100 Greatest Childrens Books of All Time

This is one of the 759 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.

About this list

BBC, 100 Books

BBC Culture polled 177 books experts from 56 countries in order to find the greatest children's books ever. From Where the Wild Things Are to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, here's the top 100.

This list was originally published in 2023 and was added to this site over 2 years ago.

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Cover of 'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak
Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

Cover of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Lewis Carroll

Cover of 'Pippi Longstocking' by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi Longstocking

Astrid Lindgren

Cover of 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Little Prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Cover of 'The Hobbit' by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hobbit

J. R. R. Tolkien

Cover of 'His Dark Materials' by Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials

Philip Pullman

Cover of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' by C. S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia

C. S. Lewis

Cover of 'Winnie the Pooh' by A. A. Milne
Winnie the Pooh

A. A. Milne

Cover of 'Charlotte's Web' by E. B. White
Charlotte's Web

E. B. White

Cover of 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl
Matilda

Roald Dahl

Cover of 'Anne of Green Gables' by L. M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables

L. M. Montgomery

Cover of 'Fairy Tales and Stories' by Hans Christian Andersen
Fairy Tales and Stories

Hans Christian Andersen

Cover of 'Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone' by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone

J. K. Rowling

Cover of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle

Cover of 'The Dark Is Rising' by Susan Cooper
The Dark Is Rising

Susan Cooper

Cover of 'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan
The Arrival

Shaun Tan

Cover of 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women

Louisa May Alcott

Cover of 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory,' by Roald Dahl
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory,

Roald Dahl

Cover of 'Heidi' by Johanna Spyri
Heidi

Johanna Spyri

Cover of 'Goodnight Moon' by Margaret Wise Brown
Goodnight Moon

Margaret Wise Brown

Cover of 'The Adventures Of Pinocchio' by Carlo Collodi
The Adventures Of Pinocchio

Carlo Collodi

Cover of 'A Wizard Of Earthsea' by Ursula K. Le Guin
A Wizard Of Earthsea

Ursula K. Le Guin

Cover of 'Moominland Midwinter' by Tove Jansson
Moominland Midwinter

Tove Jansson

Cover of 'I Want My Hat Back' by Jon Klassen
I Want My Hat Back

Jon Klassen

Cover of 'The Secret Garden' by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Cover of 'Duck, Death And The Tulip' by Wolf Erlbruch
Duck, Death And The Tulip

Wolf Erlbruch

Cover of 'The Brothers Lionheart' by Astrid Lindgren
The Brothers Lionheart

Astrid Lindgren

Cover of 'Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban' by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

J. K. Rowling

Cover of 'Brown Girl Dreaming' by Jacqueline Woodson
Brown Girl Dreaming

Jacqueline Woodson

Cover of 'The Three Robbers' by Tomi Ungerer
The Three Robbers

Tomi Ungerer

Cover of 'The Snowy Day' by Ezra Jack Keats
The Snowy Day

Ezra Jack Keats

Cover of 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' by Judith Kerr
The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Judith Kerr

Cover of 'Howl's Moving Castle' by Diana Wynne Jones
Howl's Moving Castle

Diana Wynne Jones

Cover of 'A Wrinkle In Time' by Madeleine L'Engle
A Wrinkle In Time

Madeleine L'Engle

Cover of 'Watership Down' by Richard Adams
Watership Down

Richard Adams

Cover of 'Tom's Midnight Garden' by Philippa Pearce
Tom's Midnight Garden

Philippa Pearce

Cover of 'Household Tales' by Brothers Grimm
Household Tales

Brothers Grimm

Cover of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' by Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Beatrix Potter

Cover of 'The Railway Children' by Edith Nesbit
The Railway Children

Edith Nesbit

Cover of 'Noughts and Crosses' by Malorie Blackman
Noughts and Crosses

Malorie Blackman

Cover of 'The BFG' by Roald Dahl
The BFG

Roald Dahl

Cover of 'Rules Of Summer' by Shaun Tan
Rules Of Summer

Shaun Tan

Cover of 'Momo' by Michael Ende
Momo

Michael Ende

Cover of 'Story of Ferdinand' by Munro Leaf
Story of Ferdinand

Munro Leaf

Cover of 'The Lord Of The Rings' by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Lord Of The Rings

J. R. R. Tolkien

Cover of 'The Owl Service' by Alan Garner
The Owl Service

Alan Garner

Cover of 'Ronia, The Robber's Daughter' by Astrid Lindgren
Ronia, The Robber's Daughter

Astrid Lindgren

Cover of 'The Neverending Story' by Michael Ende
The Neverending Story

Michael Ende

Cover of 'Panchatantra' by Unknown
Panchatantra

Unknown

Cover of 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson

Cover of 'Mary Poppins' by P. L. Travers
Mary Poppins

P. L. Travers

Cover of 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild
Ballet Shoes

Noel Streatfeild

Cover of 'So Much!' by Trish Cooke
So Much!

