Bloomsbury first released J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books in the United Kingdom.
Bloomsbury published Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on 26 June 1997. The London-based independent publisher acquired the manuscript after Barry Cunningham, then an editor at Bloomsbury, recognized its potential. The book became the foundation of a publishing phenomenon that transformed both Rowling’s career and Bloomsbury’s public profile.
The company remained the UK publisher for the seven main Harry Potter novels. Scholastic published the books in the United States, beginning with the American edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1998. This difference explains why British and American references sometimes name different publishers and use different titles.
Bloomsbury’s Harry Potter list later expanded to include related Wizarding World books. However, the original seven novels are the core publications that established Rowling as a global author.