Harry Potter Books
Harry Potter
Nothing could be wilder than a child's imagination. Except, of course, for the vividly creative imagination of best-selling author, J.K. Rowling. Creator of the Harry Potter book franchise, Rowling has sold more than 400 million copies of her Potter books since completing the first in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, in 1995.
Following the amazing success of the book series, author Rowling has created a phenomenally successful franchise with movies, dolls, costumes and toys that have brought her a personal fortune estimated at nearly 500 million dollars. The Harry Potter books have also set records as the fastest selling books in history.
Rowling grew up in Gloucester, England and as a child loved reading and storytelling. She worked for Amnesty International as an adult before moving to Portugal to teach English. While in Portugal, Rowling married, had a baby girl and not long after was divorced. Moving to Edinburgh, Scotland Rowling would take her infant girl for walks and when stopping for rests in coffeehouses or internet cafes, she began writing her first Harry Potter story.
Rowling's first book was submitted to a dozen publishers and was roundly rejected. Fortunately, a small British publisher, Bloomsbury, saw promise in her story and the rest is history.
The success of the Harry Potter books rests upon the incredible detail and depth that J.K. Rowling created as much as the public's fascination with the interesting characters that reside in the Hogwarts school. At the center of the tales is Harry, an orphan boy whose parents were murdered by an evil sorcerer. Harry has been living with his cruel and doltish relatives, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley. Harry, like Cinderella, is forced to live under the stairs and is the subject of ridicule from his pudgy and ill-tempered cousin, Dudley.
On his eleventh birthday, life changes dramatically for young Harry. A giant-sized man named Hagrid appears at the Dursley's home. Hagrid is the gamekeeper at a very special school and he's charged with explaining to Harry that the lad has been accepted for admission at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Soon, the black haired and bespectacled Harry will discover more about the world of enchantment and also learn valuable lessons about himself, too.
While each of the Harry Potter books is a fantasy, they are also reminiscent of popular mystery stories ... from Sherlock Holmes to the Hardy Boys. Early in each Potter book, a mysterious challenge must be solved. Clues are liberally sprinkled throughout each chapter and Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione, investigate fearlessly despite the obvious dangers and roadblocks in their path. The books treat young readers to surprise endings with numerous twists and turns along the way. Remember, these are fantasy mysteries so anything, and we do mean anything at all, can happen.
If you've only seen Harry Potter on the big screen in a darkened theatre, it's time to pick up the books and read them. The film versions are fantastic and filled with incredible special effects but nothing compares to the magic of reading a good mystery-fantasy book like Harry Potter.
The Harry Potter Series:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (in the US), 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
