Q.
If there is one type of book we read over and over, it’s picture books. As young children, as parents, as sentimental sorts of all ages. Which English language picture books have been consistently most popular over the last decades?

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A.

Tracking all sales in all modes in all places for all times is a deadly difficult task. But, across all peeks in, we see some familiar faces. How many have you read?

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USA Today’s 2019 Best-Selling Children’s Books over the last 25 Years
1. Oh, The Places You’ll Go. Dr. Seuss. 1990
2. Love You Forever. Robert Munsch + Sheila McGraw. 1986
3. Goodnight Moon. Margaret Wise Brown + Clement Hurd. 1947
4. The Elf On The Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. Carol Aebersold + Chanda Bell. 2005
5. Green Eggs and Ham. Dr. Seuss. 1960
6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle. 1969
7. Where The Wild Things Are. Maurice Sendak. 1963
8. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin Jr. + Eric Carle. 1967
9. The Polar Express. Chris Van Allsburg. 1985
10. The Giving Tree. Shel Silverstein. 1964

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Book Authority’s ‘Top Best-Selling Children’s Books of All Time’
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle. 1969
2. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin Jr. + Eric Carle. 1967
3. Green Eggs and Ham. Dr. Seuss. 1960
4. The Cat in the Hat. Dr. Seuss. 1957
5. The Snowy Day. Ezra Jack Keats. 1976
6. The Rainbow Fish. Marcus Pfizer + J Alison James. 1999
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Picture Books In New York Public Library’s Top Checkouts Of All Time
1. The Snowy Day. Ezra Jack Keats. 1976 *
2. The Cat in the Hat. Dr. Seuss. 1957 *
3. Where The Wild Things Are. Maurice Sendak. 1963
4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle. 1969
5. Goodnight Moon. Margaret Wise Brown + Clement Hurd. 1947

* #1 and #2 in this Picture Book list top the NYPL’s List across all types of books

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Header Image by Mae Mu