Harry Potter books in order

What's the order of the Harry Potter books in order? See the order and other insight that will help you enjoy this series a little bit more.

Get to know J.K. Rowling - the world-renowned author behind the Harry Potter series

Rowling had already begun writing her second book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by the time Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published. After Chamber of Secrets was published in 1998 and was very well received, Rowling kept up a steady pace of writing and publishing books throughout the years until finally, her seventh and final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published in 2007. Since the moment the first books were released, they have been met with overwhelming worldwide success. The first five books all earned literary awards, such as a Nestle Smarties Book Prize and a British Book Award. Meanwhile, all seven books in the series were featured on The New York Times Best Seller List. Additionally, the Harry Potter Franchise topped $20 billion in revenue by 2018 - making it one of the most successful franchises ever. The Harry Potter series has also been adapted into a series of eight blockbuster films, which have grossed over $7.7 billion worldwide. The films have been met with critical acclaim, with the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, being the highest-grossing film of all time in the UK and the 8th highest-grossing film of all time worldwide. The Harry Potter series has also been adapted into a stage play, a video game series, and a theme park. The theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, opened in 2010 and has since become one of the most popular attractions in the world. It has been visited by millions of people from all over the world, and continues to be a major source of revenue for the Harry Potter franchise.

What famous people say about reading Harry Potter

Many celebrities have gone on record praising Rowling’s work in the past.

"couldn’t stop reading” Rowling's books and that he shed tears after reading them. In 2012, President Obama presented Rowling with an award at The White House prompting him to say "The Harry Potter books in some ways encouraged a whole generation of young people to read." - Tom Hanks

“At some point when I did my stand-up act, relating to my kid’s favorite books, I realized — she’s starting to read again! My kid stopped reading for a while and she started reading again because Harry Potter takes these traditionally historically bored kids and got them interested in reading." - Jerry Seinfeld. In 2019, Jerry Seinfeld revealed that reading The Sorcerer’s Stone got his daughter reading again

  "...taught me to stand up for myself and to be brave." - Emma Watson, the actress that played Hermione in the movies.   "...taught me to be a better person." - Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who played Harry Potter in the movies.   The Harry Potter series has been credited with inspiring a new generation of readers, and it is clear that many celebrities have been touched by the stories. Rowling's work has been praised for its ability to capture the imaginations of readers of all ages, and it is clear that the series has had a lasting impact on many people.

Influential people who recommend reading Harry Potter books

Aside from actors, musicians, and presidents who have supported the series, even prominent scientists have praised the world of Harry Potter. For example, Stephen Hawking publicly said: “The atmosphere is so college like! When I went to Cambridge, I felt like I was at Hogwarts.” Nobel Prize Winner Madam Curie also mused that reading Harry Potter "opened my eyes to artistry in science beyond the common methods we use to unearth knowledge." Finally, all the astronauts on board of the International Space Station took part in a collaborative reading competition of Deathly Hallows! Astronaut Jessica Meir read: “Dark Captives in a Blazing Prison” while another astronaut was chosen to read “The Resurrection Stone.”

More characters to love from J.K. Rowling - taking a deeper look into Howgarts

Aside from its magnetic characters and cliff hanger adventures, one of the aspects of the books is its wonderfully detailed magical setting of Hogwarts - hailed by Rowling as “almost a character in its own”. It is made up of many diverse components such as portraits like Welcome Lane and Transfiguration classes within its walls - all based in richly detailed background information from other wizard families which is expanded through each book. Hogwarts is so acclaimed for its exquisite magical world because it incorporates real-world themes like responsibility and friendship alongside magical classes like Potion-making. As a result of its well-balanced environments, readers felt connected to Harry’s journey of growth surrounding love and justice.

