<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

For the film see: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (movie)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Illustrators: Thomas Taylor (UK) & Mary GrandPré (US)
Author	J. K. Rowling
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (UK) Scholastic Press (USA) Raincoast Books (Canada)
Publication Date	June 30, 1997 (UK) September 1 1998 (US)
Country	United Kingdom
Genre(s)	Fantasy
ISBN	ISBN 0-7475-3269-9 (Hardcover) ISBN 0-7475-3274-5 (Paperback)
Related	Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first novel in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novel series. The novel was published in the United States under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. This first novel proved a hit and remains the most popular of the series having sold approximately 107 million copies world-wide. It is the ninth best-selling novel of all time. The novel was adapted to film in 2001. Like the novel, the film was also a bit hit. The Philosopher's Stone is followed by six novels, all best sellers.

Synopsis

In this novel, baby Harry loses his parents to the evil Lord Voldemort and is sent to live with unsavory muggle relatives who mistreat him and hide his magical background from him. Shortly before his eleventh birthday Harry is invited to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he will learn to develop his innate magical gifts.