Which prize did J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel win as the 1997 overall winner?

J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel won the 1997 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize overall.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone won the prize in the 9-to-11-years category and was also selected as the overall winner. The award helped draw attention to a debut novel that had been published by Bloomsbury earlier that year.

The Smarties prize was a children’s book award associated with Nestlé and voted for by schoolchildren. It is distinct from the Carnegie Medal, another major British children’s literature award with different rules and judging.

The book later received many other honors and launched an international series. Its early prize success is an important part of the publication history, but it should not be confused with later awards given to Rowling or the film adaptations.