Minor characters and subplots are left out of the films, too - Peeves the Poltergeist is a good example. For instance, the creators of the Marauder's Map get a lot more coverage in the Prisoner of Azkaban novel. These changes aren't massive in the grand scheme of things, and they mostly revolve around exposition or daily life in Hogwarts. If you've only seen the movies and are hoping to dive into the Harry Potter books next, you may be surprised to see some differences. In other words, it's a fun curiosity to look at after you've finished The Deathly Hallows. This collects wizarding fables that are featured during the seventh Harry Potter book, and it includes notes from Harry's mentor Albus Dumbledore. One exception would be The Tales of Beedle the Bard. That's because they're in-universe textbooks that don't advance the story. It's worth noting that we've not included shorter Harry Potter books like Quidditch Through the Ages here. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (opens in new tab).Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (opens in new tab).Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (opens in new tab).Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (opens in new tab).Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (opens in new tab).Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (opens in new tab).Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (opens in new tab) / Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (opens in new tab).However, if you want to make your way through the Harry Potter books in true chronological order (which includes spin-off scripts), you should check out the list below. In other words, start with The Sorcerer's Stone / The Philosopher's Stone and work your way through them (as explained in our ' where to start' section above). If you're new to the series, we'd recommend sticking to the original seven Harry Potter books - everything else is a bonus. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (opens in new tab) (illustrated).Quidditch Through the Ages (opens in new tab) (illustrated).Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (opens in new tab) (illustrated).Includes Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (opens in new tab) (screenplay).Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (opens in new tab) (screenplay).
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (opens in new tab) (play script).Although The Cursed Child feels like a continuation of the novels, the Fantastic Beasts scripts are more in line with the movie series. It's not always clear if the latter are canonical to the Harry Potter books, either.
Namely, there are a handful Hogwarts textbooks to go with movie scripts. There are a number of spin-offs to the Harry Potter books, and they aren't all traditional stories.