Few series have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike as much as the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling created an expansive magical world that continues to enthrall new generations through 7 main novels and multiple companion books. Part of the fun lies in experiencing the epic journey in order.
This reading guide will provide you with a complete list of all Harry Potter books in chronological order. This order gives the sequence to best appreciate the development of the saga, characters and storylines. Prepare to be transported to Hogwarts for a spellbinding literary adventure.
List of All Harry Potter Books in Order
Below is a table with a list of all Harry Potter Books in order which we are going to discuss separately in next sections. You can jump to any book by clicking the movie names provided in the table.
| Sr. No. | Book Name | Year |
| 1 | 1997 | |
| 2 | 1998 | |
| 3 | 1999 | |
| 4 | 2000 | |
| 5 | 2003 | |
| 6 | 2005 | |
| 7 | 2007 |
1 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 26 June 1997 (UK), 1 September 1998 (US)
Harry Potter's life changes forever on his 11th birthday when he learns that he is a wizard and possesses unique magical abilities. These revelations come courtesy of a gentle half-giant named Hagrid who informs Harry that his parents were a witch and wizard who were killed by an evil dark wizard named Voldemort. Harry is summoned to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he will be trained in magic alongside other young wizards and witches.
Harry begins lessons in spells, potions, flying broomsticks and other magical arts at Hogwarts. He soon makes close friends with fellow first-year students Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. But Harry also makes new enemies including the arrogant Draco Malfoy. Harry starts to learn more about his mysterious past. He becomes convinced that someone is trying to steal the powerful Sorcerer's Stone hidden at Hogwarts. Harry finds himself on a dangerous new adventure that will lead him to uncover more about his parents' deaths and face a terrifying confrontation with the forces of Lord Voldemort.
2 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 2 July 1998 (UK), 2 June 1999 (US)
Sinister events begin to unfold when someone secretly opens the mythical Chamber of Secrets unleashing a legendary monster in Harry Potter second year at Hogwarts. There are ominous signs referring to the Chamber and its history of violence. When students including Harry friend Hermione start getting attacked and petrified. Everyone is terrified that the killer beast is on the loose inside Hogwarts castle.
Harry and Ron are determined to get to the bottom of who has orchestrated the attacks and why. But Harry faces suspicion and opposition from other students who suspect that he may be behind the chaos. Harry and Ron have just a few cryptic clues to try to crack the mystery As professors struggle to protect the school. The danger escalates until Ginny Weasley disappears and Harry must summon immense bravery and loyalty to friends to defeat the deadly forces within the Chamber of Secrets. The book also further develops wizarding world themes of prejudice through the introduction of house-elf slavery.
3 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 8 July 1999 (UK), 8 September 1999 (US)
Harry learns that notorious convict Sirius Black has escaped from the wizarding prison Azkaban during his third year at Hogwarts. Black is then spotted near Hogwarts. Everyone fears for Harry safety believing that Black intends to kill Harry. The dementors of Azkaban are dispatched as guards around Hogwarts to hunt Black down. But these wraith-like creatures prove a greater threat as they haunt Harry while draining his happiness with their power.
Harry, Ron and Hermione seek to learn more about Sirius Black and his ties to Harry late parents. Professor Lupin provides Harry with secret lessons on how to defend against dementors as Black continues to elude capture. When Black eventually breaks into Hogwarts, the truth comes out about his connection to Harry father James, his animagus abilities and the real sequence of events that landed him in Azkaban. The revelations link Black to Harry past while exposing even more corruption at Hogwarts and in the Ministry of Magic.
4 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 8 July 2000 (UK & US)
The Triwizard Tournament hosted by Hogwarts plays a central role in the series' fourth book. This dangerous international magical contest selects student representatives from 3 schools to compete in challenging feats. However, when Harry is mysteriously also chosen as a contestant, despite being underage, it becomes clear that sinister dark forces have orchestrated Harry's involvement for their own motives.
