The Harry Potter series is an extremely popular book and movie franchise published from 1997 to 2007. It has touched many people’s lives and it revered by many people all over the world. Personally, I have read the series seven times through. There are seven books spanning through seven years of Harry Potter’s life. As an avid Harry Potter reader, I will try my best to rank them.

1. Order of the Phoenix

In the broad spectrum of the Harry Potter series, the book that definitively changes the progression of the plot and has the most meaning overall is the Order of the Phoenix. Some people claim it is too angsty, and I wholeheartedly agree with that, but a strong emotional delivery is important in a book and this book achieves that. The more sad aspects are balanced by how the small happy occurrences are highlighted.

This book changes the rest of the series from children-oriented to intention toward a more mature audience. There is complex symbolism and many parallels throughout the book which I still haven’t caught the full range of in my seventh read. This book showed the literary world that people can go a step further in young adult fiction and cross into more mature themes. The Order of the Phoenix is ranked first because I believe it has the most literary worth.

1. Prisoner of Azkaban

This book is phenomenal in every single aspect! The plot is so interesting from beginning to end, and it integrates the past flawlessly. This is where the books go from Harry’s individual tales from his years as Hogwarts to a cumulative journey with the wizarding world. The new aspects introduced are fascinating and the end of the book, especially the marauders chapter, enthralls me unlike any other book has.

1. Half-Blood Prince

Some say that the Half-Blood Prince is too different from the dark themes in the previous book (The Order of the Phoenix) and becomes too lighthearted. These lighthearted themes, such as the plights of teenage romance and typical drama for young people, are fun because the reader gets to see other messages come across besides the dark and complex ones that come with the main plot. It shows the characters’ establishing their own identities and becoming individuals.

1. Goblet of Fire

My favorite part about this book is the central plot of the story. In the six other books, there is so much going on throughout the story that it can be overwhelming. This is different in Goblet of Fire because Harry’s focus is singularly focused on the tournament. Goblet of Fire does a good job of progressing the plot, the themes within the work, and the character’s development while having that singular focus. All around, it is extremely fun to read and the undertones of deeper themes are interesting throughout the book.

1. Chamber of Secrets

This book was favorite in the series when I first read them at about seven years old,so it is very special to me. Even at a young age at my first time reading it, I read it in one sitting because it drew me in so much. The mystery and suspense in the story make it stand out. As far as literary worth goes, Chamber of Secrets is when Harry is 12 years old so the maturity of the writing makes it more of a children-oriented book.

1. Deathly Hallows

This book is very good, and it closes out the series very well! The quest for the Deathly Hallows contains everything a reader wants: mystery, suspense, adventure, action, and complex heroes at the core of the quest. Because it is the final and most mature book, the plot is slower and the book is very long.

1. Sorcerer’s Stone

This is the first installment in the series, but it doesn’t rank higher for that sole reason! Yes, it is the debut of many loved characters and the introduction of the wizard world. Yes, it is still a fantastic book. But, the literary worth of this book is very little in comparison to the six others. Overall, the story isn’t very interesting and the most fascinating elements of the story are the long descriptions that introduce Hogwarts and other aspects of the wizarding world.