How did Harry Potter start? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 29, 2026 · 12 MIN

How did Harry Potter start?

from History for Kids / History's Not Boring: The Kids History Podcast · host SCL

Have you ever had an incredible idea but couldn't find a pen to write it down? That is exactly what happened to Joanne (J.K.) Rowling in 1990! Stuck on a delayed train for four long hours, she dreamed up a magical story about a young wizard named Harry Potter. But getting the boy with the lightning scar into bookstores wasn't magic at all—it was seriously hard work! Join Mira and Finn as they travel back to the 1990s to uncover the amazing true story of how Harry Potter was made. Discover how a struggling single mom wrote her first book in cozy coffee shops while her baby slept in a stroller. You will be completely shocked to learn that twelve different major publishers said "NO!" to the manuscript. Who finally said yes? An eight-year-old girl named Alice who read the first chapter and demanded more! From scribbling ideas without a pen to selling over six hundred million copies worldwide, learn how the greatest children's book series in history came to life. It is the ultimate story about why you should never, ever give up on your dreams!

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 29, 2026

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Have you ever had an incredible idea but couldn't find a pen to write it down? That is exactly what happened to Joanne (J.K.) Rowling in 1990! Stuck on a delayed train for four long hours, she dreamed up a magical story about a young wizard named Harry Potter. But getting the boy with the lightning scar into bookstores wasn't magic at all—it was seriously hard work! Join Mira and Finn as they travel back to the 1990s to uncover the amazing true story of how Harry Potter was made. Discover ho...

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How did Harry Potter start?

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This episode is 12 minutes long.

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This episode was published on July 29, 2026.

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