Harry Potter Books in Order: Complete Guide to the Series in 2023 +PDF

I fell in love with the Harry Potter series years ago. In fact, I remember standing in line at midnight waiting for the newest book to launch and then pulling an all-nighter so that I could read the entire thing. I definitely read the Harry Potter books in order but, is it necessary?
The Harry Potter books have become iconic. They are so well known that many people know the story before ever reading the books. So, we are often asked, “Should I read the Harry Potter Series in order?” We have everything you need to know about Harry Potter right here!
*Harry Potter Books in Order Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.

Should I Read the Harry Potter Series in Order?
Definitely!
J.K. Rowling is a storyteller who plays the long game. I think of her as the marathon runner of writers. The story has clues and important information throughout all seven books. It is important to read all the Harry Potter books in order to understand the story.
How Many Books Are in the Harry Potter Series?
The Book Series of Harry Potter has 7 books with a number of other books associated with Harry Potter. There are also illustrated editions of the books.
There are 8 Harry Potter movies in addition to a number of prequels, including the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

Harry Potter Books in Order
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’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 Pheonix (2003)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
Harry Potter Books in Order: From the Hogwarts Library
Screenplays by J.K. Rowling
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
- The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter Series Reading List
Download the complete book list below and subscribe to our newsletter here for exclusive access to more reading lists and printables!
Reviews of the Harry Potter Series in Order

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K Rowling
I was in university when this book was published and the first four were sitting on my younger brother’s bookshelf before I picked it up to see what the fuss was about. I read all four books in as many days and was married with a child before the final book was published.
This is the book that introduces us to Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger; our fearless trio. We also meet the other favorite beloved and detested characters that make the Harry Potter book series so special. After all, what would Hogwarts be without Hagrid, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Draco Malfoy?
Harry Potter shows up on our list of books like Percy Jackson too! And if you love Harry as we do, check out our 17 Books like Harry Potter for Kids Obsessed with Magic or 21 Adult Books Similar to Harry Potter for Fans of Magic.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter Book 2) by J.K Rowling
This is the second book in the Harry Potter series. If you are reading the Harry Potter books in order then this book picks up at the end of the summer right before Harry is supposed to go back to school. But, our sweet friend Dobby, the house elf, has something to say about that.
When Ron comes to get Harry in an enchanted car, they miss the train, fly to school, and nearly get creamed by the whooping willow; you know the year will be an eventful one. After all, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has not even started yet.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter Book 3) by J.K Rowling
Harry Potter is back at Hogwarts in The third book in the Harry Potter series. His life is in danger once again but this time, it is from the escaped convict, Sirius Black. He has escaped from the wizard prison, Azkaban, and seeks revenge on Harry.
Sirius Black is a mass murderer and a follower of Voldemort. Now, there are Dementors patrolling the school and Harry can only read of death and destruction in his divination class with Professor Trelawney. What else could go wrong?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4) by J.K Rowling
Although the order changes sometimes, this is my second favorite Harry Potter book in the series. In my opinion, it was the first book that really showed Rowling’s potential for great storytelling. If you are reading the Harry Potter books in order, as you should, you will LOVE this book.
Harry Potter finds himself participating in the Triwizard Tournament when someone tricked the Goblet of Fire and entered Harry’s name. He finds himself competing against much more experienced wizards in tasks that will bring him glory or death.
Harry faces dragons, dark wizards, and mermaids while performing magic he never thought possible. He faces the Deatheaters for the first time (which is how Harry found himself on our list of books about secret societies).

