Harry Potter Pack Award-winning author Pack by J.K. Rowling (author) (UK edition)

Author/Illustrator

J.K. Rowling

J. K. (Jo) Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury in the UK in 1965. Such a funny-sounding name for a birthplace may have contributed to her talent for collecting odd names. Jo moved house twice when she was growing up. The first move was from Yate (just outside Bristol in the south west of England) to Winterbourne. Jo, her sister and friends used to play together in her street in Winterbourne. Two of her friends were a brother and sister whose surname just happened to be Potter! The second move was when Jo was nine and she moved to Tutshill near Chepstow in the Forest of Dean. Jo loved living in the countryside and spent most of her time wandering across fields and along the river Wye with her sister. For Jo, the worst thing about her new home was her new school.

Tutshill Primary School was a very small and very old-fashioned place. The roll-top desks in the classrooms still had the old ink wells. Jo’s teacher, Mrs Morgan, terrified her. On the first day of school, she gave Jo an arithmetic test, which she failed, scoring zero out of ten. It wasn’t that Jo was stupid – she had never done fractions before. So Jo was seated in the row of desks far to the right of Mrs Morgan. Jo soon realised that Mrs Morgan seated her pupils according to how clever she thought they were: the brightest sat to her left, and those she thought were dim were seated to her right. Jo was in the ‘stupid’ row, ‘as far right as you could possibly get without sitting in the playground’.

From Tutshill Primary, Jo went to Wyedean Comprehensive. She was quiet, freckly, short-sighted and not very good at sports. She even broke her arm playing netball. Her favourite subject by far was English, but she also liked languages.

Jo always loved writing more than anything. ‘The first story that I ever wrote down, when I was five or six, was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee. And ever since Rabbit and Miss Bee, I have wanted to be a writer, though I rarely told anyone so. I was afraid they’d tell me I didn’t have a hope.’

At school, Jo would entertain her friends at lunchtime with stories. ‘I used to tell my equally quiet and studious friends long serial stories at lunchtimes.’ In these stories, Jo and her friends would be heroic and daring.

As she got older, Jo kept writing but she never showed what she had written to anyone, except for some of her funny stories that featured her friends as heroines.

After school, Jo attended the University of Exeter in Devon where she studied French. Her parents hoped that by studying languages, she would enjoy a great career as a bilingual secretary. But as Jo recalls, ‘I am one of the most disorganised people in the world and, as I later proved, the worst secretary ever.’ She claims that she never paid much attention in meetings because she was too busy scribbling down ideas. ‘This is a problem when you are supposed to be taking the minutes of the meeting,’ she says.

When she was 25, Jo started writing a third novel (‘I abandoned the first two when I realised how bad they were’). A year later, she went to Portugal to teach English, which she really enjoyed. Working afternoons and evenings, she had mornings free to write. The new novel was about a boy who was a wizard.

When she returned to the UK, Jo had a suitcase full of stories about Harry Potter. She moved to Edinburgh with her young daughter and worked as a French teacher. She also set herself a target: she would finish the ‘Harry’ novel and get it published. In 1996, one year after finishing the book, Bloomsbury bought Jo’s first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

‘The moment I found out that Harry would be published was one of the best of my life,’ says Jo. A few months after ‘Harry’ was accepted for publication in Britain, an American publisher bought the rights for enough money to enable Jo to give up teaching and write full time – her life’s ambition!

Reviews

1. Me
   on 9 March 2024

   Oder of the Pheonix

   AMAZING

2. chloe
   on 17 December 2021

   question

   Would you be super silly and not allow me to get free postage? Or would i have to pay the postage because its 1p short of £30.

   5 out of 5

3. Ginny Weasley
   on 21 June 2021

   I LOVE HARRY POTTER

   real good and adventurous recommend 100%

   5 out of 5

4. Omar
   on 24 April 2021

   Amazing

   I love Harry Potter!

   5 out of 5

5. olivia blyth
   on 8 November 2017

   harry potter book set

   I think all the books are amazing!!!!! I really enjoyed the story behind the series of the books!

