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All 7 Harry Potter books, ranked worst to best

By Bryce Olin

LONDON - FEBRUARY 28: Part of a collection of 550 first edition Harry Potter books are displayed on February 28, 2008 in London. Bloomsbury Auctions are selling the collection, known as 'The Property of a Gentleman', in their Children's and Illustrated Books, Original Artwork, Private Press and Limited Editions' two day sale on February 28 and 29, 2008 in London. The collection of Harry Potter books range from Finnish, Gaelic, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Welsh and six different Indian dialects to Hebrew, Turkish, Polish,Indonesian, ancient Greek and Latin. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON - FEBRUARY 28: Part of a collection of 550 first edition Harry Potter books are displayed on February 28, 2008 in London. Bloomsbury Auctions are selling the collection, known as 'The Property of a Gentleman', in their Children's and Illustrated Books, Original Artwork, Private Press and Limited Editions' two day sale on February 28 and 29, 2008 in London. The collection of Harry Potter books range from Finnish, Gaelic, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Welsh and six different Indian dialects to Hebrew, Turkish, Polish,Indonesian, ancient Greek and Latin. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) /
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Harry Potter Series: Classic Editions Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Image courtesy Scholastic /

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book of the series. It was released in the UK on July 8, 1999. There’s no doubt in my mind that Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the best book of the Harry Potter series.

In the book, Harry learns the person responsible for the death of his parents, his father’s former friend Sirius Black, has escaped the wizard prison Azkaban and is likely trying to find him to finish the job. Black is spotted at Hogwarts, and the stakes get a lot higher. In the first two books, we know there was a threat to Harry, but this is the first time in the series that readers truly understood the danger.

There’s also a good mystery that unfurls slowly. Harry, Dumbledore, and those in the loop learn that it wasn’t Sirius Black that betrayed the Potters. It was actually another of his dad’s friends, Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail, also known as Ron’s rat, Scabbers. That reveal was incredible! And it’s so important for the overall story arc.

Prisoner of Azkaban is also just so much fun! In addition to the Sirius Black storyline, readers are also introduced to Remus Lupin, werewolves, dementors, the Marauders Map, Buckbeak, the Time Turner, and an important backstory about Harry’s father and his friends.

And that’s our ranking of the Harry Potter books! Drop your own rankings in the comments below.

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