Here's How to Read All of the 'Harry Potter' Books in Order

Since it was first published in 1997, Harry Potter has become one of the defining pieces of culture of the 21st century so far. Generations of children and adults have been enchanted by author J.K. Rowling 's series of coming-of-age fantasy novels.

Harry Potter is the bestselling book series of all time, with 600 million copies sold worldwide, and has been turned into a massive movie series, video games, theme park attractions, a stage play and an upcoming television series from HBO that will once again adapt the books from the beginning.

While Rowling herself has become embroiled in controversy in recent years, the popularity of her creation has not diminished.

The Harry Potter series consists of seven novels that tell the story of the titular wizard as he and his friends fight to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort while also attending to their studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and dealing with things even non-wizards go through as they're growing up, like crushes, bullies and adults letting them down.

The Wizarding World is vast, and might seem overwhelming if you're entering it for the first time. Fortunately, the books are very easy to get into, as their chronological and publication order is the same, with each covering a different year of Harry's life from the ages of 11 to 17.

The subject matter of each novel gets progressively more mature, making them perfect books to grow up with. Here's how to read the Harry Potter books in order.

Related: 17 Books Like Harry Potter , According to Librarians

How to Read All of the  Harry Potter Books in Order

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1997)

On his 11th birthday, mistreated orphan Harry Potter learns that he's a wizard and is whisked away into a world of magic and intrigue at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He becomes best friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and together they thwart the return of Voldemort, the dark wizard who killed Harry's parents and tried to kill Harry when he was a baby.

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2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)

In Harry's second year at Hogwarts, someone (or something) is going after Muggle-born witches and wizards (that is, people born to non-magical parents), and Harry, Ron and Hermione investigate. A mysterious diary that belonged to a long-ago student named Tom Riddle writes back to whomever is writing in it and might be involved somehow.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)

When Harry's godfather Sirius Black, who supposedly betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort, escapes from prison, Hogwarts goes on high alert. But Harry soon finds out there's a lot more to the story than anyone realized.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)

Hogwarts is the setting of the Triwizard Tournament, an Olympics-like magical event in which Harry competes. Meanwhile, Voldemort grows stronger. The two threads converge during the tournament's finale, and the Wizarding World is changed forever.

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5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)

With Voldemort returned to power, Harry and his friends try to join the fight, but meet resistance from adults who think they're too young. So they take matters into their own hands. At the end, Harry learns of a prophecy that explains why Voldemort attacked him when he was a baby and why they're linked to each other as long as they're both alive.

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)

Harry prepares for his final showdown with Voldemort by learning about Horcruxes, which are dark magical objects that hold a piece of a person's soul and that Voldemort uses to protect himself. Harry and Dumbledore, Hogwarts' headmaster, set out to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

Harry, Ron and Hermione continue to track down the remaining Horcruxes, culminating in the final battle between Harry, Voldemort and forces of good and evil on the grounds of Hogwarts.

Related: Daniel Radcliffe Finally Ranks His Favorite Harry Potter Films

How to Read Every Supplemental  Harry Potter Book in Order

That concludes the Harry Potter series, but there are other books written by Rowling that serve as supplementary material to the main series that fans may want to check out. They are:

1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001)

This slim volume takes the form of a Hogwarts textbook written by Newt Scamander that describes the magical creatures that can be found in the Wizarding World. The text inspired the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them prequel films, which feature Newt Scamander as the main character.

2. Quidditch Through the Ages (2001)

This is another faux-book, this time about the history, rules and teams of quidditch, the Wizarding World's signature sport, written by "Kennilworthy Whisp." It was published along with Quidditch Through the Ages , and proceeds from their sales benefit the British charity Comic Relief.

3. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008)

Published under Rowling's name, Beedle the Bard takes the form of a book of Wizarding World fairy tales. A fictional version of the book is mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , and one of the stories, "The Tale of Three Brothers," plays an important role in the story. Sales of Tales of Beedle the Bard benefit Rowling's children's charity Lumos.

Related: Harry Potter Trivia: 50 Fun Facts About the Wizarding World

This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 7, 2024, where it first appeared in the Books section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.