Harry Potter series was turned into a series of blockbuster movies

The movie franchise of The Harry Potter series achieved great success when it released its first movie adaptation, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone in 2001. Up till today, it remains one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time with a gross earning of $7 billion worldwide. The movies have also been awarded Academy Awards as well as BAFTAs and recognition from Golden Globe. In total, Harry Potter has sold over 500 million copies across 80 languages throughout the world! This makes it one of the best-selling book series in the world. Also related to its success would be its tie-ins with attractions such as Universal Studios Hollywood’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The movies do follow the Harry Potter books in order. If you prefer to read a book and watch the movie, that would also be a great idea. What do you think? Would you want to read the Harry Potter books in order and then watch the movies or read a book and watch a movie?

It even expanded into an empire of Harry Potter video games

Apart from movies and books, Harry Potter also found success through video games. Over 22 games have been released since 2001, with each game targeted at different gaming platforms such as Nintendo 64 and Playstation 2. While all games were popular among children and adults alike who were nostalgic for Hogwarts adventures, some outstandingly successful games include Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 which has sold over 8 million copies since its release in 2011. With all these different elements considered, it's easy to see why any reader -- be they Muggle or wizard -- could fall in love with the spells and creatures found within Rowling's pages. Every book was a magical adventure that continued to expand upon its original world of wizards and monsters, constantly redefining our understanding of fantasy literature. And with more Harry Potter related stories such as Fantastic Beasts still being created today - it's no surprise that the years of its enchantment are still ongoing!

What are the Fantastic Beasts books?

The book Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them was released after the success of the first four books as a standalone expansion of the world’s lore. It’s an in-universe guide to the magical beasts found in the world, written by the famous magizoologist Newt Scamander. Two other tie-in books were printed: The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Quidditch Through the Ages. After the global success of the Harry Potter book series, J.K. Rowling wrote a prequel spin-off featuring three movies that follow Scamander and his shaping of the wizarding world’s history:

1. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
2. “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”
3. “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”

David Yates directed the entire series. Although the movies performed very well at the box office, many Harry Potter fans feel this children’s book series doesn’t have the same appeal as the Harry Potter series. You don't have to read Fantastic Beasts before you read Harry Potter, but if you are the type of person who insists on reading The Hobbit before reading Lord of the Rings, then you should read Fantastic Beasts first, before diving into Harry Potter.

But wait, theres more! There's even a Harry Potter theme park.

Yes, fans of Harry Potter can even enjoy an amusement park. It's called the Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM - Diagnon Alley. Based in Orlando Florida, this world features many attractions fans and even those who haven't read the books will love. From avoiding Voldemort in the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and riding the Hogwarts Express (minus the chocolate frogs), or follow along in Harry's footsteps in Diagon Alley.

Try Speechify Audiobooks for other great stories like Harry Potter

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FAQ

Is there a 9th book of Harry Potter?

No, there isn’t. At the Broadway premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in 2018, Rowling said she wouldn’t continue with the series. She has spent the intervening years creating the Fantastic Beasts spin-off. You can learn all about the available Harry Potter media on the WizardingWorld website (formerly Pottermore).

how many harry potter books are there

There are a total of 7 books in the Harry Potter series. However many consider Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be the 8th book in the series.

Why do people love Harry Potter?

Kids and adults love Harry Potter because it contains all the elements of a good story: a brave protagonist, a battle between good and evil, plus magical elements. They’re also written similarly to detection stories at first, which create suspense and catch children’s natural curiosity.

Should I watch the Harry Potter movies?

Recommended: Read the Harry Potter books in order first. Watching the movies is easy, but it spoils the book series for you and doesn’t show many nuances in the story’s world building. Yes, there are 8 wordy books to read, but that's the fun. Imagine the movies did not exist, get a warm cup of your favorite beverage and begin your journey reading that first book and just enjoying the Harry Potter books in order.

Are there 7 or 8 Harry Potter books?

Technically, there are 7 books in the Harry Potter series, and you can read all the Harry Potter books in order 1 - 7. However, there is an 8th book Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, that is really a stage play and is a retelling of the entire series with an alternate view or timeline.

Who is the author of Harry Potter series?

The author of all the Harry Potter books is J.K. Rowling