As Harry navigates each perilous task of the tournament, glimpses of Voldemort and his followers emerge suggesting their quiet return to power. Harry experiences divisive treatment and jealousy from fellow students regarding his participation, including rifts with best friend Ron Weasley. Though Harry navigates dragons, underwater tests, and a magical maze, greater challenges await beyond the tournament itself. Harry experiences romance with fellow student Cho Chang amidst the Yule Ball dance but remains drawn to darker mysteries that soon envelop the wizarding world once more.
5 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 21 June 2003 (UK & US)
Following Lord Voldemort's return to physical form, as witnessed by Harry, the Ministry of Magic moves to downplay Voldemort's revival in order to avoid panic. After Harry is attacked by dementors and an Order member intervenes, members of the secret Order of the Phoenix take Harry to their dark magical headquarters at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place for the summer.
While the Ministry denounces Harry and Dumbledore as deceitful alarmists, Dolores Umbridge is installed at Hogwarts as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. However, her cruel teaching methods and refusal to instruct defensive magic leads Harry, Ron, and Hermione to take learning defense into their own hands. They recruit fellow students into a secret group called Dumbledore's Army to hone their defensive skills. As Harry experiences disturbing visions through his connection to Voldemort and Umbridge tightens her authoritarian grip, the students rally together against increasingly tyrannical adult forces threatening Hogwarts.
6 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 16 July 2005 (UK & US)
The sixth book provides more glimpses into Lord Voldemort's secret history and the importance of his infiltration at Hogwarts. Dumbledore shares lessons with Harry using extracted memories about Voldemort's beginnings as Tom Riddle, the orphaned yet brilliant Slytherin student who became obsessed with immortality and the Dark Arts. Meanwhile, Harry suspects new professor Horace Slughorn holds an important hidden memory about Voldemort's past.
These revelations about Voldemort are set against romantic developments, including Harry's growing attraction to Ginny Weasley. However, an ominous threat looms as Harry learns his classmate Draco Malfoy has joined the Death Eaters and been assigned a secret mission by Voldemort. As Death Eater activity escalates, Dumbledore seeks to prepare Harry for the prophesied conflict he must one day face against Voldemort while protecting students from the dark forces plotting against Hogwarts.
7 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Series: Harry Potter
- Genre: Fantasy
- Author: J.K. Rowling
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Scholastic (US)
- Release date: 21 July 2007 (UK & US)
In the climactic final Harry Potter novel, Harry is entrusted with Dumbledore's mission to seek out and destroy the secret Horcruxes containing fragments of Voldemort's soul, rendering him immortal. Harry is joined by devoted friends Ron and Hermione as the three sacrifice their final Hogwarts year to undertake this dangerous quest.
They must rely on one another and their wits to survive while evading capture by Voldemort's forces, including Severus Snape now revealed as a traitorous spy. Harry uncovers vital details about Dumbledore's mysterious past and his connection to Voldemort as he gathers the courage for the ultimate confrontation prophesied as his destiny. As Harry navigates pain, loss, and sacrifice, the book culminates in an epic and consequential showdown with Voldemort at Hogwarts where Harry accepts his tragic role for the fate of the wizarding world.
DPM Top Picks
For newcomers to the series, you should go through all Harry Potter books one by one to learn the story from start to end. But if you want to know our top picks then Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are the ones. They offer engaging entry points into this magical literary world.
Final Verdict
Few series have sparked the passion and devotion inspired by the Harry Potter books. By following the adventures in sequence, readers accompany the characters on their journey through adolescence while discovering the incredible imaginative depths of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. The books reward both first-time and repeat readings as hidden details and nuances emerge with each visit.
FAQs
Q: How do I start reading Harry Potter?
Those new to Harry Potter can begin with Book 1 in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which introduces key characters and the magical world.
Q: Can a 17 year old read Harry Potter?
Yes, the Harry Potter books can absolutely be enjoyed by 17 year olds and are considered YA classics suitable for teen readers on up through adults.
Q: How many Harry Potter books are there?
There are 7 main Harry Potter novels. Beginning with Sorcerer's Stone and ending with Deathly Hallows. There are also supplemental books expanding the wizarding world.
Q: What age is Harry Potter appropriate for?
The Harry Potter books are considered suitable for ages 8 and up. The first few installments skew younger while the later books deal with increasingly mature themes.