The Nerd Series

8 Most Loved Children's Books of All Time

Education April, 12, 2023

From improving communication to grammatical and vocabulary skills reading is important for your children in many ways. Books expose young minds to the new uses of language and different words. Reading can also make them imagine and picture the world described in the books eventually enhancing their imagination. But are these the only perks of investing in children’s books especially valuable books? And wait! How are these valuable books different from normal books?

Along with all these benefits books also serve as great collectibles especially the valuable first editions. Plus their investment is linear and can possess great value till the time they are kept in good value. Undoubtedly they are great items to invest in giving you more reasons to find the best children’s book of all time.

Fortunately with platforms like AbeBooks you can buy rare books easily. It is the destination for intriguing and valuable books art and collectibles. It delivers unique items by serving as the stop where sellers from 50 countries meet their buyers. Secure shopping options for a collection of items are another reason to shop here.

Now let’s dive into TheNerdSeries blog and learn about the books that are loved by kids all across the world.


1 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Written in 1964 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can be the next addition to your children’s book collection. Roald Dahl its author conceived its idea from the chocolate companies from his school days in Derbyshire’s Repton School. Back then Rowtree’s and Cadbury were two leading chocolate producers. However they would attempt to learn about each other’s secret recipes. This inspired Dahl the idea of spies for stealing recipes in this book.

Owing to its story crafted using literary devices like vice and punishment can inspire its readers to learn appropriate behavior among children. This book was adapted into Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1971 and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005. You can find the first edition of this book at AbeBooks; it has the first edition with the initials of the author.


2 Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are is a picture book for children that came out in 1963. The innovative mind behind it is Maurice Sendak an American illustrator and writer. Since its publication it has been adapted into an animated film a live-action feature film and an opera. There is no surprise that till 2009 Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak made a sale of 19 million copies out of which 10 million were only in the United States. This book brought Sendak an accolade as he was honored by the children’s librarians with Caldecott Medal in 1964. The book was spotted in School Library General Journal readers in 2012.

Where the Wild Things by Maurice Sendak interprets many valuable lessons through its texts. By the end of the storybook you can learn not to judge someone based on their appearance. And also about the power imagination possesses. The influence it left on the culture is no surprise. Coming to its impact on your collection who wouldn’t want a signed first edition of a book?


3 The Velveteen Rabbit

While it is Margery Williams who wrote The Velveteen Rabbit William Nicholson was its illustrator. The book is also known as How Toys Become Real. It revolves around the tale of the desire of a stuffed rabbit to turn into a living thing with the love it received from its owner. Apart from this quick summary of The Velveteen Rabbit you would be amazed to know about its publication. Though the book was published in 1922 its republishing took place several times.

The Velveteen Rabbit’s summary tells about the toy’s desire similarly the entire book tells about the symbolism. It tells how looks do not matter the power of authenticity and to stay connected to the roots. You can find all these in its first edition published by George H. Doran and Heinemann New York and London.


4 Winnie The Pooh

Today the characters of Winnie The Pooh are known to almost everyone but do you know where it all started? Winnie-the-Pooh came into existence in 1926 after being presented as a book by A.A. Milne. It is a collection of numerous short stories which reached commercial success. Back then it sold nearly 150000 copies before the year-end. The book has been translated into more than 50 languages. The characters of Winnie the Pooh can also be found in the book’s media attention as it later turned into The Walt Disney Company’s franchise.

Apart from Winnie’s love for honey and intriguing characters the tale can teach its readers many more values. These can include love forgiveness acceptance trust and patience; the book holds value. Imagine how amazing it would be to have the first edition of this book. Just imagine!


5 A Wrinkle in Time

Back when A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by the publishers little did they know about the audience it will entice. Madeleine L’Engle wrote this young adult science fiction which came out in 1962 first. It brought the writer many accolades including the Lewis Carrol Shelf Award Newbery Medal and the Sequoyah Book Award. Its adaptation to media started in 2003 resulting in a television film and then in a 2018 theatrical film.

Let’s walk you beyond the summary of A Wrinkle in Time; it can take children to a war between good and evil light and darkness while its characters step toward adolescence. You can witness how the book revolts and raises questions against doubts and spirituality. The book features a distinctive plot and concept though it is still one of the most valuable books of all time.


6 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was brought to the world of children’s books by L. Frank Baum with its illustration done by W.W. Denslow. The book was published in January 1900 while the date on the copyright notice is 1899. Its first edition came out in January 1901 with 10000 copies hitting a fast sale. It reached the public domain in 1956 and till then it touched a deal of three million copies.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the first book in the Oz series. It revolves around Dorothy a Kansas girl who reaches the Land of Oz after she with her pet dog was taken away by a Tornado. After reaching there she realized about being unable to return home without destroying a wicked witch.


7 Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie

After the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz you can add J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens to your kids’ collection. The credit for the illustration goes to Arthur Rackman; the publication was taken care of by Hodder & Stoughton. It came out in December of 1906 and included Peter Pan a widely known character.

If you have read the earlier works of Barrie you would be able to find most of its text in chapters 13-18 of The Little White Bird. Before appearing in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie the character in a play that entertained the audience from 1904-1913. In addition to the illustrations in it the presence of some signed copies from the first edition available is more reason for anyone to have it.


8 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

The Harry Potter collection is the true epitome of vividness and imagination. It is a fantasy novel by J.K. Rowling a British author that brought the most loved character of Harry Potter to life. The illustration credits belong to Thomas Taylor.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published by Bloomsbury on 26th June 1997. And a year later in the United States it was published as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by Scholastic Corporation. The book has bagged many accolades and is the third-best-selling novel ever.


Wrapping Up

Dear readers, it’s time to call this post a wrap! Books, which are not just a good source of learning, can be an excellent addition to the antique collection. And that’s why The NerdSeriesjust brought you a list of the eight most valuable books for children. These will be a fantastic addition and your children will love reading them.

Above, you can find some interesting facts about the most valuable eight books, giving you more reasons to have them. And you know about Abe Book’s collection, right? The store is not just an online bookstore but also a solution to finding the most valuable artwork and collections.

Oh, wait! Did you like this post? Don’t forget to read others published by The NerdSeries.