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 and are enjoyed everywhere by young readers during recess on school playground equipment, on a park bench during the summer, or at a picnic table with friends. Do you know which are the best-selling books for children throughout history? Grab any of these titles, pick a nice spot under a playground shade structure, and enjoy your time reading and relaxing. No matter where you choose to read, on playground equipment, on a park bench, or at a picnic table under a shade structure, the most important thing is the act of reading itself.
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!
Embed this image on your site:
Embed this image on your site:
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. Imagine how many school children that book has impacted; nearly as many as elementary school playground equipment has. 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, just as school playground equipment is designed for all.
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 one 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:
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).
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.
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 |
The article was last updated on October 8th, 2024 by author Kim Hart
