Which Harry Potter book was the first to be published under J.K. Rowling’s name in the United States?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the first Harry Potter book published under J.K. Rowling’s name in the United States.

The novel was first published in Britain in 1997 as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Scholastic released the American edition in 1998 with the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The change was made because the publisher believed “sorcerer” would be clearer and more appealing to American readers.

The story itself is the same first installment: Harry discovers that he is a wizard, attends Hogwarts, and confronts the mystery surrounding the Philosopher’s Stone. The differing title has caused some readers to mistake the American edition for a separate book.

All seven main novels were published in both markets, but the first title is the best-known example of the transatlantic wording difference.