Most popular where?
I ask because two of those I've never heard of and Dr Seuss, massively popular in the US, would be unlikely to make the top 50 over here.

Exactly. Is it most popular by number of sales? Most borrowed from the libraries? Are we talking about cumulative sales or borrowings or just those in a recent period? World-wide or US?

You've also spread the ages out a bit. Good Night Moon isn't going to be followed by Hairy Potty for several years.

My favorite is St-Exupery's The Little Prince.

The fact is, I don't know what I am talking about. The article merely said the book is "the best-selling children's book of all time."

Maybe the article just meant "best-selling" in the U.S. I didn't take it that way, but I could be wrong.

When a few have guessed, I will post a link to the article. It is quite interesting, for other reasons.

Well, only 5 have voted, but I will give the answer anyway.

It is "Good Night Moon." This book has become very controversial because the illustrator, Clement Hurd, had a cigarette in his hand on the cover. The publisher has now digitally erased the cigarette to protect kids from smoking.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
It is "Good Night Moon."

Not according to this site:

quote:

From that letter developed the small illustrated book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which Potter published privately in 1901, and which became the best-selling children's book on record. Twenty-three books and 80 million copies later, Potter's books had been translated into more than 20 languages.

Tinman

Well, that link only gives a truncated version. You can get the full version by googling "the best-selling children's book of all time." You can also find that claim made for Charlotte's Web, Pokey Little Puppy, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (over 11 million copies have been sold in 52 languages). Which, if any, is right?

Tinman

quote:

This book has become very controversial because the illustrator, Clement Hurd, had a cigarette in his hand on the cover.

Well for goodness' sake, we wouldn't want the little darlings to actually know the TRUTH about people, would we? Sheesh. What a bunch of weenies.

I had trouble voting because I didn't know the parameters (like all of you). I would agree that Goodnight Moon is a very well-purchased book because it's recommended by so many booksellers (and probably by non-children's librarians) who don't know enough about children's literature to know anything else to recommend for a new baby. I think it's a stupid book, personally. I prefer lots of others as read alouds, and the illustrations in GNM are simplistic - and most printings don't even have full color on every page. It's ok for what it is, a sappy book to give a new mom, but I never actually read it to my kid. The first book I read to Simon after he was born was _Welcome, Little Baby_ by Aliki. Then we quickly got hooked on _Goodnight Gorilla_ by Rathman (if you've not seen the book, you should - we demonstrate and give it away in all of our parent workshops), _Barnyard Dance_ by Boynton and _If I Ran the Zoo_ by Mr. Geisel.

Well - I didn't intend to be so forceful in my opinions, but sometimes that happens.

Goodnight Moon may be the best-selling children's book in the US, or even the world,but I'm pretty sure it isn't in the UK. I can't say I've ever heard of it before.

No, I'd never heard of it either.

For some odd reason I'm reminded of the possibly apocryphal tale of when Johnny Carson interviewed the Playboy Mansion's "Bunny Mother." She stated that the Playboy bunnies must meet certain physical criteria (No Kidding!!!). For instance, said she, they turned down one with saggy breasts, one with a bouffant hairdo who refused to change it, and one who needed padding to round out her very flat hips. Carson quipped, "Unbelieveable! The Bunny Mother rejected Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail!"

quote:

I can't say I've ever heard of it before.

Don't bother looking for it. If you want to see a really fun children's book about bedtime, go find _Goodnight Gorilla_ by Peggy Rathman.

I know - I'm like a broken record.

You're really ape about it, eh? How about Gorilla Nation and Ishmael? Not for kids, but they got gorillas!

"Good Night Moon" is for very young children, and that may be why you haven't heard of it. It isn't one of those books that all ages of children read. I'd like to hear from an English mother on this question.