudge remarks that Dumbledore would not be foolish enough to take on himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and - Dawlish, to which Dumbledore cheekily replies, “Not unless you are foolish enough to force me to.” Dawlish’s first movement results in chaos. All that Harry sees is two silver streaks accompanied by loud banging sounds. When the dust clears, Dumbledore stands unscathed while Fudge, Shacklebolt, Dawlish, and Umbridge lie unconscious on the ground. What comes next is in fact seen in the films - Dumbledore flees with his beloved Fawkes - but the epic showdown with the headmaster where he effortlessly takes on four others is omitted. It's a real shame, since not only does this scene establish Dumbledore’s magical prowess, but it also paints him in a very suave, hardcore light that only book fans know about.

10 Harry Potter Characters Who Should Have Been The Chosen One Instead

The Harry Potter series has many talented and valiant professors, but not all are allotted the time that they deserve in the film adaptations. Filius Flitwick is the epitome of this. Flitwick is one of Hogwarts' most loyal and brave professors, not to mention a skilled duelist as well. This is properly proven during the events Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows .

Among his many duels, Filius Flitwick's most overlooked win is that against Antonin Dolohov, one of Voldemort's most trusted and competent Death Eaters. Dolohov's role in the films is also minimal, but he is at least present during some of the Death Eaters' most notorious ventures, like the Astronomy Tower showdown or helping find the Golden Trio at the café. Flitwick's wizard duel with Dolohov is mentioned in a mere nine words, but Flitwick's ability to take down the menacing and skillful Death Eater is a testament to the Professor's magical expertise. The fight's very brief nature and ambiguous end also make it more forgettable than other wizard duels. It's a true deep-cut duel that only hardcore book fans remember.

The notorious House of Black has one of the most interesting and complicated family histories in the Wizarding World. Some members prove to be noble, like Tonks, while others let their pure-blood pride drive them to wickedness, like Bellatrix. Opposing members of the Black family find themselves face-to-face in battle on more than one occasion. Bellatrix even fights two of her relatives, one after the other.

Bellatrix's murder of Sirius Black is well remembered by all Harry Potter fans, but Tonks' defeat by the witch is something only known to readers of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . The details aren't mentioned and Harry only sees Tonks' limp body fall down stone steps as Bellatrix triumphantly celebrates. However, the fight is an important plot point. Sirius witnesses the aftermath and chases after Bellatrix, which becomes the catalyst for his death. It also sparks future duels between the cousins, which continue until Tonks' death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Despite the duel's gravity, its blink-and-you'll-miss-it nature means that it's only remembered by devoted book readers.

Percy Weasley undergoes some of the best character development throughout the Harry Potter books. Percy, as an ambitious and talented middle-class wizard, is eager to move up in the world. He's even willing to take a job at the corrupt Ministry to accomplish this goal. Percy has a major falling out with his family because of this, especially as he supports the Ministry’s slandering of Harry. This is why Percy's wizard duel with Minister Pius Thicknesse is all the more significant. It's a duel that takes place during the peak of the Battle of Hogwarts, but it also showcases Percy Weasley’s development as he realizes what’s truly important.

The brief duel is even more iconic once Percy resigns during the fight and turns the minister into “some form of sea urchin.” The scene is also immediately followed by Fred Weasley’s death , which adds greater emotional value to the events. Percy’s wizard duel with Thicknesse is a truly monumental moment, albeit one that's exclusively known by the die-hard books fans.

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter franchise follows the adventure of a young boy introduced a whole new world of magic, mayhem and darkness. Traversing the obstacles in his path, young Harry's rise to heroics pits him against Lord Voldemort, one of the most dangerous wizards in the world and all his minions.

Created by J.K. Rowling

First Film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Latest Film Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Upcoming TV Shows Harry Potter

Cast Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman

Where to watch HBO Max

Spin-offs (Movies) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Character(s) Voldemort, Harry Potter

Video Game(s) Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, LEGO Harry Potter Collection, Harry Potter: Puzzles and Spells, Hogwarts Legacy, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1

Harry Potter: The Books' Most Memorable Wizard Duels

Screen Rant

"it is a huge surprise": harry potter's enduring popularity addressed by tom felton.

Harry Potter star Tom Felton reveals that even he is surprised at Harry Potter's enduring popularity, despite being a massive fan himself.

