blog – published on Tuesday May 28
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 potters will know, it’s virtually impossible to rank these books from best to worst, as each is brilliant in its own way. that’s why we’ve decided to simply present all the harry potter books in chronology/publication order, highlighting the highlights so longtime fans will happily remember them…and to help budding fans to try the series.” genuine magic.
You are reading: Harry potter books in order
Here’s a quick catalog of the series, so you know what to expect:
1. harry potter and the philosopher’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 scripts:
- hogwarts: an incomplete and unreliable guide (2016)
- hogwarts short stories of power, politics, and pesky poltergeists (2016)
- hogwarts short stories of Heroism, Hardship, and Dangerous Pastimes (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!
psst: ever wonder what career you’d have in the wizarding world? Take our potterhead-proof quiz below to find out!
the main harry potter books in order
1. harry potter and the philosopher’s stone
in harry potter and the philosopher’s stone, the book that started it all (understatement of the century), harry potter discovers his true identity on the morning of his eleventh birthday: he is a wizard, famous in the wizarding world for having vanquished the evil lord voldemort when he was just a baby. This revelation, delivered by a gruff, furry giant named Hagrid, sets Harry on a fantastical (if often terrifying) journey through his life.
He meets his close friends Ron and Hermione aboard the Hogwarts Express, and is soon sorted with them into Gryffindor: the house of the fearless and brave. However, Harry also has many enemies at Hogwarts, most notably the arrogant Draco Malfoy and the obnoxious Potions Master, Snape (both affiliated with Slytherin House). And from fighting a troll on Halloween to his first thrilling Quidditch match, not to mention the climax of the novel, in which Harry faces Voldemort for the second time in his young life, there is never a dull moment in the first year of your new adventure. .
The Philosopher’s Stone (or Philosopher’s Stone, as it’s called outside the US) also perfectly balances heart-pounding action with heartwarming thrills, as Harry finds a true family in Ron and Hermione after years of suffering. with the Dursleys. In fact, the small, poignant moments in the book, like when Harry is smitten by a gift from Ron’s mother, or Hermione’s tearful declaration at the end about “books and brains,” are as magical as the spells themselves.
2. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
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In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts with a crash, that is, the crash of a flying Ford Anglia crashing into the Whomping Willow. after being spotted by muggles and narrowly avoiding expulsion, you’d think the rest of harry’s second year would be a smooth ride by comparison… right?
wrong. when the school caretaker’s cat is found petrified (essentially paralyzed and comatose, but technically still alive) along with a chilling message that “the chamber of secrets has been opened”, fear and suspicion begin to arise and, of course, they only get worse. when the students begin to petrify as well. no one 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, if you want a mystery to be solved properly, you have to do it yourself. Which they do, through a combination of polyjuice potion brewing, eerie flashbacks provided by a sentient diary, and a truly horrifying excursion to see a giant spider called an aragog. The book culminates with a visit to the titular chamber, which sits below Hogwarts and contains yet another deadly threat Harry must face.
but of course, this being one of the first potter’s books, it’s not all noise and danger. Comic relief comes in the form of the idiotic, self-centered Professor Gilderoy Lockhart and the groaning Myrtle of the Toilet Ghost, who, in true Rowling fashion, ends up being key to the story’s central plot twist.
3. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
The third book in the series introduces Sirius Black, a deranged serial killer who has just escaped from the Azkaban wizard prison. As a result, swarms of Dementors, dark, faceless beings who “suck the souls” of their victims and serve as Azkaban guards, infiltrate Hogwarts to patrol in search of Black, who is supposedly after Harry. To make matters worse, our normally steadfast hero has a bad reaction to dementors, causing him to pass out on a train and even lose a critical Quidditch match.
again, however, it’s not all doom and gloom. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban also introduces Professor Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and school friend of Harry’s late father. Lupine and Harry quickly forge a father-son relationship, and Lupine teaches Harry the Patronus Charm (powered by one’s happier memories) to ward off Dementors.
Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione fight more than usual over their respective pets, Crookshanks the cat and Scabbers the rat. But what seems like a light-hearted subplot turns out to be a major factor in one of the series’ biggest twists, revealed in the last few chapters… and naturally involving Black and Lupin as well. oh, and hippogriffs and time travel, in case that wasn’t enough to convince you.
In addition to the plot genius in this book, Rowling also makes some interesting comments with the Dementors, which symbolize depression and force Harry to deal with his past trauma. Indeed, although Goblet of Fire is widely identified as the “transition point” into the darker themes of the second half of the series, Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely where those themes begin to take root.
4. harry potter and the goblet of fire
There’s a lot 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 sure to be exciting, as Hogwarts hosts the Triwizard Tournament, in which students from three major wizarding academies will compete. However, only students over the age of seventeen 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 champion of the three wizards for no apparent reason.
