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There are forty-four picturebooks in the Price Guide which have an
estimated market value of $1,000 or more for a first edition copy.
The list is a virtual “Who’s Who?” of American picturebooks, topped
by Where The Wild Things
Are. Most of the books are staples within the
picturebook industry – the list includes such classics as
Make Way For
Ducklings, The Story
Of Ferdinand, Millions Of Cats, Madeline, Curious George, Harold And The Purple Crayon,
Eloise, and
Babar.
Fifteen of the books are by Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss! Virginia Lee Burton has two books in the top ten, Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel and The Little House.
Nine of the books are Caldecott Medal books, while seven of the books are Caldecott Honor books. The Polar ExpressChris Van Allsburg’s 1985 book is the latest release that has a reported worth of more than one thousand dollars.
Scarcity
Probably the most difficult book to find in collectible first edition condition would be Robert McCloskey’s, Make Way For Ducklings. In all our years of collecting, we have seen only a couple come to market. Harold And The Purple Crayon is nearly as difficult to find, as are the three Smith and Haas published Babar
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The early Seuss books are also difficult to find in collectible,
first edition state. The first edition Dr. Seuss books published
after 1954, starting with On
Beyond Zebra, can be found in collectible condition
with a modest amount of effort. The exception to this, to a certain
extent, is the first edition (“200/200”) of Seuss’s milestone book,
The Cat In The Hat,
and to a large extent, is the first state (stickered) of
Green Eggs and
HamOccasionally, the first edition of Green Eggs does
not become available for purchase. However, we have observed that
the other titles on the list tend to be released multiple times
annually.
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Why Are These Books Valuable?
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For this list and the lists that follow [“lists that follow” refers
to lists in the Children’s
Picturebook Price GuideAnalyze the twenty most
valuable picture books from the 1930s to the 1990s, noting the
factors that influence their collectibility.
For decades, readers have been drawn to these books due to their captivating stories and imaginative illustrations. As a result, they have been consistently in print since their release, with multiple editions published.
Many of the books from this collection have been recognized with a children’s picturebook award, and the illustrators have all earned a great deal of acclaim in the book publishing industry. Their work has been held in high regard.
The characters from the book achieved success and became popular enough to have sequels written or have products like toys, games, dolls, costumes, and decorations created based on them. Additionally, some of the books or characters have been adapted into television shows or movies, becoming part of pop culture.
Watch more videos on the same topic : Top 20 Most Valuable Children’s Books You May Have
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First Edition Books, with Dust Jackets!
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The estimated values in the table are for first edition books with
dust jackets. The Children’s
Picturebook Price GuideThis list identifies the first
editions of twenty-nine books. It provides information about which
editions are original.
Click on the book’s title to see first edition identification points for a particular book. The link is to the blog post on Collecting Children’s BooksWe are releasing two or three first edition points for key children’s books each week. We are also providing images of the first edition identification points of the books.
To see an indexed list of all the first edition identification points from the Blog, go to First Edition Identification Points.
Most Valuable First Edition Children’s Picturebooks
Year | Book Title | Illustrator | VG- | VG | VG+ | Fine |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1963 | Where The Wild Things Are | Maurice Sendak | $6,200 | $8,200 | $10,200 | |
1937 | And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street | Theodor Geisel | $5,000 | $6,800 | $8,400 | |
1940 | Horton Hatches The Egg | Theodor Geisel | $4,400 | $6,000 | $7,400 | |
1941 | Make Way For Ducklings | Robert McCloskey | $4,400 | $6,000 | $7,400 | |
1938 | The 500 Hats Of Bartholomew Cubbins | Theodor Geisel | $3,800 | $5,000 | $6,200 | |
1939 | The King’s Stilts | Theodor Geisel | $3,200 | $4,200 | $5,200 | |
1936 | The Story Of Ferdinand | Robert Lawson | $3,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | |
1942 | The Little House | Virginia Lee Burton | $3,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | |
1960 | Green Eggs And Ham | Theodor Geisel | $2,800 | $3,800 | $4,800 | |
1939 | Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel | Virginia Lee Burton | $2,600 | $3,400 | $4,200 | |
1928 | Millions Of Cats | Wanda Gag | $2,400 | $3,200 | $4,000 | |
1939 | Madeline | Ludwig Bemelmans | $2,400 | $3,200 | $4,000 | |
