How to read the Harry Potter books in order, Hogwarts Library texts and Cursed Child included
We've gathered up all the texts from the Wizarding World to help you get to grips with the entire extended catalogue.
The Wizarding World may be fast approaching its 30th birthday, but it's showing absolutely no signs of diminishing in popularity.
Since the release of the first book back in 1997, author JK Rowling's Harry Potter series has become synonymous with British culture. From his introduction as a shy orphaned boy through his rise to fame, Harry Potter has captured hearts across the Wizarding World and the Muggle world alike.
Though the books are technically aimed towards younger readers, Harry Potter has a fanbase that spans the generations. The books, and subsequent movie series, manage to strike the balance between being an exciting adventure for new readers and cosy comfort for older fans.
The magic of the Harry Potter series isn't confined to just the first seven books. The Boy Who Lived's universe has now expanded into the Hogwarts Library texts and jumped right off the page, thanks to the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and multiple Harry Potter-themed areas at Universal Studios in Orlando.
Whether you're a die-hard Potterhead looking to relive the magic, or you're completely new to the franchise, we've put together the ultimate guide to help you make sense of the Wizarding World, from the original seven-book series and beyond.
If you fancy reliving the magic in other ways, check out our list of the Harry Potter movies in order, as well as our guide to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
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How many Harry Potter books are there?
How you answer this question really depends on what you consider to be a Harry Potter book.
In the original Harry Potter series, there are seven books, all of which follow the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts.
The wildly successful stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is often regarded as part of the Harry Potter canon. Due to the long run time of the play, it's split into two parts, so you could also argue that this counts as two additional "books".
There are also three additional Hogwarts library texts, all written by JK Rowling (under a number of different pen names of course!): Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
When did the Harry Potter books come out?
The first Harry Potter book was first published in 1997 (the same year that a certain RadioTimes.com writer was born!). Here's a full list of the Harry Potter books and the year they were published in:
- 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)
How to read the Harry Potter books in order
Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
The adventure begins here. Join Harry Potter, an orphan taken in by his less-than-loving Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, on the adventure of a lifetime as he discovers his identity as a wizard.
Soon afterwards, he heads to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets friends Ron and Hermione, as well as teachers Dumbledore and Snape, and enemy Malfoy. But is the wizarding world really as safe as it seems to be?
Buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for £8.99 £8.27 (save 72p or 8%) at WH Smith
Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
This time it's back to Hogwarts with a bang — quite literally, as Harry and his pals manage to arrive in a flying car, which they crash into a Whomping Willow.
And that's just the beginning of the drama of Harry's second year. A message saying "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened" appears and the students start to become petrified — quite literally turned into stone. It's up to Harry to find out more about the Chamber, encountering iconic characters like Moaning Myrtle and Aragog along the way.
Buy Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for £8.99 £8.27 (save 72p or 8%) at WH Smith
Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
While someone who's introduced as a deranged mass murderer may not initially seem like a fan favourite, Sirius Black has certainly stolen some fan's hearts. With a prisoner from ultra-secure jail Azkaban on the loose, the prison's guards, faceless beings called Dementors, abound — bad news for Harry, whose usually nerves of steel immediately fade when they're near.
This book also introduces characters Remus Lupin, Crookshanks the cat and Scabbers the rat, as well as the Patronus charm.
Buy Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for £8.99 £8.27 (save 72p or 8%) at WH Smith
Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
It's time for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and this years it's Hogwarts' turn to host the competition. Despite not yet being 17, Harry is chosen to compete when his name is drawn from the ceremonial Goblet of Fire.
There's nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, but things go south pretty quickly for Harry and his fellow competitors, culminating in one of the darkest finales in the entire Harry Potter franchise. Don't say we didn't warn you...
Buy Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for £9.99 £9.19 (save 80p or 8%) at WH Smith
Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
This is the longest book in the Harry Potter series, but don't worry; you'll be glued to every page. Despite the appearance of a certain He Who Shall Not Be Named at the end of the fourth book, the Ministry of Magic continue to deny all rumours.
Enter the Order of the Phoenix, an underground operation aiming to rid the world of Voldemort once and for all.
Buy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for £8.99 £8.27 (save 72p or 8%) at WH Smith
Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
With one of the most memorable endings of recent popular literature, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the perfect penultimate tale.
In this book, Harry learns all about where Voldemort comes from, while also tracking the nefarious Malfoy on the Marauder's Map and excelling in Potions class, thanks to a little help from someone known only as "The Half-Blood Prince".
Buy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for £9.99 £9.19 (save 80p or 8%) at WH Smith
Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry, Hermione and Ron set off on a final quest to destroy all of Voldemort's Horcruxes, once and for all. As each Horcrux contains a piece of Voldemort's soul, all most be defeated before facing the ultimate battle.
JK Rowling's final masterpiece of the original series sees all the intricate storytelling, character development and themes come to a grand conclusion.
Buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for £8.99 £8.27 (save 72p or 8%) at WH Smith
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
You can see the action of the Wizarding World jump from the page to the stage at London's Palace Theatre. This time, we're heading 19 years into the future to follow Harry's son Albus Severus as he begins his time at Hogwarts alongside Scorpius Malfoy, the son of, you guessed it, Draco Malfoy.
In typical Hogwarts fashion, Albus then embarks on a powerful journey, giving him the opportunity to change everything— even the past.
It's worth noting that the show is split into two parts, with a matinee and evening performance. It's strongly recommended to go to both parts on the same day so you can get the full Cursed Child experience while the plot is fresh in your mind.
Buy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets from £15 at TodayTix
Hogwarts Library books in order
If you just can't get enough of Harry Potter and all the lore surrounding his magical world, then you're in luck. There are three additional texts that form part of the Harry Potter canon, known as the Hogwarts Library texts.
These books focus on the more practical elements of the Wizarding World, rather than the stories and adventures of the original series. If you're interested in magical creatures, wizard fairy tales and even sporting tactics, then these are the books for you.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
Popularised to the public thanks to its 2016 movie adaptation starring Eddie Redmayne, Fantastic Beasts is a fictional non-fiction book — get your head around that one!
Written by the famous Magizoologist Newt Scamander, this books acts as a catalogue of the beasts of the Wizarding World, from the Hippogriff to the Hungarian Horntail, and many more creatures never before seen in the Harry Potter books.
Buy Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for £7.99 £7.35 (save 64p or 8%) at WH Smith
Quidditch Through the Ages
This one is for fans of the RadioTimes.com Sports section. If you want to get a firmer grasp on the rules and history of Quidditch, then this book is your ultimate companion guide.
Did you know that Quidditch is a real-life sport, played by thousands of people across the world? Maybe it's time to brush up on your knowledge of the game — you never know, it could be headed to the Olympics someday!
Buy Quidditch Through the Ages for £6.99 £6.50 (save 49p or 7%) at WH Smith
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Keen Harry Potter readers will recognise this title from the original seven book series. Dumbledore gifted his copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard to Hermione, which turned out to be instrumental in helping Harry solve the clues in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Now you can check them out for yourself. Whether you want to deepen your knowledge of the Harry Potter universe or you simply want to read some new fairy tales, this is the book for you.
Buy The Tales of Beedle the Bar for £7.99 £7.35 (save 64p or 8%) at WH Smith
For more on the Harry Potter universe, take a look at our roundup of the best Harry Potter tours and experiences, as well as your ultimate guide to Hogwarts Legacy.
