Harry Potter influences and analogues
Many critics have noted that Jill Murphy's "The Worst Witch" series (first published in 1974 by Allison & Busby), is set in a school for girls, "Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches", reminiscent of Hogwarts. The story concerns an awkward pupil at a boarding-school for witches, who faces a scheming rival student. Her professors include a kindly and elderly headmistress and a bullying, raven-haired potions teacher. Murphy has commented on her frustration at constant comparisons between her work and "Harry Potter": "It's irritating … everyone asks the same question and I even get children writing to ask me whether I mind about the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and pointing out similarities. Even worse are reviewers who come across my books, or see the TV series, and, without taking the trouble to find out that it's now over quarter of a century since I wrote my first book, make pointed remarks about 'clever timing' – or say things like 'the Worst Witch stories are not a million miles from J K Rowling's books'. The implications are really quite insulting!"
The Witcher
The second published short story collection was "Miecz przeznaczenia" ("Sword of Destiny"). Although "Ostatnie życzenie" ("The Last Wish") was published after "Sword of Destiny", it replaced "The Witcher" as the first book since it included all the stories in "The Witcher", except "The Road with No Return" (the only story without Geralt). Although new short stories were added to "The Last Wish", they took place before those in "Sword of Destiny".