Harry Potter Books in Order

Q: What order should I read Harry Potter?

Read Harry Potter in publication order, starting with Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the US) and ending with Deathly Hallows. The story follows Harry's seven years at Hogwarts chronologically.

Q: How many Harry Potter books are there?

There are 7 main Harry Potter novels. Additionally, there's The Cursed Child (a play script) and companion books like Fantastic Beasts, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

The complete reading order for J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series — the best-selling book series of all time with over 600 million copies sold. Follow Harry from his discovery of the wizarding world through his final battle with Voldemort.

Our Recommendation: Read in Publication Order Harry Potter was written to be read in order. Each book covers one school year at Hogwarts, and the story builds directly from book to book. Start with Philosopher's Stone and read straight through.

All 7 Harry Potter Books in Order

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneBuy Now 1997
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsBuy Now 1998
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanBuy Now 1999
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireBuy Now 2000
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixBuy Now 2003
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceBuy Now 2005
Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsBuy Now 2007

Companion Books & Extras

After finishing the main series, you can explore these additional Wizarding World books:

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Buy Now (2016) — A play script set 19 years after Deathly Hallows
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Buy Now — Hogwarts textbook
Quidditch Through the Ages Buy Now — History of the wizarding sport
The Tales of Beedle the Bard Buy Now — Wizarding fairy tales mentioned in Deathly Hallows

Where to Start

Start with: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

There's no debate here — start at the beginning. The first book introduces Harry, Hogwarts, and the wizarding world. Each subsequent book builds on what came before, and you'll miss crucial character development and plot points if you skip ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read Harry Potter?

Read in publication order: Philosopher's Stone → Chamber of Secrets → Prisoner of Azkaban → Goblet of Fire → Order of the Phoenix → Half-Blood Prince → Deathly Hallows. Each book covers one year at Hogwarts.

How many Harry Potter books are there?

There are 7 main novels in the Harry Potter series. The Cursed Child is a play script (not a novel) that continues the story 19 years later.

Is Cursed Child considered canon?

Yes, The Cursed Child is officially considered canon by J.K. Rowling and the publishers. However, many fans treat it as optional since it's a play script with a different feel than the novels.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Book links on this page are affiliate links.