Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was published on June 21, 2003 in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada. It sold a staggering five million copies in the first 24 hours after it was published. It had been three years since the previous book was published and fans were so eager to get this one that they lined up for hours outside stores to buy it when it was finally available for sale.
It didn't take long before Order of the Phoenix began earning awards, including these:
- 2003 American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
- 2004 American Library Association Notable Book
- 2004 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Medal
In the fifth book Harry Potter learns that not all witches and wizards who aren't Death Eaters are good. Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, takes over the school and delights in torturing students, including Harry. Harry fights back by creating the rebel group, Dumbledore's Army, and teaches fellow students how to protect themselves against dark magic and attacks.
