Paperback

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

Here are the best-selling children's books of all time (through the end of 2000), with author and year of initial publication, compiled by Publishers Weekly. OP means the book is no longer in print.

  1. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974)
  2. The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton (1968)
  3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume (1976)
  4. Love You Forever, Robert Munsch; illustrated by Sheila McGraw (1986)
  5. Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls (1973)
  6. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell (1971)
  7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling (1999)
  8. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume (1972)
  9. Shane, Jack Schaeffer (1972)
  10. The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks (1982)
  11. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
  12. Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  13. Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  14. The Incredible Journey, Sheila Burnford (1984)
  15. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1968)
  16. Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes (1969)
  17. Just Me and My Dad, Mercer Mayer (1977)
  18. Go Ask Alice, Anonymous (1976)
  19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. J. K. Rowling (2000)
  20. Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Judy Blume (1976)
  21. Blubber, Judy Blume (1976)
  22. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare (1972)
  23. Superfudge, Judy Blume (1981)
  24. Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson (1987)
  25. Freckle Juice, Judy Blume (1978)
  26. On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  27. That Was Then, This Is Now, S. E. Hinton (1972)
  28. Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Louis Sachar (1985)
  29. The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger (1951)
  30. Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  31. Just Go to Bed, Mercer Mayer (1993)
  32. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak (1984)
  33. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977)
  34. The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  35. The Berenstain Bears' New Baby, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1974)
  36. By the Shores of Silver Lake, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  37. Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  38. The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
  39. The Pigman, Paul Zindel (1978)
  40. The Yearling, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1961)
  41. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg (1973)
  42. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad, Mercer Mayer (1982)
  43. Just Grandma and Me, Mercer Mayer (1975)
  44. Just for You, Mercer Mayer (1975)
  45. Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan (1987)
  46. When the Legends Die, Hal Borland (1984)
  47. Bunnicula, James Howe (1980)
  48. James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Nancy Burkert (1988)
  49. The Berenstain Bears Go to School, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1978)
  50. The Night Before Christmas, Clement Hurd; illustrated by Douglas Gorsline (1975)
  51. These Happy Golden Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  52. All By Myself, Mercer Mayer (1983)
  53. Stuart Little, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974)
  54. The First Four Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
  55. Hatchet, Gary Paulsen (1988)
  56. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson (1979)
  57. The Cay, Theodore Taylor (1970)
  58. Kristy's Great Idea (Babysitters Club #1), Ann M. Martin (1986)
  59. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
  60. Then Again, Maybe I Won't, Judy Blume (1973)
  61. I Was So Mad, Mercer Mayer (1983)
  62. The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
  63. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1994)
  64. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
  65. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (1988)
  66. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
  67. The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
  68. Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George (1974)
  69. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
  70. The Berenstain Bears and the Truth, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
  71. Gremlins, George Jipe (1984) OP
  72. Stone Fox, John Gardner; illustrated by Marcia Sewall (1983)
  73. I Just Forgot, Mercer Mayer (1988)
  74. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1976)
  75. How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell (1975)
  76. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary (1980)
  77. When I Get Bigger, Mercer Mayer (1983)
  78. The Berenstain Bears in the Dark, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
  79. 500 Words to Grow On, Harry McNaught (1973)
  80. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred Taylor (1984)
  81. Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1987)
  82. Number the Stars, Lois Lowry (1990)
  83. The Trumpet of the Swan, E. B. White; illustrated by Edward Frascino (1973)
  84. The Cricket in Times Square, George Selden; illustrated by Garth Williams (1970)
  85. Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry (1956)
  86. It's Not What You Expect, Norma Klein (1976) OP
  87. Matilda, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Quentin Blake (1990)
  88. The New Baby, Mercer Mayer (1983)
  89. The Chocolate Touch, Patrick Catling (1984)
  90. Corduroy, Don Freeman (1976)
  91. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis (1970)
  92. The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
  93. The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
  94. Sounder, William H. Armstrong (1972)
  95. The Return of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1987)
  96. The Kitten Book, Jan Pfloog (1968)
  97. Dinosaurs, Peter Zallinger (1977)
  98. Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays (1977)
  99. The Truck Book, Harry McNaught (1978)
  100. Barney's Hats (1993)
  101. The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare (1984)
  102. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Judy Blume (1978)
  103. The Berenstain Bears: No Girls Allowed, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
  104. Farm Animals, Phoebe Dunn (1984)
  105. Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You, Richard Scarry (1973)
  106. Rascal, Sterling North (1964)
  107. Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls (Babysitters Club #2), Ann M. Martin (1986)
  108. Just Me and My Mom, Mercer Mayer (1990)
  109. Me Too! Mercer Mayer (1983)
  110. A Wind in the Door, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
  111. Iggie's House, Judy Blume (1976)
  112. Meet Samantha, Susan Adler; illustrated by Dan Andreasen (1986)
  113. Poems & Prayers for the Very Young, Martha Alexander (1973)
  114. The Farm Book, Jan Pfloog (1964)
  115. The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
  116. Just Me and My Puppy, Mercer Mayer (1985)
  117. Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1), R. L. Stine (1992)
  118. The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier (1986)
  119. Chocolate Fever, Robert K. Smith (1978)
  120. Say Cheese and Die (Goosebumps #4), R. L. Stine (1992)
  121. Meet Addy, Connie Porter; illustrated by Dahl Taylor and Melodye Rosales (1993)
  122. Frog and Toad Are Friends, Arnold Lobel (1979)
  123. The Alphabet Book, P. D. Eastman (1974)
  124. The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1988)
  125. Rumble Fish, S. E. Hinton (1976)
  126. The Little Duck, Judy Dunn; photos by Phoebe Dunn (1976)
  127. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Madeleine L'Engle (1979)
  128. The Secret of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1990)
  129. Curious George, H. A. and Margret Rey (1973)
  130. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams (1979)
  131. Good Work, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish (1996)
  132. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
  133. The Zoo Book, Jan Pfloog (1967)
  134. 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith (1976) OP
  135. The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
  136. The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
  137. In & Out, Up & Down, Michael Smollin (1982)
  138. Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1983)
  139. The Berenstain Bears Go Out for the Team, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
  140. The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
  141. Amelia Bedelia and the Baby, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1982)
  142. Just Shopping with Mom, Mercer Mayer (1989)
  143. Richard Scarry's Find Your ABC's, Richard Scarry (1973)
  144. Grover and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum, (1974) OP
  145. The Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977)
  146. Sunshine, Norma Klein (1976) OP
  147. Deenie, Judy Blume (1974)
  148. The Berenstain Bears and Moving Day, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
  149. Meet Kirsten, Janet Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef (1986)
  150. Clifford the Big Red Dog, Norman Bridwell (1985)



Reprinted from Publishers Weekly

© 2002 by Publishers Weekly

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