Currently surrounded by an entire industry devoted to movies, related toys, games and action figures, the success of the brand continues to boil and bubble up to the source: when it comes to Harry Potter, it's all about the books.

Beginning with "Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone" in 1997, (Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone in the U.S.) author J.K. Rowling has won instant critical notice and book awards worldwide as well as a cult following of millions of children and adult readers.

Popular subsequent titles include 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) and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2005).

The last and final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hits book stores worldwide on July 21, 2007.

Hundreds of millions of books in the Harry Potter series have been sold in some 61 translations (including Latin, Welsh, Ancient Greek and Irish) in over 200 countries.

On the Net, discover the complete lexicon of Harry Potter books and why it's so popular, how it inspires fear of witchcraft and its perceived influence on children, plus a bit about the author and related "Potter Fodder" fun facts and trivia...

 

Scholastic.com | Harry Potter - The American publisher with pages devoted to the Harry Potter series with plot summaries, cover art, reference guide and discussion boards, interactive games and fun stuff.

Harry Potter Books from Bloomsbury - The original UK publisher with a fine presentation on their top money-maker including a virtual tour of all six books, short synopses and book cover illustrations, news and updates, FAQ.

The Harry Potter Lexicon - The most comprehensive site of its kind featuring chapter-by chapter guides with notes and commentary, contrasts between British and American versions, book cover gallery, interesting trivia, FAQ, awards list.

J.K. Rowling Official Site - Flashy design, but unfortunately extra-strength cute navigation. Get the hang of it and be rewarded with an illustrated biography, news, updates and anti-spoilers - with the author herself addressing the rumors that swirl around upcoming book plots...

Harry Potter Full Coverage on Yahoo! News - The mother of all search engines with an entire page devoted to The Bespectacled One, featuring current and archived Harry Potter publishing news, related articles, photo gallery, links.

Harry Potter - The Controversy - From a conservative American Christian perspective, this excellent resource has links to major opinion and editorials from around the country - for and against - the stories' provocative use of witchcraft and sorcery.

also see in Teens -> Teen Book Guide

The Chiff.com Guide to Harry Potter Fan sites, news, movie trailers, pictures, games & more...