There are many beloved children's books that have stood the test of time. Even books that were written hundreds of years ago are still enjoyed by children today. Some of the best children's books have sold millions of copies over the years. Do you know which are the best-selling books for children throughout history?
The research team at AAAStateOfPlay.com looked at data of the most sold books of all time to create a visualization of the most popular children's and young adult books throughout history. Keep reading to see which books are the most popular!
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What Are the Most Popular Children's Books?
The best-selling children's book of all time is The Little Prince, which was written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The book has sold approximately 200,000,000 copies since it was published in 1943. The story is about a prince who visits various planets and explores themes of friendship, love, and loss. While considered a children's book, its subject matter resonates with readers of all ages.
The second book on the list is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in some locations) by J.K. Rowling. The beloved book about a wizard and his adventures at his magical school, which was published in 1997, has sold approximately 120,000,000 copies around the world. It's considered to be on of the most famous children's books of all time. The book series is so popular that the other six novels also rank highly on the list.
The third best-selling children's book is The Hobbit written by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 and about 100,000,000 copies have been sold since then. The book tells the story of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who joins a wizard named Gandalf and thirteen dwarves to help recover the dwarves' ancestral home as well as treasure from a dragon called Smaug. The book is considered to be one of the best children's books ever written. It is also a prequel to the popular Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy were made into movies which earned significant acclaim.
Tied in fifth place for best-selling children's books are the rest of the books in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007). All of these books have sold approximately 65,000,000 copies each around the world. The series is also the best-selling children's book series in history.
There are a number of books at the number 10 spot, selling about 50,000,000 copies each. They include:
- Heidi by Johanna Spyri (1880): A story about a young girl being raised by her grandfather in the Swiss Alps
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (1908): This story is about an 11-year-old orphan named Anne Shirley sent to live on a farm on Prince Edward Island in Canada
- Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (1877): Black Beauty was a horse that grew up on a farm and recounts the joys and hardships in his life
- Watership Down by Richard Adams (1972): This novel is an adventure story about small group of rabbits living in Southern England and the trials they face attempting to find a new home after their warren is destroyed
- Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (1952): This tells the story about a pig named Wilbur and his friend spider, Charlotte
There are many other childhood classics that are included on the list. Some of these include The Tale of Peter Rabbit written by Beatrix Potter (45,000,000 copies), Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (44,000,000 copies), and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (43,000,000 copies).
The Important Role of Reading and Play in Education
While traditional education is a cornerstone of development of children, there are many other ways their needs can be fostered at home. Incorporating regular reading, including at bedtime, into a child's schedule can help improve their literacy. Consistent play on playground structures like swing sets, slides, and climbing walls help develop motors skills.
From children's classics to new young adult literature, there are many books featured on the list that have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Which of the popular kid's books on the list of best sellers have you read?
The Best-Selling Children's Books
Rank
Book
Author
Year
Approximate Sales
1
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
1943
200,000,000
2
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J. K. Rowling
1997
120,000,000
3
The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien
1937
100,000,000
4
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J. K. Rowling
1998
77,000,000
5
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J. K. Rowling
1999
65,000,000
5
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J. K. Rowling
2000
65,000,000
5
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J. K. Rowling
2003
65,000,000
5
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
J. K. Rowling
2005
65,000,000
5
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J. K. Rowling
2007
65,000,000
10
Heidi
Johanna Spyri
1880
50,000,000
10
Anne of Green Gables
Lucy Maud Montgomery
1908
50,000,000
10
Black Beauty
Anna Sewell
1877
50,000,000
10
Watership Down
Richard Adams
1972
50,000,000
10
Charlotte's Web
E. B. White
1952
50,000,000
15
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter
1902
45,000,000
16
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Richard Bach
1970
44,000,000
17
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle
1969
43,000,000
18
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
1960
40,000,000
18
Sophie's World
Jostein Gaarder
1991
40,000,000
20
The Adventures of Pinocchio
Carlo Collodi
1881
35,000,000
21
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
2008
29,000,000
22
James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl
1961
28,000,000
23
The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame
1908
25,000,000
24
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
2012
23,000,000
25
Uncle Styopa
Sergey Mikhalkov
1936
21,000,000
25
Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
2009
21,000,000
27
Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins
2010
20,000,000
27
Love You Forever
Robert Munsch
1986
20,000,000
27
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain
1885
20,000,000
27
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾
Sue Townsend
1982
20,000,000
27
Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice Sendak
1963
20,000,000
27
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl
1964
20,000,000
33
Matilda
Roald Dahl
1988
17,000,000
34
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
2005
16,000,000
35
Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown
1947
16,000,000
35
The Neverending Story
Michael Ende
1979
16,000,000
37
The Outsiders
S. E. Hinton
1967
15,000,000
37
Guess How Much I Love You
Sam McBratney
1994
15,000,000
37
The Poky Little Puppy
Janette Sebring Lowrey
1942
15,000,000
40
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle
1962
14,000,000
41
Momo
Michael Ende
1973
13,000,000
42
The Giver
Lois Lowry
1993
12,000,000
43
The Gruffalo
Julia Donaldson
1999
10,500,000
43
The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss
1957
10,500,000
45
Ronia, the Robber's Daughter
Astrid Lindgren
1981
10,000,000
Find more about the author: Kim Hart