What follows is a continuous sequence of emotions, marked by the challenges of the tournament, in which the contestants must face menacing dragons, malevolent mermaids and a labyrinth full of tricks and potentially fatal traps. But even between the challenges themselves there’s plenty of riveting drama, especially with Rita Skeeter (a slimy reporter trying to smear Harry and his friends), crabby Mad Eye (the kids’ daddy’s new teacher), and the larger cause of social justice. recent from hermione (rights for house elves, naturally). and as anyone who’s read it will know, the gof finale is unprecedented in terms of dark and difficult material, signaling a definite shift for the series in a more mature direction.
Indeed, for all those wondering if Rowling could turn the tide from the relatively light-hearted adventures of the previous three books to a darker and even more elaborate fantasy thriller, this book proved her undoubted ability. but once again, gof is not without laughs and simple charm. The Yule Dance is a hilarious look at the all too familiar teen angst of dating and school dances, and the subplot with Ron being jealous of Harry’s constant attention is particularly well done. Yes, even for all the greatness of it, Rowling never loses sight of what is true in life – Goblet of Fire demonstrates this very aptly.
5. harry potter and the order of the phoenix
harry potter and the order of the phoenix gets political in a big way: despite voldemort’s rebirth at the end of gof, the ministry of magic continues to deny all rumors and refuses to take action, worried they will upset the public . This means that real adults have to take a cue from Harry’s book, Ron and Hermione and start fighting him themselves, through an underground vigilante group called the Order of the Phoenix.
But the Order can’t do much with Dolores Umbridge, the newly installed, highly sadistic defense against the Hogwarts Dark Arts professor who perpetuates the Ministry’s lies about Voldemort. When Harry openly defies her in class, she retaliates by giving her chronic detention, during which he must write lines with a “blood pen” that etches the words on the back of her hand. Despite this torment, he and the rest of the class do not agree to Umbridge and establish a secret defense organization for themselves called “Dumbledore’s Army”.
On top of all that, Harry continues to have frequent and harrowing visions of Voldemort when he’s asleep, and must take Oclumency lessons from Professor Snape to avoid them. This is a different kind of torture, with Snape breaking into Harry’s private memories at every lesson and relishing the opportunity to cause him pain. Of course, Snape’s 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 fanatic will admit that order of the phoenix is hard to beat. From seeing Harry suffer in so many ways, to that devastating climax where she loses one of the few people she’s ever come to love and trust, OOTP is no walk in the park. However, it is this struggle and desperation that makes it such an authentic and powerful narrative, and, as trite as it sounds, Harry’s pain ultimately makes him stronger and more determined to defeat Voldemort than ever before.
6. harry potter and the half blood prince
Things take a turn for the exposition in this penultimate installment, in which Harry learns all about Voldemort’s family and “origin story,” so to speak. Dumbledore gives Harry these lessons to prepare him for a future great battle with Voldemort, presumably to keep his enemies closer to him. What Harry doesn’t know is that Dumbledore is planning something even bigger, a plan in which he, Harry, becomes more inexorably entangled with each passing day.
At the same time, Harry suspects that Malfoy (always a nefarious character) is in cahoots with Voldemort, and begins obsessively tracking him on the Marauder’s Map. But each new lead seems to be a wrong turn, and Harry becomes increasingly frustrated with the lack of evidence when he learns that Malfoy is guilty. his only good luck, oddly enough, is in potions class. After receiving a secondhand textbook full of tips and tricks from the mysterious “Half-Blood Prince”, Harry shines under the tutelage of his new Slughorn potions teacher. Meanwhile, Hermione is jealous of Harry’s new academic success and tries to discover the prince’s identity to prove that he is corrupt.
Speaking of little dramas, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince also give their due to the funny and silly things of a sixteen year old boy. Ron and Hermione’s chemistry builds up to eleven, with constant bickering over their respective romances. (Memorably, Ron kisses a lavender-brown so enthusiastically that “he looks like he’s eating his face.”) Meanwhile, Harry falls in love with Ginny, Ron’s sister, and battles her inner demons over whether to ask her out. This all falls by the wayside after another epic ending, but it’s another good reminder of how human and relatable the characters are.
7. harry potter and the deathly hallows
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Or
as it’s known colloquially, “Harry Potter and the Worst Camping Trip Ever.” After the events of the previous book — culminating in another major character’s heartbreaking death — Harry vows to personally destroy every one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. These Horcruxes (as we learned in Half-Blood Prince) are objects containing pieces of Voldemort’s soul, rendering him effectively immortal. Which means that if Harry wants even a chance at killing Voldemort face-to-face, he’ll need to locate and eliminate the Horcruxes first. It’s this daunting prospect that leads to the Worst Camping Trip Ever — though of course, it’s brightened somewhat by the presence of the ever-faithful Ron and Hermione.
to be fair, harry potter and deathly hallows events aren’t nearly as miserable as ootp events; at least we know that the characters are suffering for a greater purpose. but that doesn’t stop this from being, unsurprisingly, the darkest book in the series. From the corrupting influence of a locket that causes Ron to abandon his friends, to the tragic prophecy Harry discovers 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 hogwarts bloodbath battle).
But Deathly Hallows is also a masterpiece, bringing together thousands of pages of deeply intricate story plots, character development, and booming thematic resonance in a satisfying way. in fact j. k. Rowling has said that he wrote the final pages of Deathly Hallows even before Philosopher’s Stone was completed, evidence of how carefully the series was planned.
