Fantasy · Young adult
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Bestseller: about 120 million copies (estimate)An orphan raised by unkind relatives learns on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard, and is whisked off to a boarding school of magic where he makes friends and uncovers a secret hidden inside the castle.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1997
- Pace
- Fast
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 309
- Format
- Book 1 of 7 in Harry Potter
Read this if you want a warm, inventive school story with clever world-building and easy page-turning momentum.
Skip this if you want complex, adult-focused fantasy rather than a children's adventure.
The feel
Content warnings
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- What is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone about?
- An orphan raised by unkind relatives learns on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard, and is whisked off to a boarding school of magic where he makes friends and uncovers a secret hidden inside the castle.
- Who should read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?
- Read it if you want a warm, inventive school story with clever world-building and easy page-turning momentum. Skip it if you want complex, adult-focused fantasy rather than a children's adventure.
- How long and how fast is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?
- It is a fast-paced, medium read of about 309 pages, first published in 1997.
- Does Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Bullying, Death.
- Can I borrow Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Lightning Thief, Howl's Moving Castle, A Deadly Education.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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Because you might love it
If you loved Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
-
The Lightning Thief
Another young hero discovers a hidden magical world and a band of friends, with a faster, funnier voice.
-
Howl's Moving Castle A quirky, witty and warm fantasy with a very different, more offbeat sense of magic.
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A Deadly Education A magic school with the cosiness stripped out: lethal, sarcastic and aimed at older readers.
Fantasy