  • Harry Potter 's enduring popularity surprises even cast members like Tom Felton, who admits he thought the interest would fade away after the last movie.
  • With over $7.75 billion in earnings from the mainline movies alone, Warner Bros. continues to produce new content like the Fantastic Beasts series, which has ensured the Wizarding World's survival.
  • The upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot and potential movie adaptations ensure that the Wizarding World remains a beloved cultural phenomenon.

Even Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) is shocked by the endurance of Harry Potter . The franchise began with the publication of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in June 1997. The book series ran until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released in July 2007. The movie franchise, meanwhile, began with the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on November 16, 2001, and ended with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 on July 15, 2011.

Despite the mainline movies ending over a decade ago, Harry Potter and the Wizarding World has enjoyed enduring popularity. In an interview with US Weekly , Felton admitted that he never expected the franchise to remain so renowned after the movies ended. He can see why there is still such a large community, but he never thought that the Potter legacy would persist for so long. Check out his quote below:

I think we all sort of thought that when the last film was done that things would slowly sort of trickle out, as far as the fandom or the Wizarding World fandom flame, as I call it. But it just seems to be bigger than ever now . It is a huge surprise that the popularity is still growing, but at the same time, I’m a huge Potter fan myself, so I can see why it’s still enjoyable and still being passed down from generation to generation.

Why Has Harry Potter Remained So Popular?

Harry potter remains so popular that a reboot is already underway.

Harry Potter has remained at the forefront of public consciousness for decades, and there are several reasons for its continued success. Because of the financial success of the franchise, which earned over $7.75 billion through the mainline movies alone , Warner Bros. elected to greenlight the Fantastic Beasts movies . While not nearly as successful, as they only earned approximately $1.8 billion across three movies, the franchise still ensured that the Wizarding World remained in theaters and on streaming platforms.

Every Harry Potter In Order (And & How Long Their Runtime Is)

The upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot is another element that will continue to ensure the franchise's survival. With a new TV show in development, the community continues to have content to anticipate. There has also been a lasting rumor that a Harry Potter & The Cursed Child movie could be on the way, though it currently remains designated for the stage, rather than the movie theater. With something always in development, there has not been room for the " Wizarding World fandom flame " to die.

While Felton expected it to diminish, the Wizarding World always receives new content. Even setting aside the movies, books, and shows, there is an entire real-world Wizarding World amusement park . Just as Star Trek and Star Wars have remained popular, as a result of new releases and audience engagement, Harry Potter has surprised Felton by its continued admiration and engagement.

The Harry Potter movies are available for streaming on Peacock and Max.

Source: US Weekly

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

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'Harry Potter': Horcruxes and You, a Guide to Splitting Your Soul Through Murder

How did this complicated piece of magic help keep Voldemort alive?

The Big Picture

  • Horcruxes are pieces of a wizard's soul that allow them to live on even after their physical body is destroyed, making them effectively immortal.
  • Creating a Horcrux requires committing an act so heinous that it tears apart the creator's soul, usually through cold-blooded murder.
  • Harry Potter himself unintentionally became a Horcrux for Voldemort when the Dark Lord's killing curse backfired, which ultimately led to Voldemort's defeat.

Although Voldemort does not appear in every Harry Potter film , he is the main antagonist of the series — an omnipotent presence that keeps returning after every so-called defeat. For the first five films, we never truly understand how Voldemort was able to survive after a baby Harry seemingly destroyed him. But in The Half-Blood Prince , Dumbledore introduces Harry to the complicated piece of magic known as Horcruxes.

Listing out all the Horcruxes is like doing a cartwheel. Any Harry Potter fan will know, you need to do it every so often to reassure yourself that you still can do it. For some, maybe less ardent fans, there is always one that escapes you. So, if you ever need a refresher on them, here is your complete guide to all things Horcrux.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

As Harry Potter begins his sixth year at Hogwarts, he discovers an old book marked as "the property of the Half-Blood Prince" and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's dark past.

What Are Horcruxes?

Simply put, a Horcrux is a piece of one’s soul . If a witch or wizard creates a Horcrux, then they can never truly die until said Horcrux is destroyed as well. A person’s physical body can be destroyed, but their soul can live on. So, when Voldemort’s killing curse backfired after attempting to murder young Harry, his physical body was destroyed. However, since Voldemort had numerous other Horcruxes, he was not truly dead.

