Find all the Harry Potter books in order in this article for those who haven’t yet read the books but have finally decided to sit down and have a go at one of the most popular series ever!
Harry Potter is one of the most beloved series in the world. It was written by author J.K. Rowling, whose full name is Joanne Rowling. The first book was published in 1997, with the last in the series coming out in 2016.
It’s a fantasy, coming-of-age series that incorporates many myths, fairy tales, and tropes from the fantasy genre. Harry Potter is the titular character and, with the help of friends and loved ones, must try to save the world from the evil that threatens it.
The Harry Potter series is more than just the main 7 books in the original series (or 8 if you include The Cursed Child, which came out a few years later). It also has spawned spinoff books and short stories set in the Potterverse, the Harry Potter Universe.
Harry Potter has even expanded past books! It has a successful film series focused on the main book series and films that cover the Fantastic Beasts series. In addition, there’s even a whole theme park at Universal Studios dedicated to Harry Potter!
But let’s not waste any more time in idle talk; let’s have a look at the list featuring all the Harry Potter books in order of their release date!
All Harry Potter Books in Order (2023):
Here’s a list of every book set in the Potterverse, including the spinoffs, short stories, and guides to help you understand the world of Harry Potter in a better way:
Main Series:
- 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 Sequel:
The Hogwarts Library Books:
- Quidditch Through the Ages (2016)
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2016)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2017)
The Pottermore Presents Series:
- Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship, and Dangerous Hobbies (2016)
- Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics, and Pesky Poltergeists (2016)
- Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (2016)
Fantastic Beasts: The Original Screenplay Series:
- 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)
These are all the books and short stories that make up the Potterverse. You can read the 7 books in the main series, and that’d be okay, but if you are a true Potterhead, you might be unable to control yourself and read every book set in the Harry Potter universe.
If you need to know more about the books set in the Potterverse and the best order to read Harry Potter books, keep reading!
How to Read Harry Potter Books in Order in 2023?
1. Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone (1997)
Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone is the first book in the series that started it all. It stars Harry Potter, a young boy who is incredibly famous in the wizarding world. However, he has no idea this world even exists. He has been raised by his aunt and uncle, who oppress him and don’t want Harry to learn of his magical ancestry.
At the age of eleven, Harry learns the truth about his background and that he is, in fact, a wizard. He gets an invitation to attend Hogwarts, a school for sorcerers. When Harry gets there, he makes friends, makes enemies, and ends up in a confrontation with the man who killed his parents and also tried to kill him.
It’s a school year that is full of trials, tribulations, and a little thing called destiny, and a perfect start to what will become one of the best-selling stories ever!
2. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets (1998)
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets picks up the summer after the first book ends. Harry is ready to return to Hogwarts, which his aunt and uncle want more than anything. They can’t stand that he has been home for the entire summer.
When Harry is set to leave, some imp-like creature tells Harry he shouldn’t return to Hogwarts because if he does, then Hogwarts will be in grave danger.
Despite the dire warning, Harry returns for his second year at the wizarding school. Sometime after his arrival, Harry discovers there is an epidemic affecting the school. This epidemic is turning the students of Hogwarts into actual stone! Harry is concerned and wonders just who could be doing such a thing.
Everyone is a suspect, which includes Harry Potter himself! Just who could be behind such a terrible turn of events?
3. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the main Harry Potter series that covers Harry’s third year at the wizarding school. Everything is going fine until Harry gets to school. He discovers everyone is very on guard and learns the reason for this is that a killer who had been held in Azkaban has escaped.
This killer goes by the name of Sirius Black, who had resided in Azkaban for twelve years before his escape. He was convicted of killing 13 people by using a single curse and being the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. With such a dangerous man running about, it’s no wonder everyone is on edge.
To add to the tense situation, Sirius was heard to be muttering something in his sleep before his escape. The guards at Azkaban heard him muttering that “He” was at Hogwarts. Who exactly is this “He,” and why did this Sirius Black escape?
4. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire (2000)
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire gives us a now fourteen-year-old Harry Potter who is only more than happy to return to Hogwarts after another challenging summer vacation with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. Even more exciting this year is the International Quidditch Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, something that hadn’t happened for a hundred years.
Harry would love to join, but only wizards 17 and older can enter the tournament. Of course, when the Goblet of Fire picks Harry’s name to compete in the tournament, he is shocked but also excited.
What comes next is a deadly tournament involving dragons, dark wizards, and dangerous tasks that will put Harry’s very life at risk.
Luckily for Harry, he doesn’t have to face these odds alone. He has his two best friends, Hermione and Ron, to help him along the way.
5. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix (2003)
Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book in the captivating Harry Potter book series, which shows us Harry Potter’s fifth year at Hogwarts. However, this year is already starting to be a doozy, and it hasn’t even started!
