Which British publisher first signed J.K. Rowling for Harry Potter?

Bloomsbury was the British publisher that first signed J.K. Rowling for Harry Potter.

Bloomsbury acquired the rights to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and published it in the United Kingdom on 26 June 1997. The book was aimed at children but quickly attracted readers of many ages. Its success turned Rowling and Bloomsbury into central names in modern children’s publishing.

The publishing decision also shaped the author’s public name. Bloomsbury’s Barry Cunningham suggested using initials rather than Joanne Rowling’s full first name, partly because the publisher thought a gender-neutral presentation might appeal to boys. Rowling supplied the “K” from her paternal grandmother Kathleen.

The American edition was published by Scholastic, which changed the title to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic was therefore the major U.S. publisher, but Bloomsbury was the original British publisher. The two companies should not be treated as interchangeable when asking who first published the series.