


According to Comic Relief, sales from this book and its companion Quidditch Through the Ages had raised over £17 million by July 2009. Over 80% of the cover price of each book sold goes directly to poor children in various places around the world. The book benefits the BBC affiliated charity Comic Relief.

Rowling's name did not appear on the cover of the first edition, the work being credited under the pen name " Newt Scamander", who, in the books, wrote this textbook as seen on Harry's supply list for his first year. In a 2001 interview with publisher Scholastic, Rowling stated that she chose the subject of magical creatures because it was a fun topic for which she had already developed much information in earlier books.
