Audible to Donate HARRY POTTER Audiobooks for Back to Hogwarts
Scholastic, Bloomsbury and Pottermore join the effort, with narrations by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale.
Audible will donate audiobooks as part of this year's Back to Hogwarts global celebration on 1st September, as anticipation builds for the forthcoming HBO Original series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which will debut Christmas 2026 on HBO Max. The event is set to be the biggest yet, with new ways for readers and listeners around the world to experience the story that started it all, Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling.
More than 200,000 print books and full-cast audiobooks of the first Harry Potter story will be donated to schools, libraries and hospitals across the U.S., UK and multiple international territories. The initiative is being supported by Harry Potter publishers Scholastic, Bloomsbury and Pottermore, alongside Audible and international publishing partners in France, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Norway, Bulgaria, Finland, China and Japan.
In the U.S., Scholastic will give away 100,000 copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone through its school channels including underserved communities across the country. In collaboration with Audible and Pottermore, Scholastic will also distribute Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone audiobook to 100,000 Book Clubs-affiliated teachers nationwide.
In the UK, Bloomsbury will donate copies to charities and partners including Read for Good (supported by a matching full-cast audio book donation by Pottermore and Audible), The National Literacy Trust, Give a Book, Sky, The Trussell Trust and Book Aid International, helping more children discover and engage with the Harry Potter stories.
Fans attending the London Back to Hogwarts event at Old Billingsgate Market on 1st Sept will receive copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone from Bloomsbury and full-cast audiobook editions.
Library access will also be expanded, with Pottermore lifting waitlists for the digital editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, making it easier for readers to borrow the eBook or digital audiobook from their local library throughout September.
From 1 September through Halloween, fans will be able to enjoy the original audiobook editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone narrated by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale on the official Harry Potter YouTube channel, Audible, Amazon Music and Spotify with no paid subscription required. The YouTube release will mark the first time listeners outside North America can access the Jim Dale edition on YouTube.
Together, these initiatives will help bring the magic of storytelling to communities around the world and introduce a new generation of readers and listeners to Harry Potter.
Neil Blair, Founding Partner of The Blair Partnership said: 'Back to Hogwarts has always been about sharing the joy of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter stories for kids and families. This year, we're opening the doors even wider, inviting readers everywhere to discover, revisit, and celebrate the magic of Hogwarts together through Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone.' From bustling city centres to local classrooms, thousands of young people will have the chance to take part. And with a few extra surprises waiting to be revealed on 1st September, this year's Back to Hogwarts promises to be one of the most memorable celebrations yet of the first Harry Potter story.'
About Harry Potter
Harry Potter is the bestselling book series of all-time having sold over 600 million copies worldwide in 85 languages, been listened to as audiobooks for two billion hours, and been made into eight blockbuster films. The seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sold 8.3 million copies in the first 24 hours in the U.S. breaking all publishing records (set by previously published Harry Potter titles). The Harry Potter books are being adapted into a new TV series launching on HBO Max this December.