Trish Cooke

Cover of 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' by Michael Rosen
We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Michael Rosen

Cover of 'The Adventures Of Cipollino' by Gianni Rodari
The Adventures Of Cipollino

Gianni Rodari

Cover of 'The Giving Tree' by Shel Silverstein
The Giving Tree

Shel Silverstein

Cover of 'The Gruffalo' by Julia Donaldson
The Gruffalo

Julia Donaldson

Cover of 'Julián Is A Mermaid' by Jessica Love
Julián Is A Mermaid

Jessica Love

Cover of 'Comet In Moominland' by Tove Jansson
Comet In Moominland

Tove Jansson

Cover of 'Finn Family Moomintroll' by Tove Jansson
Finn Family Moomintroll

Tove Jansson

Cover of 'The Witches' by Roald Dahl
The Witches

Roald Dahl

Cover of 'A Bear Called Paddington' by Michael Bond
A Bear Called Paddington

Michael Bond

Cover of 'The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows

Kenneth Grahame

Cover of 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry' by Mildred D. Taylor
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Mildred D. Taylor

Cover of 'Karlson On The Roof' by Astrid Lindgren
Karlson On The Roof

Astrid Lindgren

Cover of 'The Phantom Tollbooth' by Norton Juster
The Phantom Tollbooth

Norton Juster

Cover of 'The Cat in the Hat' by Dr. Seuss
The Cat in the Hat

Dr. Seuss

Cover of 'The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane' by Kate DiCamillo
The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane

Kate DiCamillo

Cover of 'Peter And Wendy' by J. M. Barrie
Peter And Wendy

J. M. Barrie

Cover of 'One Thousand and One Nights' by Unknown
One Thousand and One Nights

Unknown

Cover of 'From The Mixed Up Files Of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler' by EL Konigsburg
From The Mixed Up Files Of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler

EL Konigsburg

Cover of 'When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit' by Judith Kerr
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Judith Kerr

Cover of 'A Naughty Boy' by G'afur G'ulоm
A Naughty Boy

G'afur G'ulоm

Cover of 'Ernest And Celestine' by Gabrielle Vincent
Ernest And Celestine

Gabrielle Vincent

Cover of 'A Kind Of Spark' by Elle McNicoll
A Kind Of Spark

Elle McNicoll

Cover of 'Little Nicholas' by Rene Goscinny
Little Nicholas

Rene Goscinny

Cover of 'Black Beauty' by Anna Sewell
Black Beauty

Anna Sewell

Cover of 'Daddy Long Legs' by Jean Webster
Daddy Long Legs

Jean Webster

Cover of 'No Kiss For Mother' by Tomi Ungerer
No Kiss For Mother

Tomi Ungerer

Cover of 'My Family And Other Animals' by Gerald Durrell
My Family And Other Animals

Gerald Durrell

Cover of 'Jacob Have I Loved' by Katherine Paterson
Jacob Have I Loved

Katherine Paterson

Cover of 'The Lorax' by Dr. Seuss
The Lorax

Dr. Seuss

Cover of 'The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault' by Charles Perrault
The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault

Charles Perrault

Cover of 'The Moomins And The Great Flood' by Tove Jansson
The Moomins And The Great Flood

Tove Jansson

Cover of 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' by L. Frank Baum
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

L. Frank Baum

Cover of 'Just William' by Richmal Crompton
Just William

Richmal Crompton

Cover of 'The Twits' by Roald Dahl
The Twits

Roald Dahl

Cover of 'The Mouse And His Child' by Russell Hoban
The Mouse And His Child

Russell Hoban

Cover of 'Out Of My Mind' by Sharon M. Draper
Out Of My Mind

Sharon M. Draper

Cover of 'Moominvalley In November' by Tove Jansson
Moominvalley In November

Tove Jansson

Cover of 'Little House In The Big Woods' by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House In The Big Woods

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Cover of 'Danny The Champion Of The World' by Roald Dahl
Danny The Champion Of The World

Roald Dahl

Cover of 'The Snowman' by Raymond Briggs
The Snowman

Raymond Briggs

Cover of 'Wave' by Suzy Lee
Wave

Suzy Lee

Cover of 'The Black Brothers' by Lisa Tetzner
The Black Brothers

Lisa Tetzner

Cover of 'The Velveteen Rabbit' by Margery Williams
The Velveteen Rabbit

Margery Williams

Cover of 'A Series of Unfortunate Events #1' by Lemony Snicket
A Series of Unfortunate Events #1

Lemony Snicket

Cover of 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman

Cover of 'American Born Chinese' by Gene Luen Yang
American Born Chinese

Gene Luen Yang

Cover of 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories' by Salman Rushdie
Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Salman Rushdie