   5 out of 5

6. marcelo
   on 6 September 2017

   GREAT

   very griping story

   5 out of 5

7. Patricia Tatar
   on 14 November 2016

   Yass

   HP series is amazing and I really just want to reread it over and over again! ;D

   5 out of 5

8. DEMITRIUS
   on 26 September 2016

   HARRY POTTER

   SO AWSOME

9. Waiss Ghareeb
   on 19 September 2016

   Harry potter

   way better than the movies with more depth and description definitely worth your time and money. My favorite series by far the characters are so developed and by the end of the 3rd or 4th book you feel like you actually know them.

   10/10

   5 out of 5

10. reefer
    on 13 September 2016

    yes

    yus

    5 out of 5

11. Charlotte Jones
    on 22 June 2016

    Harry Potter

    Great price

    5 out of 5

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What kids think

1. Lalisa
   on 6 August 2023

   Its GREAT!

   5 out of 5

2. Oscar1111
   on 14 September 2020

   This book made me mad about Harry Potter!

   5 out of 5

3. doglover
   on 6 July 2019

   I loved it ! I highly recommend this book it really shows that witches and wizards aren’t bad, well some are bad but you no what I mean.🙂 Thank you J.K. Rowling !!!!

   One more thing HARRY POTTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡ ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡🙂⚡🙂⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

   5 out of 5

4. coco1o1
   on 16 January 2019

   This book is awsome! I loved it !

   5 out of 5

5. HermioneCain4
   on 8 September 2018

   Such amazing books with clever wording and a storyline you could read for hours!

   5 out of 5

6. Ponypower10
   on 31 July 2018

   Great can be scary at times but loved it! And i can be a bit of a scaredy 🐱 at times So go for it and reach for the stars!!!😊😍😍😍😘😘😙😗😋😝😜😛😳

7. River
   on 17 June 2018

   Very challenging whilst enjoyable at the same time. I think the books were better than the films.

   5 out of 5

8. Luckypuppy
   on 17 April 2018

   The best books ever!

9. Hetty-Potter
   on 12 February 2018

   The Harry Potter books were by far my favourite stories that I have ever read. The storyline was so magical, and I couldn’t put the book down. A wonderful experience.

   5 out of 5

10. bawse
    on 24 May 2017

    the books ar amazing

11. MarigoldCrystalEmerald
    on 17 May 2017

    This is an amazing book!

    1 out of 5

12. mair1m
    on 31 March 2017

    I loved reading these books because after reading one page it drew me in and I just wanted to keep reading. I recommend this for ages 8+.

    5 out of 5

13. suzannebones
    on 20 March 2017

    The only bad thing about this book is that you cant stop reading it…...

    5 out of 5

14. dolphindreamer
    on 18 February 2017

    I have watched the Philosopher’s Stone, I want to read the book, but I can’t find the Chamber of Secrets.

15. CatMermaid1427
    on 6 February 2017

    I loved the series its great for roleplay and games it’seven better if your friends and you read it at the same time. You should definitely read it it will get you started on reading, as soon as you read the series you want more harry potter so you should read the book go on the official sites and fan fiction.

    5 out of 5

16. Ravenclawcat
    on 29 January 2017

    I am reading the prisoner of Azkaban and I am into Harry Potter at the moment.

17. Pinkpumpkin12
    on 7 January 2017

    I’ve only read the first three but they’re great!

    1 out of 5

18. Bubbles2804
    on 30 December 2016

    A great book series!!!!

    5 out of 5

19. Prashan
    on 21 November 2016

    COOL BOOKS. MY MOTHER WOULDN’T LET MY DAD READ IT TO ME BECAUSE SHE WAS SO KEEN (LIKE ME)

    5 out of 5

20. Westbrom77
    on 26 June 2016

    Harry potter is an extraordinary novel and I highly recommend it.

    5 out of 5

21. livelaughread
    on 14 June 2016

    The harry potter story left me wanting to read more and thats what I like about it. Harry potters adventures at hogwarts are simply amazing so i reccomend you read them

22. horses12
    on 12 June 2016

    good book loved it 5/5 stars

23. HuNGaRianHorNtAiL
    on 6 June 2016

    Extra ordinarily imagination by J.k Rowling…........ A whole new world … a very different idea about witches and wizards. it has got brilliant twists in plots. i suggest that you should watch the movies to help you imagine the appearance of the wizarding word. Moreover in my opinion you should access www.pottermore after the books.don’t be afraid of the number of pages… i read each in 3 days when i was 11! So you see how interesting it is!

