Bloomsbury released the first UK edition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
Bloomsbury published Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the United Kingdom on 26 June 1997. The first book was followed by six more main-series novels, all issued by the publisher in the UK. The series became a defining success for Bloomsbury and greatly increased its international profile.
The American editions were published by Scholastic, which used the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the first book. Different publishers in other countries handled local-language editions, so Bloomsbury is specifically the answer for the original UK releases.
The first book’s cover was illustrated by Thomas Taylor, while later UK editions used artwork by artists including Cliff Wright and Jason Cockcroft. The publisher’s original decision helped launch one of modern publishing’s most successful franchises.