What was the first Harry Potter book published in Britain?

The first Harry Potter book published in Britain was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Bloomsbury released it in the United Kingdom on 26 June 1997.

The novel introduces Harry Potter, an orphan who discovers that he is a wizard shortly before beginning his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It also establishes major characters including Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort.

In the United States, Scholastic published the same novel under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The change was made because the publisher believed “sorcerer” would be more immediately understandable to American readers. The story itself is essentially the same, though some wording was adapted for American English.

The book began with a relatively modest first print run but became an international bestseller. It launched a seven-book series and turned Rowling into one of the world’s most widely read authors.