Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a short fantasy guidebook by J. K. Rowling, first published in 2001. It is written as a handbook about the magical creatures of the Harry Potter world, and the original edition was illustrated by Rowling herself. The book is framed as if it were Harry Potter’s own copy of the textbook of the same name, the one mentioned in the first Harry Potter novel.

It suits readers who enjoy the Harry Potter universe and want a more reference-style look at its creatures rather than a plot-driven story. The book is easy to dip into, and its appeal comes from the mix of creature lore and playful side notes that feel like handwritten remarks from characters inside the world. If you like companion volumes that expand a fictional setting, this one fits that kind of reading well.