Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a fictional guidebook written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Newt Scamander, first published in 2001 to benefit Comic Relief. The book is presented as a textbook used by students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, cataloguing 75 magical creatures from the Harry Potter universe. It includes a preface by Albus Dumbledore and humorous notes from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The work expanded the lore of Rowling's wizarding world, offering fans a deeper look at creatures like the Niffler, Hippogriff, and Thunderbird, and became a bestseller in its own right.
The book's format mimics a naturalist's field guide, blending fantastical descriptions with mock-scholarly commentary. It was later republished in 2017 with new illustrations and additional creatures, and has been adapted into a multimedia franchise. The guidebook's success demonstrated the enduring popularity of the Harry Potter universe and set the stage for the film series that would follow, though the films take significant creative liberties, crafting an original narrative around the book's titular author rather than directly adapting the text.
