Bloomsbury Publishing: Although Bloomsbury was the eventual publisher of Harry Potter in the UK, they initially rejected the manuscript.
Little, Brown and Company: This American publisher rejected Harry Potter because they thought the book was too long and "lacking in mass appeal."
HarperCollins: Another American publisher, HarperCollins, also turned down Harry Potter, calling it "mediocre."
Scholastic: While Scholastic eventually became the publisher of Harry Potter in the US, they initially had reservations about the book and offered a relatively small advance payment of $10,000.
These publishers missed out on the incredible success of the Harry Potter series, which has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and spawned a billion-dollar film franchise.