Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - June 21

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Publication Date Announcement

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to be published on
21st June, 2003 in Britain, the USA, Canada and Australia

The world’s most anticipated book is over one third longer than the previous book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

London, England; New York, New York; 15th January, 2003: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling, the fifth in the best-selling series, has been scheduled for release on Saturday 21st June, 2003 in Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia and in the English language in many countries, it was announced by the book’s English language publishers, Bloomsbury and Scholastic, to whom it has now been delivered. The companies also announce that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is over one third longer than J K Rowling's extraordinary previous book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

In making the joint announcement, Nigel Newton, Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing in Britain and Barbara Marcus, President of Scholastic Children’s Books in the United States said, “We are thrilled to announce the publication date. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is absolutely superb and will delight all J K Rowling’s fans. She has written a brilliant and utterly compelling new adventure, which begins with the words:

“The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive … The only person left outside was a teenage boy who was lying flat on his back in a flowerbed outside number four.”

Later in the novel, J K Rowling writes:

“Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses.

‘It is time,’ he said, ‘for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry.

Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.’”

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is over 255,000 words compared to over 191,000 words in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The new book is 38 chapters long, one more than Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J K Rowling’s fourth Harry Potter book, was released on 8th July, 2000 and was the fastest selling book in history on the first weekend of its publication. All four Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, as well as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, have been Number 1 bestsellers and are currently on bestseller lists in Britain, the USA, and around the world.

Bloomsbury will be publishing their standard children's hardback edition (ISBN 07475 51 006) and in addition an adult hardback edition (ISBN 07475 69 401, the same text but with a different jacket) at the same time, both editions to be 768 pages long and priced at £16.99.

All time zones preceding the UK are embargoed until 00:01 am BST (British Summer Time) on Saturday 21 June 2003.

END

For further details, please contact:

Financial
Kirsty Black 020 7072 2315

Publishing
Rosamund de la Hey 020 7494 2111

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