24. Mathgeek
    on 6 May 2016

    Amazing!!!

25. Rainbowunicorn59
    on 10 March 2016

    I apsolutely loved it. It is the best series I have read forever!😄😃😀😊😀😃😄😃😀😊😀😃😄😃😀😊

26. funreader6776
    on 9 March 2016

    theese books are sooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing

    5 out of 5

27. BAD-boy345
    on 9 March 2016

    I like j.k Rowling Harry Potter books

    5 out of 5

28. owletgirl
    on 9 October 2015

    These books changed my view on magic. They are the best and I have read the series 3 times! I hope you guys read my review and like them too.

    5 out of 5

29. jjmash
    on 4 October 2015

    good

    5 out of 5

30. watko
    on 19 September 2015

    Brilliant! best books I’ve ever read!!!!!!

    5 out of 5

31. poppygirl1232
    on 26 August 2015

    These books are awesome and perfect for people who are adventorous

    5 out of 5

32. Tots786
    on 19 August 2015

    Petrificly Awesome!!!! Never read a better book (or books) !!!! If you like it you’re saved. If no the AVADA KEDAVRA!!!!!!

33. Bookworm003
    on 22 April 2015

    Truly breath taking as soon as you start reading J.K sucks u into her world of mystery. U feel like u are part of her books an amazing author and stunning books

    5 out of 5

34. potter1
    on 21 March 2015

    awsome my favourite was the third book . It is a very good read

    5 out of 5

35. bearGrylls1000
    on 13 March 2015

    i love harry potter i would like kill to be in the series you just get so stuck in the books and the movies are just the best! me and me family are so into it we love it it is what i call a perfect movie and book series its so magical and adventurease

    5 out of 5

36. Youngpopop
    on 28 February 2015

    The Harry Potter series are amazing. The way J.K. Rowling writes is amazing and there are so many twists and turns.

37. MegaMila
    on 28 February 2015

    These books are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Everyone in the world should read these amazing, awesome, brilliant, marvellous, magical, fantastic books!

    There is tragedies and cliff hangers and really exiting stuff when you find out someone is bad and someone was just trying to help and someone was a good guy!

38. Mallory1725
    on 7 February 2015

    We’ll i seen all the movies but I still like the book and every one no,s how is the main character is Harry potter

    5 out of 5

39. moonbeam22
    on 1 January 2015

    Magic, mystery, mayhem . Three words that pretty much summon up Harry Potter. J.K.Rowling has captured the attention of many child and adult readers with her Harry Potter series. Harry Potter, other wise known as the boy who lived or the chosen one, has grown up in ignorance due to the fact that he is unknowingly a wizard but on his 11th birthday he is recruited to go to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry… READ THE BOOKS TO FIND OUT MORE!!!!!!!

40. saffystar99
    on 24 December 2014

    Harry potter is the best thing ever! I love all the books and the movies! You have to read it because without thinking about or experiencing Harry Potter we aren’t real, true people… So even if you hate it (which I highly doubt will happen) you are still amazing!!!! I’ve read all of them more than once and I just can’t explain how much Harry Potter means to me because he’s got such a gripping story line and I am just a MAD fan so basically read harry potter and tell me when you do!

    From saffystar99

41. Oman-bookworm
    on 17 December 2014

    I love how it is able to make you cry and laugh at the same time and it contains my favourite characters of all tomes: Fred and George Weasly

    5 out of 5

42. bookworm822
    on 22 November 2014

    My favourite books ever! NO.1 fan

    5 out of 5

43. monsterNOX
    on 15 November 2014

    Who doesn’t love magic and adventure. J.K. Rowling is the best!

    5 out of 5

44. bookworm2412
    on 3 November 2014

    The best books ever!!!!!!!!!!!

    5 out of 5