Not only has Harry been haunted by a dream where he is walking down this silent corridor to this door he can’t seem to reach, but Voldemort is also proving to be a growing threat. Throw in the O.W.L. exams as well as a difficult teacher, and Harry knows this year might be his most challenging yet.
Throughout it all, Harry has all the friends that he has made at Hogwarts by his side. This, of course, includes Ron and Hermione, who are the best friends he’s ever had. With them, Harry is sure he will be able to tackle whatever life throws at him—no matter how dangerous it might be.
But it seems like even Ron and Hermione are neglecting Harry. Just what else is in store for Harry at Hogwarts this year?
6. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (2005)
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince is the exciting sixth installment in the Harry Potter series. It starts in the middle of summer, with Harry excitedly waiting to return to Hogwarts. He loves returning to Hogwarts because not only are his friends there, but it’s far away from his still horrible aunt and uncle.
However, this summer is proving to be different. Professor Dumbledore has announced that he will visit Harry with the Dursleys at home. This is surprising because he never imagined Albus Dumbledore, of all people, would come to visit his home rather than wait for him to return to Hogwarts, which he is set to do soon.
To add to his nerves, the last time Harry saw the Professor was when he was in the middle of a one-on-one duel with Voldemort. He knows Dumbledore’s visit will not be a regular one, and whatever he tells him will shake Harry to his very core.
7. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (2007)
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is the book that marks the end of Harry Potter’s school years at Hogwarts. Harry is not having an easy time of it. He is searching for Voldemort’s Horcruxes and has danger coming from him in all forms. Two of these dangers include Voldemort and his death eaters.
Harry knows that there are a lot of people counting on him. The entire wizarding world (and the world in general) depends on Harry to end Voldemort’s reign of terror. Even with the help of Ron, Hermione, and all his other allies, Harry is unsure if he will be able to achieve what seems impossible.
This book marks the exciting conclusion to Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts. It’s a long read, but the book is so captivating that you won’t even realize how long it is.
8. Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: Parts 1 & 2 (2016)
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is a book set nineteen years after the events in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, and the final books to read in Harry Potter books in order list!
Harry Potter is now a grown man married to Ginny Weasley and is a father to three children. He works at the Ministry of Magic, a demanding job that often ends with him being vastly overworked.
While much time has passed, Harry is still haunted by his complicated past. He wants it to stay in the past, but often, the past has a nasty habit of rearing its ugly head when you least expect it. To add to the stress, Albus, Harry’s youngest son, is also struggling. Albus feels immense pressure on his shoulders because he is the son of the great Harry Potter.
Both father and son will learn that you can’t escape your past or present. Sometimes, they even fuse to create even more problems.
Other Book Series in the Potterverse:
Apart from the main series that focuses on Harry Potter’s battle against the Dark Lord, there are several more books written by JK Rowling that are set in the same universe.
These books are categorized into different series, and if you are interested in reading them to learn everything about the wizarding world, go right ahead. In the below section, I’ll take you through all the accompanying works set in the Potterverse!
Harry Potter Books in Order: The Hogwarts Library Books:
1. Quidditch Through the Ages (2016)
Quidditch Through the Ages tackles the exciting sport of Quidditch. This is one of the most popular sports in the Harry Potter series that witches and wizards love to play. In the series, it’s an extremely dangerous sport where the players fly around on broomsticks.
Each team has seven players, one of the most critical players being the Seeker. The Seeker tries to catch the Golden Snitch; whoever gets it wins 150 points and the entire game.
Quidditch Through the Ages is a fun book that gives you all the information you need about the sport of Quidditch. It tells you where the Golden Snitch originally came from and how Bludgers came to exist in the actual game in the first place.
This quick, fun, and amusing read is perfect for any Harry Potter Fan!
2. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2016)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a series of classic wizarding stories targeted toward children. It’s a fairy tale but for children in the wizarding world.
Once upon a time, they were only available to people with magical abilities, but after Hermione Granger translated them, they became available to muggles. This gives them a chance to enjoy unique and captivating wizarding fairy tales!
The book includes stories such as:
- The Fountain of Fair Fortune
- The Warlock’s Hairy Heart
- The Wizard and the Hopping Pot
- Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump
- The Tale of the Three Brothers
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is yet another enjoyable book set in the Harry Potter universe. It makes for a quick and titillating read.
3. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2017)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a book set in the Harry Potter universe. In canon, it is written by a man named Newt Scamander and is a textbook available at Harry’s School. Inside, it goes into everything you need to know about all the magical beasts that exist in the wizarding world.
