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Credit J P Masclet

J K Rowling

J K Rowling has written fiction since she was a child, and she always wanted to be an author. Her parents loved reading and their house in Chepstow was full of books. In fact, J K Rowling wrote her first ‘book’ at the age of six – a story about a rabbit called Rabbit. She studied French and Classics at Exeter University, then moved to Edinburgh – via London and Portugal. In 2000 she was awarded an OBE for services to children’s literature.

The idea for Harry Potter occurred to her on the train from Manchester to London, where she says Harry Potter ‘just strolled into my head fully formed’, and by the time she had arrived at King’s Cross, many of the characters had taken shape. During the next five years she outlined the plots for each book and began writing the first in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was first published in 1997. 

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Books

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

    Author: J K Rowling
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Interest age: 10+
    Reading age: 10+

    There is much heartache for Harry as he tries to complete the task left to him by Dumbledore and find the Horcruxes containing pieces of Voldemort's soul.

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

    Author: J K Rowling
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Interest age: 9+
    Reading age: 9+

    A gripping and electrifying novel, full of suspense, secrets, and - of course - magic.

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

    Author: J K Rowling
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Interest age: 9-14
    Reading age: 9+

    After the misery of life with his ghastly aunt and uncle, Harry Potter is delighted to have the chance to embark on an exciting new life at the Hogwart's School of Wizardry and Witchcraft.

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Illustrated)

    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Illustrated)

    Author: JK Rowling Illustrator: Jim Kay
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Interest age: 9+
    Reading age: 9+

    When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived

  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

    Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

    Author: J K Rowling
    Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
    Interest age: 9-13
    Reading age: 9+

    Convicted murderer, Sirius Black, escapes from Azkaban, the merciless prison of the wizarding world and Harry fears for his life.

  • Illustrated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Illustrated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Author: J.K. Rowling Illustrator: Jim Kay
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Interest age: 8+
    Reading age: 8+

    The second in the fully illustrated Harry Potter series, the artwork in Chamber of Secrets is perhaps even more impressive and detailed than in the first book. A treat for Harry Potter fans and a new generation of readers.

  • The Tales of Beedle the Bard

    The Tales of Beedle the Bard

    Author: J K Rowling
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
    Interest age: 9+
    Reading age: 10+

    Each of these five tales contains a life lesson for children and parents alike, from the importance of trusted friendships to the redemptive power of love.

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