List of children's classic books facts for kids
This is a list of classic children's books that were published by 2008 and are still available in English. These are books that many generations have loved and continue to read!
Books written just for kids started appearing in the 1600s. Before that, most books were for adults, though some became popular with younger readers later on. Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in Europe. This made it possible to make many copies of books. At first, printed books were very expensive. But over time, printing technology got better, and books became more affordable for everyone. People could also buy smaller, cheaper items like chapbooks (small, simple books) and early newspapers. By the 1800s, books of all kinds were much easier for everyone to buy.
Many people study children's literature. There are special groups, magazines, and even university classes just about books for young readers.
Contents
Books Before the 1700s
Here are some of the earliest classic books that children have enjoyed:
| Title | Author | Year Published | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panchatantra | Vishnu Sharma | c. 800 BC | An ancient Indian collection of animal stories and fables, often with a moral lesson. Similar stories appear in Aesop's Fables. |
| Aesop's Fables | Aesop | c. 600 BC | A very old collection of short stories, usually featuring animals, that teach a moral lesson. |
| Kathasaritsagara | Somadeva | 11th Century AD | A large collection of Indian legends, fairy tales, and folk tales. |
| Arabian Nights | Unknown | before 8th century AD | A famous collection of Middle Eastern folk tales, including stories like Aladdin and Sindbad. |
| Orbis Pictus | John Amos Comenius | 1658 | This was one of the very first picture books made especially for children. |
| A Token for Children. Being An Exact Account of the Conversion, Holy and Exemplary Lives, and Joyful Deaths of several Young Children | James Janeway | 1672 | One of the first books written just for children, it influenced many books for kids in the 1700s and early 1800s. |
Books from the 1700s
These books became popular during the 18th century:
| Title | Author | Year Published | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson Crusoe | Daniel Defoe | 1719 | |
| Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan Swift | 1726 | |
| Tales of Mother Goose | Charles Perrault | 1729 (English) | |
| Little Pretty Pocket-book | John Newbery | 1744 | |
| Little Goody Two Shoes | Oliver Goldsmith | 1765 | |
| Lessons for Children | Anna Laetitia Barbauld | 1778-9 | This was the first series of reading books for children, with large text and wide spaces. It was printed for over 100 years! |
| The History of Sandford and Merton | Thomas Day | 1783-9 | This book was a bestseller for over a century. It showed ideas about education from the philosopher Rousseau. |
Books from the 1800s
The 19th century brought many beloved stories for young readers:
Books from the 1900s
Many popular children's books were published in the 20th century:
Books from the 2000s (up to 2008)
Here are some classic children's books published in the early 21st century:
| Title | Author | Year Published | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artemis Fowl | Eoin Colfer | 2001 | |
| Room on the Broom | Julia Donaldson | 2002 | |
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 2002 | |
| The Gruffalo's Child | Julia Donaldson | 2004 | |
| Al Capone Does My Shirts | Gennifer Choldenko | 2004 | |
| The Lightning Thief | Rick Riordan | 2005 | This is the first book in the popular Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. |
| Fancy Nancy | Jane O'Connor | 2005 | |
| The True Meaning of Smekday | Adam Rex | 2007 | |
| Stick Man | Julia Donaldson | 2008 | |
| The Graveyard Book | Neil Gaiman | 2008 | This book was the first to win both the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal, two major book awards. |
| The Boy in the Dress | David Walliams | 2008 |
See also
- List of children's literature authors
- List of fairy tales