Newt gathered this information during his many, many travels. He wrote about the Hippogriff, The Hungarian Horntail, the Basilisk, and many more. Wizards have enjoyed these texts for years; now, muggles (us) can also! You will end up learning about magical beasts that you did not even know could exist.
It’s a quick, easy read that will make you ooh, ahh, and even chuckle!
The Pottermore Presents Series:
1. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship, and Dangerous Hobbies (2016)
This particular collection profiles some of the fantastic side characters in the vast Harry Potter Universe. One is Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizards. Not only is she the head of Gryffindor House, but she also teaches Transfiguration. She is quite the character that is one central focus of this book of short stories.
Another character that shows up in this short story collection is Remus Lupin. He is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in the fourth book in the main series. Even after he leaves the position, he remains a good friend and ally of Harry Potter and his friends.
One surprising person to show up in the short story collection is Silvanus Kettleburn. He is an odd man who is in The Care of Magical Creatures, a teacher in an equally strange class.
There are all these short stories and more in this collection!
2. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics, and Pesky Poltergeists (2016)
This is a short story collection that sheds some light on some less-than-desirable characters. One of these characters is Dolores Jane Umbridge, who once taught as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher. She is a very cruel woman who loves to torture her students.
The collection even gives you a history of the terrifying Azkaban, which is a prison in the wizarding world. It’s quite a disturbing history, and every bit of information you learn about it will have you on the edge of your seat, trembling in fear.
This interesting and strange collection contains all these and even more fascinating short stories.
3. Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (2016)
This is the final collection of short stories from the Pottermore series. Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide is a book that will tell you everything you ever need to know about Hogwarts.
In the Harry Potter series, the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is one of the central locations where everything takes place. It makes sense that a guide would be written about it!
This book is only 85 pages, so like the others in the Pottermore series, it’s a very quick and easy read. Throw in the fact that it’s fun, and you’ll never want to put it down!
Fantastic Beasts: The Original Screenplay Series:
1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (2016)
This is a screenplay based on a movie of the same name. In this screenplay, Newt Scamander has just arrived in New York, but he is forced to stay when his magical case, which is full of magical beasts, goes missing. Unfortunately for the residents of New York, some of those beasts manage to get loose and start wreaking havoc.
This was written by J.K Rowling herself and marked her screenwriting debut!
2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald: The Original Screenplay (2018)
This is another screenplay set in the Fantastic Beasts series. It picks up where the first one left off, showing what happens after Gellert Grindelwald, a powerful wizard, escapes custody. He aims to raise pure-blood wizards so they can rule over everyone in the non-magical world.
This sets Albus Dumbledore to enlist the help of Newt to try and stop Grindelwald before he can put his dangerous plan into action.
3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: The Original Screenplay (2022)
This is the third screenplay in the Fantastic Beasts series. It continues where the second one left off. Albus Dumbledore knows Grindelwald is still trying to take control of the Wizarding World. He has enlisted the help of Newt Scamander, who will lead a group of other wizards and witches to take down this dangerous man.
Did I mention there’s even a muggle baker who gets involved? Hey, in a situation like this, you take help where you can get it!
FAQs about the Harry Potter Series:
How Many Harry Potter Books Are There?
There are 7 books in the main Harry Potter series, 8 if you count The Cursed Child. If you add all the spinoffs, then the total is 18 books.
When Did The First Harry Potter Book Come Out?
The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, came out in 1997.
How Old is Harry Potter in the First Book?
In the first book, Harry Potter is only eleven years old.
When Did the Last Harry Potter Book Come Out?
The last book in the main Harry Potter series, i.e., The Cursed Child, came out in 2016. In the spinoff series, the latest one came out in 2016 as well.
However, if you are talking about the last book in the main series, i.e., Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, it was released in 2007.
Which Harry Potter Book is the Longest?
The fifth book in the series, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, is the longest. It was released in 2003 and consists of 912 total pages.
How Many Pages are in all Harry Potter Books?
If you want to know the page count for all seven books in the main Harry Potter series, then have a look below:
- Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone – 223 pages
- Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets – 341 pages
- Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban – 435 pages
- Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire – 734 pages
- Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix – 912 pages
- Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince – 652 pages
- Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – 759 pages
One thing to note here is that the page count may differ a bit based on what edition you purchase. It will also be different for paperback, hardcover, and mass-market paperback, so different versions will have different page counts.
I’ve used the page counts for the first version of each book as they appear on Goodreads!
Conclusion
These are all the books that make up the complete Harry Potter book series. It’s a series loved by many people worldwide, both young and old. Even in 2023, Harry Potter continues to be a force to be reckoned with.
Thanks to this list featuring all the Harry Potter books in order, you’ll know exactly where to start reading or what book to pick up next if you are one of the many people who have started reading the series but didn’t finish it!
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