Kids who began reading Harry Potter when they were in elementary school, finished Harry’s story as they finished major life milestones in this decade. And they took with them not only a deep experience of the pleasure a book can bring, but a validation of hopefulness that one’s actions matter more than one’s circumstances, and a message that truly love does conquer all.

—— Arthur Levine, Publisher, Arthur A. Levine Books, VP Scholastic

Press Releases

• Scholastic Unveils One of Only Seven Original Copes of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Handwritten and Illustrated by J.K. Rowling, on Display from December 4-January 4 at the New York Public Library
  December 3, 2008
• Calling All First-Time Harry Potter Readers and Long-Time Fans
  August 20, 2008
• J.K. Rowling's Children's Charity to Publish The Tales of Beedle The Bard on December 4, 2008 July 31, 2008
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Special Anniversary Edition to be Released on September 23, 2008 by ScholasticMay 20, 2008
  
• Scholastic and Los Angeles Unified School District Announce the 40 Schools Participating in J.K. Rowling Open Book Tour
  September 10, 2007
• Scholastic and New York City Department of Education Announced the 40 Schools Participating in J.K. Rowling Open Book Tour
  September 5, 2007
• Scholastic Announces Record Breaking Sales of 11.5 Million Copes of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in First Ten Days
  August 2, 2007
• Scholastic and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Make Publishing History with 8.3 Million Copies Sold in First 24 Hours
  July 22, 2007
• Scholastic to Host "Harry Potter Place" - Outdoor Street Celebration in New York City on July 20 - Leading up to Midnight Release of Harry Potter And The Deathly HallowsJ
  June 26, 2007
• Scholastic Makes Largest Ever Commitment to Forest Stewardship Council Certified Paper in a Single Book for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows
  March 20, 2007
• Bestselling Authors J.K. Rowling, Stephen King and John Irving Read From Their Works Live on Stage at Radio City Music Hall in Two Benefit Performances, August 1 and 2, 2006
  May 10, 2006
• Harry Potter Y El Misterio Del Principe, The Spanish-Language Edition of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to Launch Worldwide February 23, 2006
  February 15, 2006
• J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Wins Book fo the Year at First Annual Quill Awards
  October 12, 2005
• 11 Million Copes of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Sold in First Nine Weeks
  September 21, 2005
• Scholastic and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Make Publishing History with 6.9 Million Copies Sold in First 24 Hours
  July 17, 2005
• Scholastic Announces Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Sweepstakes - One Lucky U.S. Public Library to Win First Author-Signed Copy of American Edition
  June 1, 2005
• Scholastic Announces Record-Breaking 10.8 Million First Printing in United States of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  March 30, 2005
• J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince To be Published on July 16, 2005 in the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia
  December 21, 2004
• Christmas Arrives on the First Day of Summer! Scholastic and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Break All Publishing Records with 5 Million Copies Sold in First 24 Hours
  June 22, 2003
• Scholastic to Bring the Magic of J.K. Rowling to Millions of Americans Via MSN Live Webcast as Co-Sponsor of Exclusive Royal Albert Hall Event in London, England on Thursday, June 26th
  June 6, 2003
• Scholastic Announces Unprecedented 6.8 Million First Printing in United States of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to be Released on June 21, 2003 February 11, 2003

Highlights

HARRY POTTER MILESTONES (All sales figures are U.S. only)

• July 8, 2000 – 3.8 million – the record-breaking initial print-run of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  
• July 11, 2000 – 3 million – copies sold in the first weekend from the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire breaking all publishing sales records.
• March, 12, 2001 – Release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages with net proceeds to benefit Comic Relief, UK
• June 21, 2003 – 6.8 million – the record-breaking initial print-run of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
• June 22, 2003 – 5 million – copies sold in the first 24 hours following the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, breaking all publishing records.
• July 16, 2005 – 10.8 million – the record-breaking initial print-run of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
• July 17, 2005 – 6.9 million – copies sold in the first 24 hours following the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, breaking all publishing records.
• June 14, 2006 – Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report reveals that 76%of parents say reading Harry Potter has helped their child do better in school
• August 1 & 2, 2006 – 2 sold-out nights of "Harry, Carrie & Garp" J.K. Rowling, Stephen King and John Irving read and answered questions for fans at Radio City Music Hall, benefiting Doctors without Borders and The Haven Foundation.
• June 4 – July 20, 2007 – 40 libraries across the country visited by the Knight Bus where fans were invited to share on video their thoughts and feelings about the Harry Potter Books.
• July 21, 2007 – 12 million – the record-breaking initial print-run of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• July 22, 2007 – 8.3 million – copies sold in the first 24 hours following the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, breaking all industry records.
• August 2, 2007 11.5 million – copies sold in the first 10 days following the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
• October 15-19, 2007 – 2,000 – books signed by J.K. Rowling at each of four free events on the Open Book Tour, where J.K. Rowling read, from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and answered questions at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, the New Orleans Convention Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City
• June 11, 2008 – Scholastic's Kids and Family Reading Report finds that 74 % of kids say reading Harry Potter made them interested in reading other books.
• September 23, 2008 – 7 ½ hours – spent by hundreds of fans reading aloud J.K. Rowling's first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in its entirety at Scholastic’s "Cover to Cover" event in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the book’s publication.
• December 3, 2008 – Scholastic releases The Tales of Beedle the Bard to benefit the Children's High Level Group, a charity co-founded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, MEP to make life better for vulnerable children.
• September 20, 2009 – 228 –weeks Harry Potter spent on The New York Times bestseller list

Downloads

Preview: J.K. Rowling reading to audience
Download a high-res version of the clip(65 MB)
 

Preview: J.K. Rowling book signing
Download a high-res version of the clip(65 MB)
 

Preview: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hot off the press
Download a high-res version of the clip(65 MB)
 

Combo Reel: signing, reading, printing.
Download a high-res version of the clip(195)
 

Harry, Carrie & Garp: Radio City Music Hall New York, August 2006 (click on an image to download a high-res version)
Fans wish J.K. Rowling a Happy Birthday outside Radio City Music Hall	J.K. Rowling onstage in Radio City Music Hall for Harry, Carrie & Garp

Now There Are 7: Release of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: July 21, 2007 (click on an image to download a high-res version)

Excited fans celebrate with their copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows purchased at midnight book parties on July 21, 2007.

A Magical Celebration and Photo Gallery: Harry Potter Place, SoHo New York (click on an image to download a high-res version)

Scholastic CEO Dick Robinson with Harry Potter fans

Scenes from The Knight Bus (click on an image to download a high-res version)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Open Book Tour: October 2007 (click on an image to download a high-res version)