8. harry potter and the cursed child
Although not part of the original seven-book series, the Cursed Child and its 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 children with unfortunate names to Hogwarts: Harry’s son, Albus, and Malfoy’s son, Scorpius. , are our protagonists this time. Upon arriving at Hogwarts, the boys are sorted into Slytherin and forge an unlikely friendship, naturally causing tension between Albus and Harry for years to come.
After a fight with his father, Albus overhears that Cedric Diggory’s father, Amos, asks Harry to use a more powerful version of a Time-Turner (which features prominently in Poa) to go back in time. time and rescue his son. When Harry refuses, Albus recruits Scorpius to help him save Cedric, with the help of Diggory’s niece Delphi. however, as anyone who has seen 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 claims to be, and she may have sinister ulterior motives when it comes to rewriting history.
Between the multiple timelines and the various versions of the same characters, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child can definitely be a bit confusing at times, and its somewhat exaggerated plot twists and questionable consistency with the established world of Rowling they have led some potter fans to denounce him. but at the end of the day, it’s another piece of the magical puzzle we’ve all enjoyed putting together: this once-in-a-lifetime literary experience that transcends culture and generations.
the “hogwarts library” texts
fantastic beasts and where to find them
don’t you get tired of the fantastic creatures that fill the pages of harry potter? you’re lucky. as detailed by j.k. Rowling (writing as famed magizoologist Newt Scamander), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the definitive compendium of the magical beasts that roam the wizarding world. You’ll meet some familiar companions, like the Hippogriff, Basilisk, 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 want to catch up on the source, this is where to start!
quidditch through the ages
or maybe it’s j.k. Rowling’s hugely successful sport, Quidditch, tickles your fancy. Today, Quidditch is a real sport played at more than 100 colleges in the United States. such is the power it wields over our public imagination. But if you’re interested in the academic side of Quidditch, Rowling has you covered with Quidditch Through the Ages, which will tell you everything 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 magical fairy tales, told by, well, Beedle the Bard! Professor Dumbledore bequeathed these ancient tales to Hermione Granger, and they (particularly “The Tale of the Three Brothers”) proved instrumental in helping Harry Potter decipher the clues he was given in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. . now is your chance to read them for yourself. Although all the stories in this book have a magical twist, the central themes still resonate with what we associate with fairy tales: friendship, the eternal force of love, and the magic that each of us possesses.
even more extras from the magical world 🎁
hogwarts: an incomplete and unreliable guide
Taken from the short reads on pottermore.com and collected into one book for easy reading, hogwarts: an incomplete and unreliable guide gives you all the background information you might want to know about hogwarts school of magic and wizards. . Have you ever been curious about what the Hufflepuff common room looks like (it was never described in the books)? Have you ever wondered about the origins of platform nine and three quarters? here is the book that will provide all the answers.
hogwarts short stories of power, politics and pesky poltergeists
Not everything about Hogwarts and the Wizarding World is sparkly and shiny; In fact, the series has given birth to some of literature’s most memorable villains, from Dolores Umbridge to Lord Voldemort himself. The Hogwarts Short Stories of Power, Politics, and Pesky Ghosts (also collected from the writings of JK Rowling on Pottermore.com) delve into this darker side of Harry’s universe: in particular, it will guide you through the politics of Hogwart’s wizards and villains’ backstories, such as umbridge profess.
hogwarts short stories of heroism, hardship and dangerous hobbies
Now let’s go the other way and read about some of the most heroic figures to stand out in the wizarding world! In Hogwarts Short Stories of Heroism, Hardship, and Dangerous Pastimes, we have the pleasure of revisiting our favorite professors (especially Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin) and discovering their backstories.
fantastic animal scripts
Unless you’ve been living under a rock all this time, you’ve probably heard of the two new wizarding world movies that have hit Hollywood in the last few years. Directed by actor Eddie Redmayne and an all-star cast, the Fantastic Beasts movies tell the story of Newt Scamander, Albus Dumbledore, and the dark battle against Gellert Grindelward in the blackened days before Lord Voldemort stepped onto the scene.
of course you can choose to just watch the continuation of the wizarding world on screen, but reading the scripts of fantastic beasts and where to find them: the original script and fantastic beasts: the crimes of grindelwald the original script will certainly give you that additional level of depth and knowledge of the characters.
so what is the recommended reading order (versus chronological reading order)?
Fortunately, Harry Potter is not one of those series as Star Wars has a plethora of canon novels, movie novelizations, reference books, and comics to read. instead, it’s a finite universe, which makes catching up much easier. We recommend reading the main series chronologically so you can see Harry and his friends grow up. then, if you’re still thirsty for more of the wizarding world, you can see where its strongest interests lie (be it magizoology or quidditch, for example) and start over there.
If you haven’t read Harry Potter yet, 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. ⚡
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Not enough? check out our list of the 20 best books like harry potter, or 60 best fantasy books for children. (naturally, hp is on the list).
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