had been accepted for publication. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in

June 1997 and achieved almost instant success. With the publication of the American edition,

retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in 1998, Rowling’s books continued to make

publishing history. Harry Potter climbed to the top of all the bestseller lists for

children’s and adult books. Indeed, the story of the boy wizard, his Cinderlad childhood,

and his adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry caught the imagination of

readers of all ages. In Britain a separate edition of the first book appeared with a more

“adult” dust jacket so that grown-ups reading it on trains and subways would not have to

hide their copy behind a newspaper. Jo Rowling lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her

daughter Jessica and continues to work on writing the seven-book saga of Harry Potter.