Bloomsbury first published J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books in the United Kingdom.
Bloomsbury released Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on 26 June 1997. The publisher’s decision helped bring Rowling’s manuscript to readers after it had been rejected by several publishers. Barry Cunningham, then a children’s publishing editor at Bloomsbury, acquired the book, and the company continued with the remaining novels in the UK.
Bloomsbury’s edition used the title Philosopher’s Stone. Scholastic published the American edition under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a difference that often causes readers to think the books are separate stories. They are the same first novel with title and some terminology changes for the US market.
The series became a major commercial success for Bloomsbury and transformed the company’s profile. The first book won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize and the British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year. Other publishers handled foreign-language editions and related rights in different territories.