 The book was published in the United Kingdom on 2 July 1998 by Bloomsbury and in the United States on 2 June 1999 by Scholastic Inc . Although Rowling found it difficult to finish the book , it won high praise and awards from critics , young readers and the book industry , although some critics thought the story was perhaps too frightening for younger children . Much like with other novels in the series , Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets triggered religious debates ; some religious authorities have condemned its use of magical themes , while others have praised its emphasis on self @-@ sacrifice and on the way in which a person 's character is the result of the person 's choices . 