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter Book 5) by J.K. Rowling
The fifth installment of the Harry Potter series is the longest book at 766 pages. Harry knows that Voldemort wants Harry dead and that somehow, they have a connection. It is up to professor snape to teach Harry how to protect his mind from Voldemort using occlumency.
This is by far the darkest book in the series, in my opinion. We are introduced to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor who is also the senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. Professor Umbridge is one of the characters who have no redeeming features!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter Book #6) by J.K. Rowling
This book starts off with Dumbledore arriving at Harry’s house with a blackened hand and a mission. Harry has no idea that this is the start of the epic journey he must complete if he wants to live and defeat Voldemort.
Harry is convinced that Draco Malfoy is not only up to something but also bears the Dark Mark of the Deatheaters. Now, Harry will have to put his trust in Dumbledore as they explore Voldemort’s darkest secrets.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter Book #7) by J.K Rowling
This is the stunning conclusion of the EPIC Harry Potter Series. And if you read the entire Harry Potter series in order, how did you feel about the ending?
I felt elated at the ending and devastated that the series was over. It took me 10 years to read these books and when I finished the last page, I was so sad to say goodbye to the characters and to the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
Thankfully, this last book was just the beginning of what would become an empire. Whether you watched the movies, have visited Universal Studios, plan to watch the tv show or none of the above; we think that these books have opened up the world of books to an entire generation of readers.
Reviews of Books from the Hogwarts Library

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K Rowling and Newt Scamander
This gorgeous book is full of full-color illustrations of all the amazing and fantastic beasts. This is not the screenplay but rather, a compendium of magical creatures!

Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling and Kennilworthy Whisp
This is one of the three books from the Hogwarts Library that we, as muggles, are allowed to read.
This is a beautifully illustrated edition that will give you a history of the game that unites witches and wizards from around the world. The audio version of the book even has an except from the world cup!

Tales of Beetle the Bard by J.K Rowling
As Muggles, we grew up with fairy tales like Snow White and Rapunzel. Wizard children grew up with the stories of Beetles the Bard and I am sure there are many copies of this book on the shelves of Hogwarts.
Inside this book, you will find many brand new stories, but if you read the Harry Potter books in order, you will be familiar with The Tale of the Three Brothers and their story of the deathly hallows. So, it is up to you to decide if all of these stories are made up or if they are true.
Reviews of J.K. Rowling’s Screenplays

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling
The first in a five-part movie series featuring New Scamander, a magical zoologist, and writer of the famed book from which Harry Potter studies.
If you loved these movies and are looking for books related to Harry Potter, this collector’s edition of the screenplay will make a wonderful addition to your home library

The Crimes of Grindelwald by J.K. Rowling
The second screenplay in the Fantastic Beast series, this book features the plot of The Crimes of Grindelwald movie.
This edition comes with gorgeous art created by MinaLima, the artist behind many of the on-screen artwork. MinaLima books are all must-reads, especially this pick from our list of books related to Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne
The famed Broadway show gets special treatment with this set featuring plays 1 and 2. It would be interesting to see which parts have been omitted from the new show that only has one play! For any hard-core Potter fan, this pick from books related to Harry Potter is a must for your bookshelf.
Harry Potter’s story continues when his son Albus is sorted into Slytherin and befriends Draco’s son. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I loved seeing Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Malfoy as parents in the plays.
Harry Potter Illustrated Editions

Harry Potter Book Series (MinaLima Edition)

We LOVE to support independent bookstores. You can shop our entire list of Harry Potter Books in Order on bookshop.org
Harry Potter Series Television
All Seven Books in the Harry Potter series will be coming to television in a TV series based on the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Each book will be an in-depth look into each book in the series and with Rowling as a producer, you can be sure the tv adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter books will be accurate and maintain the integrity of the books.
The Harry Potter series is set to run for 10 years, but, because there are only seven books in the series, there is speculation about what that will look like as it will not be one book per season. The Network, Max Original, did say that Fantastic Beasts will NOT be a part of the TV show.
With no release date set yet, we cannot wait to see the adaptation of the Harry Potter book series in action!
Harry Potter Merch
Which Harry Potter Book is the Longest?
The longest Harry Potter book is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It is 766 pages or 30 hours 18 mins.
What is the Name of the First Book in the Harry Potter Series?
In the United States, the name of the first book in the series is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In the UK and Canada, the name of the first book is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
How many languages have the Harry Potter series been translated into?
The Harry Potter books have been translated into 80 languages.
Which is your favorite Harry Potter book?

45+ Best Fantasy Books for Tweens and Middle-Grade Fantasy Readers
Do you love the Harry Potter book series? We have the Ultimate list of middle-grade Fantasy Books!