 | | | Harry Potter has been a global publishing phenomenon |
All around the world millions of people are eagerly waiting for the 16th of July. That’s because it is the day when the sixth Harry Potter novel will be published worldwide. If you are one of the few people who have never read any of the Harry Potter novels, they can be summarised as the magical adventures of a boy wizard who attends a wonderful school for wizards. The first Harry Potter novel was published in 1997. Since then the Harry Potter series has become a publishing phenomenon, selling over 250 million copies worldwide. The Harry Potter books are sold in more than 200 countries and have been translated into 60 different languages from Hindi to Ancient Greek. The novels have also been successfully adapted for the big screen. The first three films have all been smash hits at the box office. The most recent film ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ broke records in the UK, taking £11.5 million in its first three days on release. It went on to take more than $750 million worldwide! It has been an incredible journey for the author of the books, JK Rowling. Just seven years ago she was a single mother writing her books in a café. Now she is a multi-millionaire, Britain’s richest woman and ranked as the world’s best-paid author. It is difficult to pinpoint the secret to the Harry Potter series’ success. For whatever reason, the books have captured the imagination of millions of readers from around the world. Fans are passionate about the books and films, and there are many websites devoted to Harry and his friends and enemies. Indeed, there has been a great deal of gossip and speculation surrounding the new book. However, for the moment the story remains a well-guarded secret. If you want to know what happens in the sixth Harry Potter book, you’ll just have to read it! | 