How Does One Create a Horcrux?

In order to create a Horcrux, the witch or wizard must distort their soul to such an extent that it is torn apart . Dumbledore suggests that one of the only ways to do so is cold-blooded murder. However, there could be an argument that numerous other acts can create a Horcrux as well, assuming that they are so gruesome that your soul literally cannot handle it.

How Do Harry and Voldemort Find Out What Horcruxes Are?

Creating a Horcrux is a dark and incredibly difficult piece of magic. Knowledge of how to create one is forbidden and rarely talked about. In the sixth book , Dumbledore asks Harry to convince Professor Slughorn to reveal a particularly sensitive but important memory. Once he succeeded, Harry and Dumbledore discovered that it was Professor Slughorn who revealed to a 16-year-old Voldemort at Hogwarts how to create a Horcrux .

How Can Horcruxes Be Destroyed?

Since Harry’s destiny as “the Chosen One” is to defeat Voldemort, he embarks on his mission to destroy all of the Horcruxes along with the help of Harry and Hermione. Horcruxes can only be destroyed in specific circumstances that allow its complete and utter destruction. In the movies , the Horcruxes are destroyed in these ways:

  • The killing curse — “Avada Kedavra.”
  • Fiendfyre — a curse that creates powerful and magical flames.
  • Godric Gryffindor’s sword — one that was pulled from the Sorting Hat.
  • Basilisk’s venom — acquired from a tooth of the giant Basilisk snake in the bowels of Hogwarts.

What Are Voldemort’s Horcruxes?

Although it is incredibly difficult to create even one Horcrux, Voldemort purposely created six Horcruxes within his lifetime, in order to stave off his chances of truly dying. Since they are of utmost importance to him, Voldemort decided to turn important pieces of Hogwarts and magical history into Horcruxes. As an orphan who never truly felt at home until he discovered he was a wizard and went to Hogwarts, like Harry, Voldemort is deeply attached to his school. Additionally, Voldemort is a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, one of the founding members of Hogwarts and Slytherin house . Voldemort decided to turn objects that solidified his magical heritage and importance into Horcruxes . This was the ultimate confirmation of his magical status, a promise to his angry, forgotten younger self . Here is a breakdown of each of his Horcruxes:

Tom Riddle's Diary

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Tom Riddle’s diary from his days at Hogwarts finds itself among the possessions of Ginny Weasley. Since it holds a part of Voldemort’s soul, the diary can talk and influence Ginny, convincing her to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash the Basilisk upon Muggle-borns at school. During the climax of the film, Harry manages to destroy the Horcrux with venom from the fang of a Basilisk . We later learn that this was the first Horcrux that was destroyed, which prompted Dumbledore to explore the idea that Voldemort might have created multiple ones.

The Cheeky Easter Egg Hiding in the Harry Potter Movies

Marvolo gaunt's ring.

The second Horcrux that was destroyed was Marvolo Gaunt’s ring. As we learn more about Voldemort’s life during the sixth movie , we discover his family history with the Gaunts. Marvolo Gaunt was Voldemort’s grandfather, who possessed the ring as a family heirloom. When Voldemort returned to his hometown to murder his father and paternal grandparents, he took the ring and turned it into a Horcrux. Dumbledore eventually retrieved the ring and destroyed it with the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Salazar Slytherin's Locket

Voldemort turned another family heirloom into a Horcrux — his mother’s locket that originally belonged to Salazar Slytherin. One of the main plot points in the sixth movie revolves around Dumbledore and Harry recovering the locket to destroy it. After managing to escape Voldemort’s magical defenses and taking the locket, Harry discovers that the locket they recovered was fake, first stolen by Regulus Black, Sirius Black’s brother and a reformed Death Eater. Harry, Ron and Hermione finally re-discover the locket in the final book, in the possession of their former Headmaster, Dolores Umbridge . In another dangerous and extended plot, the golden trio goes undercover at the Ministry of Magic to steal the locket. Afterward, Ron destroys the Horcrux with the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Helga Hufflepuff's Cup

Shortly after he graduated from Hogwarts, Tom Riddle found himself in the company of Hepzibah Smith, a wealthy and frivolous woman who collected precious and expensive antiques. She had in her possession the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, one of the founding members of Hogwarts and Hufflepuff house. Coveting the cup, Voldemort stole it and killed Smith, creating yet another Horcrux. In Deathly Hallows - Part 2 , Harry, Ron and Hermione deduce that the cup is being stored in the Gringotts vault of the Lestranges, a family deeply dedicated to Voldemort. After breaking into the vault and stealing the cup, Hermione destroys this Horcrux in the Chamber of Secrets with a Basilisk fang.

Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem

How Voldemort retrieved Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem is not quite clear, but he most likely recovered the long-lost artifact in Albania. Rowena Ravenclaw was the final founding member of Hogwarts and the Ravenclaw house. Harry realizes the diadem is a Horcrux by talking to Rowena’s daughter Helena, who remains as a ghost at Hogwarts. Helena reveals that she stole her mother’s diadem out of jealousy, and reveals that Voldemort later turned it into a Horcrux.

Helena surreptitiously hints that the diadem is still in Hogwarts, in a place where lost things can never be found. Harry correctly guesses that Tom hid the diadem in the Room of Requirement , a secret room in Hogwarts that can turn into any location needed by the user. Harry finds the diadem in the version of the room that hides lost items. While Harry, Ron and Hermione are searching for the diadem in the room, they are discovered by Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Emboldened by learning more Dark Arts, Crabbe uses the Fiendfyre curse, a fire curse that creates powerful and uncontrollable flames, ones strong enough to destroy the diadem accidentally.

Destroying the final Horcrux is less dramatic than the others, although the road to get there was long. Just before Harry heads into the forest to sacrifice himself, he runs into Neville. Harry quickly tells Neville that he must destroy Nagini, Voldemort’s snake. Nagini is the last Horcrux that Voldemort created and the last one to be destroyed. During the final battle of Hogwarts, Neville pulls the sword of Godric Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and beheads Nagini , destroying the last Horcrux. This allows Harry to finally kill Voldemort after the latter’s killing curse poetically backfires when Harry uses a disarming spell on him.

The Secret Horcrux — Harry

Voldemort only ever intended to make six Horcruxes, with the possibility that maybe he could create more in the future. However, when Voldemort attempted to kill baby Harry that fateful night, his killing curse backfired instead. Voldemort’s soul splintered then, killing his physical body and splitting his soul into a new Horcrux. Since he had just murdered Harry’s parents in cold blood and attempted to kill a defenseless infant, there was enough justification for the creation of a Horcrux. At that moment, Voldemort’s soul latched onto the only living thing in the building — Harry himself.

For almost his entire life, Harry was a Horcrux. This explains Harry’s ability to speak Parseltongue — the magical ability to understand and talk to snakes — an ability Voldemort has as a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Additionally, Voldemort and Harry have been mentally connected, able to see and sense things only the other could know. Therefore, when Voldemort used the killing curse against Harry in Deathly Hallows - Part 1 , he was actually killing part of his own soul, and Harry was able to survive . And after Neville killed Nagini, all Horcruxes were destroyed. Harry finally put an end to Voldemort and was able to live in peace for the rest of his life (assuming you don’t consider The Cursed Child as canon).

All the Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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Harry Potter TV Series: Everything We Know So Far About Max’s Adaptation

Rebecca iannucci, senior editor.

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The Boy Who Lived is coming back to life.

Max announced in April 2023 that it had ordered a TV series based on the massively popular Harry Potter novels, with original book author J.K. Rowling attached as an executive producer. And though the expansive project is still in its early stages, we’re going to make like Hermione and get a jump on our studying, via the following round-up of intel about Max ‘s sweeping series.

“We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way,” HBO boss Casey Bloys said at the time of the series’ announcement. “ Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World. In partnership with Warner Bros. Television and J.K. Rowling, this new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years.”

But how, exactly, will Max’s version take shape? How many seasons will it run? Who will star? For answers to those questions and more, keep scrolling to see everything we know so far , and be sure to bookmark this page for all the latest news — until we can get in on that owl-based postal service, at least.

What will the Harry Potter series be about?

Harry Potter TV Series Max

Max ‘s upcoming series is described as a “faithful adaptation” of Rowling’s novels, so it stands to reason that the project will follow young wizard Harry Potter as he attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and repeatedly faces off against the villainous Lord Voldemort.

