Q 01/05

For the American edition, the word "Philosopher's" in the title was replaced with what?

A) Sorcerer's

B) Magician's

C) Wizard's

D) Alchemist's

Answer · why

A) Sorcerer's

Scholastic's Arthur Levine thought "philosopher" sounded too archaic; "School of Magic" was actually floated before Rowling suggested the final title.

Q 02/05

Which publisher released Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the UK on 26 June 1997?

A) HarperCollins

B) Bloomsbury

C) Penguin

D) Faber and Faber

Answer · why

B) Bloomsbury

Editor Barry Cunningham championed it, helped by the publisher's chief executive's eight-year-old daughter, who loved the sample chapters.

Q 03/05

How many hardback copies were in the book's first UK print run?

A) 500

B) 1,000

C) 5,000

D) 10,000

Answer · why

A) 500

Three hundred of them went to libraries, which is why surviving first editions are so valuable.

Q 04/05

How much was the advance Rowling received for her debut novel?

A) £2,500

B) £10,000

C) £25,000

D) £100,000

Answer · why

A) £2,500

A later £8,000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council helped her plan the sequels.

Q 05/05

Scholastic bought the American rights at the Bologna Book Fair in 1997 for how much?

A) US$5,000

B) US$25,000

C) US$50,000

D) US$105,000

Answer · why

D) US$105,000

It was an unusually high sum for a children's book at the time.