The ‘90s were a decade of great changes, innovations, and challenges. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the rise of the Internet, from the Gulf War to the Spice Girls, the ‘90s shaped the world we live in today. But what about the children’s books from the ‘90s that entertained, educated, and inspired millions of young readers?
We will take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and revisit some of the ‘90s children’s books that were super popular. Whether you grew up reading them yourself or shared them with your kids, you will surely recognize some of these classic titles. These ‘90s kids’ books reflect their time’s culture, values, and trends and definitely differ from today’s books.
From fantasy to realism, humor to horror, adventure to romance, these children’s books from the ‘80s and ‘90s cover various genres and themes. Some are still widely read and loved, while others have faded into obscurity. Some are considered the best children’s books of all time, while others have sparked controversy and debate.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the list of 50 kids’ books from the ‘90s that were famous back then. Prepare to be amazed, amused, and maybe even slightly shocked by these nostalgic ‘90s design book covers and stories. And don’t forget to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Which of these books did you read and enjoy? Which of them did you hate or avoid? And which of these books your parents didn’t want you to read? Let’s find out!
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle
I Spy Series By Walter Wick And Jean Marzollo
Goosebumps Series By R.L. Stine
OMG, I loved these! It has been nearly 30 years, but I'm sure I still have some of these...
The Berenstain Bears Series By Stan And Jan Berenstain
The Rainbow Fish By Marcus Pfister
Matilda By Roald Dahl
Where The Wild Things Are By Maurice Sendak
Little Critter Stories By Mercer Mayer
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom By Bill Martin Jr And John Archambault
I never saw this book in the 90s, the first time I saw it I was teaching kindergarten in 2015. I guess it took a while to het to Australia?
The Adventures Of Captain Underpants By Dav Pilkey
What Has Been the Best-Selling Children’s Book of All Time?
As one might expect, the best-selling book of all time was published in the late 90’s! It’s the first book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S.
According to Statista, it has sold 500 million copies worldwide since its publication in 1997, of which 180 million were sold in the U.S.
Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day By Judith Viorst
The Stinky Cheese Man And Other Fairly Stupid Tales By Jon Scieszka And Lane Smith
Guess How Much I Love By Sam McBratney
It's a classic. Wonderful book to read before tucking in the little ones.
The Black Lagoon Series By Mike Thaler
Junie B. Jones Series By Barbara Park
Sideways Stories From Wayside School By Louis Sachar
I didn't see this series until I was 11 or 12 but they were fun stories.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader By C. S. Lewis
"There once was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."
What Is the Most Widely Read Children’s Book?
Obviously, the best-selling Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is one of the most widely read books for children. Speaking of more ‘90s children’s books, The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, The Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole, and The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine are also widely read.
If we go back in time, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, published in 1943, remains one of the most widely read books, translated into 300 hundred languages. Delving further into the classics, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, first published in 1865, is a story kids still read and watch on the screen today.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By J. K. Rowling
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe By C. S. Lewis
I love all the The Chronicles of Narnia. Read them all in grade school. It's an incredible fantasy/action series with vague Christian symbolism--which generally goes right over kid's heads ( it did mine ) but provides great stories of friendship and bravery.
The True Story Of The Three Little Pigs By Jon Scieszka
Where The Sidewalk Ends By Shel Silverstein
Love these poems and the wonderful artwork that goes with them. Little ones will love the musical rhythm of the poems and the oddball humor.
The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson And Alex Scheffler
Maisy’s Bedtime By Lucy Cousins
Owl Babies By Martin Waddell
Bridge To Terabithia By Katherine Paterson
Such an incredible book for older kids--how to build friendships, the magic of imagination and how to cope with loss. It's a very emotional story---I remember sobbing at the end when I first read it.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go By Dr. Seuss
I never read this as a kid (not a huge Seuss fan) but one of my uni lecturers read it to our year before we graduated from our teaching degree, which was fitting.
James And The Giant Peach By Roald Dahl
A wonderful book for 3rd/4th graders and up. James is the much-neglected orphan who takes the magical journey in the giant peach with his new friends--Centipede, Miss Spider, Old Green Grasshopper, Earthworm, Ladybug, Glowworm, and Silkworm.
The Magician's Nephew By C. S. Lewis
I tried reading this when I was about 12 and struggled, but when I read it again a bit later I loved it. Not an easy start to the series though, if you insist on reading chronologically as I did.
We’re Going On A Bear Hunt By Michael Rosen
Are There Any Children’s Books That Are Worth a Lot of Money?
Many children’s books are worth a lot of money, especially if they are rare, first edition, or signed copies. According to AbeBooks, some of the most valuable children’s books include:
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: The most expensive copy sold on AbeBooks was a signed Dali copy that fetched $20,000 in 2014.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling: The highest-priced copy ever sold on AbeBooks was a first edition that fetched $85,620 in January 2023.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: A 1937 first edition sold for $65,000 in 2003, making it one of the most expensive copies on AbeBooks.
If you own old children’s books, you might check their value online or with a rare book dealer. You never know, as you might be holding a treasure in your hands!
The Baby-Sitters Club By Ann M. Martin
Hatchet By Gary Paulsen
We had to read this for school in year 8 and I loved it. I'm not sure why but most of the class didn't. I then went on and read the whole series, and any other of his books I could find in the op shop.
Possum Magic By Mem Fox
When I was a kid the author Mem Fox actually came to my school and did a presentation! She told us how in the first draft the characters were mice, but the publisher asked her to "make it Australian" so she changed it to possums and added the part about needing to eat classic Australian foods to break the spell. And there was a stage adaptation with puppets which my mother took me to! Ah, those were good times.
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