A debate the seems to never end is the best children’s books of all time. Everyone seems to have an opinion and each list has its own hidden surprise. Today, we will be looking at Mental Floss’ 25 best children’s books of all time. Keep reading to see what made their list and how it holds up!
If you have been on the internet anytime since 2001, you most likely have come across Mental Floss. It is a website created in a Duke University dorm room in 2001 and now is based in New York City. They often share interesting facts as well as other things such as publish books, games, and even a calendar.
The thing about lists is that anyone can make them. But what truly matters is how these lists hold up. Does Mental Floss know anything about children’s books? Only one way to find out. You can see their list below!
The 25 Best Children’s Books of All Time
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, illustrated by E.H. Shepard
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, illustrated by Garth Williams
- Matilda by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
- The Arrival by Shaun Tan
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
- Heidi by Johanna Spyri
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
- The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson
- I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Mental Floss’ List of the Best Children’s Books
Any list that starts off with Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are is a good list. It is considered the best children’s book by many. Other children’s books that make this list credible is are The Little Prince, The Golden Compass, and Anne of Green Gables to name a few.
I love the inclusion of fantasy novels such as The Hobbit and A Wizard of Earthsea. It doesn’t hurt to also include Harry Potter on this list. I will say, whoever made this list is a book lover for sure!