Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a guidebook written by British author J. K. Rowling, first published in 2001. It purports to be a reproduction of a textbook owned by Harry Potter and written by magizoologist Newt Scamander, a character in the Harry Potter series. The book details the history and descriptions of magical creatures, and it was written to benefit the charity Comic Relief, with over 80% of the cover price going to poor children in various countries.
The book is presented as a copy of Harry Potter's own textbook, complete with handwritten notes in the margins by Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. It covers a wide range of magical creatures from the wizarding world, including their classifications, habitats, and the Ministry of Magic's danger ratings. The guidebook became a beloved companion piece to the main Harry Potter series, expanding the lore of the magical world beyond the central narrative.
Its success and the rich world-building it contained led to the development of a film series, with Rowling making her screenwriting debut. The book remains a significant piece of Harry Potter lore, offering fans a deeper dive into the magical creatures that inhabit the wizarding world.