1957 | The Cat In The Hat | Theodor Geisel | $2,400 | $3,200 | $4,000 | |
1933 | The Story Of Babar | Jean de Brunhoff | $2,200 | $3,000 | $3,800 | |
1941 | Curious George | H.A. Rey | $2,200 | $3,000 | $3,800 | |
1938 | Pumpkin Moonshine | Tasha Tudor | $2,000 | $2,800 | $3,400 | |
1947 | McElligot’s Pool | Theodor Geisel | $1,800 | $2,400 | $3,000 | |
1948 | Thidwick: The Big-Hearted Moose | Theodor Geisel | $1,800 | $2,400 | $3,000 | |
1955 | Harold And The Purple Crayon | Crockett Johnson | $1,800 | $2,400 | $3,000 | |
1955 | Eloise | Hilary Knight | $1,800 | $2,400 | $3,000 | |
1934 | The Travels Of Babar | Jean de Brunhoff | $1,600 | $2,000 | $2,600 | |
1935 | Babar The King | Jean de Brunhoff | $1,600 | $2,000 | $2,600 | |
1947 | Curious George Takes A Job | H.A. Rey | $1,400 | $2,000 | $2,400 | |
1949 | Bartholomew And The Oobleck | Theodor Geisel | $1,400 | $1,800 | $2,200 | |
1954 | Horton Hears A Who | Theodor Geisel | $1,200 | $1,600 | $2,000 | |
1957 | How The Grinch Stole Christmas | Theodor Geisel | $1,200 | $1,600 | $2,000 | |
1937 | Animals Of The Bible | Dorothy P. Lathrop | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1938 | Mei Li | Thomas Handforth | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1939 | Abraham Lincoln | Ingri & Edgar Parin d’Aulaire | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1939 | Alexander The Gander | Tasha Tudor | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1950 | If I Ran The Zoo | Theodor Geisel | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1953 | Scrambled Eggs Super | Theodor Geisel | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1968 | Foot Book | Theodor Geisel | $960 | $1,200 | $1,600 | |
1933 | The ABC Bunny | Wanda Gag | $840 | $1,200 | $1,400 | |
1948 | Blueberries For Sal | Robert McCloskey | $840 | $1,200 | $1,400 | |
1955 | On Beyond Zebra | Theodor Geisel | $840 | $1,200 | $1,400 | |
1956 | If I Ran The Circus | Theodor Geisel | $840 | $1,200 | $1,400 | |
1985 | Polar Express | Chris Van Allsburg | $700 | $1,000 | $1,400 | |
1939 | Little Toot | Hardie Gramatky | $720 | $960 | $1,200 | |
1942 | Cecily G. And The 9 Monkeys | H.A. Rey | $720 | $960 | $1,200 | |
1953 | Journey Cake, Ho! | Robert McCloskey | $720 | $960 | $1,200 | |
1953 | A Very Special House | Maurice Sendak | $720 | $960 | $1,200 | |
1952 | The Biggest Bear | Lynd Ward | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | |
1981 | Jumanji | Chris Van Allsburg | $500 | $ 760 | $1,000 |
Average Value of Books by Decade

This chart (on the right) details the amount of books in the price guide from each decade, as well as the average estimated market price for first edition books.
It is not unexpected that a first edition book’s worth typically increases over time. However, the 1950s is an exception due to the impact of the Dr. Seuss books on the group of books being studied.
Even though we consider Wanda Gag’s 1928 publication of Millions of CatsThe Price Guide provides an overview of the contemporary children’s picturebook industry, including notable works created by picturebook illustrators before 1928.
These books were not exactly picturebooks, but rather chapter books with some illustrations included from notable artists including Johnny Gruelle, Maud and Miska Petersham, and Dorothy Lathrop.
Most Valuable First Edition Books By Decade
From the Children’s Picturebook Price Guide,
To find completed eBay auctions for children’s picturebooks from 1999 to 2006, visit the following website.
© Stan ZielinskiA serious collector having fun with fun books.
Frequently asked questions
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What children’s books are worth money?
Many children’s books have become valuable over the years, including first editions of popular series such as Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Some rare books can be worth thousands of dollars.
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How do I know if my children’s book is worth money?
In general, first edition hardcover books with their dust jacket are the most desirable and valuable. You can also look up the book on auction websites like eBay to see what similar copies have been sold for.
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What is the most valuable children’s book?
The most valuable children’s book is believed to be a first edition of “The Wind in The Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, which was published in 1908. In 2009, a copy sold at auction for $86,250.
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Are children’s books from the 1950s valuable?
Some children’s books from the 1950s can be valuable, especially if they are first editions. Examples include “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White, “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss, and “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak.
Where can I find out more about the value of my children’s books?
You can find out more about the value of your children’s books by researching online resources such as auction websites and book-value guides. You can also contact a specialist bookseller or appraiser for more information.
Hey Don! (Needful Thingys)