What was the first Harry Potter book called in the United States instead of J.K. Rowling’s British title?

In the United States, J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The British edition was published as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997. When Scholastic prepared the American edition, the title was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The publisher believed that “sorcerer” would be more familiar and attractive to American children than “philosopher.”

The title change affected more than the cover. References to the stone’s name were adjusted in the American text, while the story, characters, and plot remained the same. The two editions therefore represent different localized titles for one novel, rather than separate installments in the series.

The film released in the United States also used Sorcerer’s Stone, while many other countries retained Philosopher’s Stone or translated their own version. This is why readers may encounter two official English titles for Rowling’s first Harry Potter book.