However, the streamer has not yet announced who will write the series and how, exactly, the story told in Rowling’s sprawling novels will be adapted for the small screen. As of February 2024, three candidates — Francesca Gardiner, Tom Moran and Kathleen Jordan, per Deadline — were still in the running to be named the series’ head writer, and a decision is expected in June.

How many seasons have been ordered?

Harry Potter

Ostensibly, seven — matching the number of books in Rowling’s series — but it’s not completely clear. When the Harry Potter TV series was first ordered, Max noted its plans for the show to span a decade. It has yet to be confirmed, though, if that equates to 10 seasons , or simply a 10-year lifespan for the show. Eight Harry Potter films were previously made, with the final Deathly Hallows novel getting split into two movies; it remains to be seen what approach Max will take with its own adaptation.

Who will star in the Harry Potter series?

Harry Potter

Casting for Harry & Co. has yet to be revealed, but we’ll update this post as soon as the series adds to its ensemble. In the meantime, peruse our dream castings !

Is J.K. Rowling involved with the show?

JK Rowling

Indeed, Rowling is on board as an executive producer, news that was met with many fans’ ire after Rowling’s statements on sex and gender in recent years have widely been deemed transphobic.

“ Max ’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series,” Rowling said in a statement when the Harry Potter series was first announced. Days later, having seen the criticism of her involvement with the show, Rowling weighed in more sarcastically in an X post : “Dreadful news, which I feel duty bound to share. Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show. As forewarned is forearmed, I’ve taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne.”

When will the Harry Potter series premiere?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

You don’t need to have your wands at the ready for a while longer: The Harry Potter series adaptation is currently on track for a 2026 premiere.

“We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter,” Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav said during a company earnings call in February 2024. “We can’t wait to share a decade of new stories with fans around the world on Max . We’re aiming for a debut in 2026.”

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22 comments.

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Have to wait and see what they come up with. Lots of rumors floating around

Why? The movies are great. I have no desire to watch a different adaptation and no desire to give Rowling any more money.

Well, the movies left out A LOT.

I am thrilled about this. JK Rowling is responsible for improving literacy in two generations or more.

It was always going to be this. Based on later books, I’m sure that the first 2-3 books had lots of cuts, ie stuff she cut out. They could be fleshed out with more stuff about how bad Harry’s home life was. Or about how much Hermione was struggling with loneliness prior to befriending Ron/Harry. Think 10-11 eps per season. 12+ or more in later books. Enough to get to 80-90 eps. . Frankly, the later books were very disappointing when turned into films. Way too much time was spent of SFX moments, while valuable plot/storylines were ignored. I’d love a faithful adaptation of the books.

and that choir singing ‘Double double toil and trouble’ was a complete waste of time (and film).

A faithful adaption would be amazing to see. Any involvement from JKR is definitively the best option for any Potter project. Hoping they will fix the many mistakes and omissions that plague the movies.

The books are a load of garbage. Pure drivel.

The only reason I am mildly interested is seeing a proper live action portrayal of Ginny Weasley. The movies did to her what the X-men movies did to Cyclops made a great character into a poor one.

I think all of the Weasley’s were treated pretty bad in the movies.

Give me a proper adaptation of MOLLY Weasley, who was very short changed.

Shelve this and release Coyote vs Acme instead

So David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery are promoting Transphobia and Nazi War Crime Denialism by still being in business with her? Good to know….

No thanks. I don’t support transphobic sh**heads.

She’s a melodic voice of reason in a cacophony of enforced wok31sm.

Sounds interesting but I don’t have streaming.

JK Rowling’s views “in sex and gender” have NOT been widely condemnex, they have in fact been widely supported save a few loud, ignorant activist voices. She has been proven right time and time again and is one of the strongest voices for the rights of women and the protection of children.

She’s the Donald Trump of womens rights. Right wing poster girl who spouts propaganda and lies.

The movies definitely left out a lot from the books. Will be interested if they will follow Hermione’s quest to free house elves from slavery. Stuff like that. Could be a very different feel compared to the movies, so that may make it a very interesting watch.

Rowling being involved is ONLY reason I’m interested..

There are two kinds of people: Those who judge shows on their merits, and idiots.

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