Buzz
The value of rare books heavily depends on their condition. Damage like torn pages, broken spines, or markings (unless by the author) can significantly reduce their worth. Children’s books, often less carefully preserved than adult books, can become highly valuable if they remain in flawless condition.
The record for the most expensive children’s book belongs to J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a collection of fairy tales from the Harry Potter universe. In 2007, Amazon purchased one of the seven handmade copies, adorned with silver and semiprecious stones, for $3.97 million at auction. The sale benefited The Children’s Voice charity.
Following closely is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. A first-edition copy owned by Lewis Carroll himself sold for $1.54 million in 1998. Originally published in 1865, the first print run was recalled due to the illustrator John Tenniel’s dissatisfaction with the image quality. Only 23 copies are known to survive today, with a first printing available for sale priced around $30,000. Additionally, a 1969 limited-edition version featuring Salvador Dalí’s surrealist illustrations sold for $20,000 on AbeBooks in 2014.
- Top 10 Children’s Books That Fetched Record Prices at Auction
- 10 Highly Sought-After Children’s Books in the Secondary Market, as Listed by AbeBooks
Carroll’s connection extends to another prized work: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937). The dust jacket of the first edition, illustrated by Tolkien, highlights parallels between the two authors: Both were Oxford scholars who penned children’s fantasy tales they initially never intended to publish. Interestingly, Carroll’s birth name—Charles Dodgson—was mistakenly printed as “Dodgeson,” requiring the extra e to be manually corrected before distribution. In 2015, one such copy sold for $210,500. Explore more of the most valuable children’s books listed below.
Top 10 Children’s Books That Achieved Record Auction Prices
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard, J.K. Rowling // $3.97 million
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll // $1.54 million
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling // $471,000
- The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien // $210,500
- Grimms’ Fairy Tales, The Brothers Grimm // $138,600
- The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry // $125,000
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter // $95,600
- The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame // $92,000
- Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe // $81,250
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum // $81,250
10 of the Most Coveted Children’s Books in the Secondary Market, According to AbeBooks
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling // $85,620
- The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien // $65,000
- Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak // $25,000
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl // $25,000
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll // $20,000
- The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams // $15,950
- Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne // $11,851
- A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle // $11,000
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum // $8800
- Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, J.M. Barrie // $6500
