Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a guide book written by British author J. K. Rowling, published in 2001. It was written under the pseudonym Newt Scamander, the fictional author of the textbook used by Hogwarts students in the Harry Potter series. The book purports to be a facsimile of Harry Potter's own copy of the textbook, complete with handwritten notes in the margins by Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
The book is an A-to-Z encyclopedia of magical creatures from the wizarding world, detailing their habitats, behaviors, and classifications by the Ministry of Magic. It includes creatures like the Niffler, Bowtruckle, and Thunderbird, many of which would later become central to the film adaptations. The book was originally published to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity, with a portion of the proceeds going to support children in need around the world.
Though initially conceived as a slim charity volume, the book became a beloved artifact for Harry Potter fans, offering a deeper glimpse into the magical ecosystem Rowling had created. Its success and the rich world-building it contained eventually inspired Warner Bros. and Rowling to develop a new film series set decades before the events of Harry Potter, following the adventures of Newt Scamander himself.
