Classic Children's Books

Some classic children’s books are so memorable that they’ve lasted decades in the popular imagination, getting passed down from generation to generation and still being enjoyed by kids. In this collection, we’ve gathered together some children’s classic books that are still being read in bedrooms and classrooms up and down the country more than half a century from the day they came out. Our children’s classic book selection includes everything from timeless tales like The Very Hungry Caterpillar to modern classics like When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit.

Many children’s classic stories have been retold in simpler forms to help kids learn how to read. They’re often part of a reading scheme that develops your ability from phonics up to independent reading. An example of this is My First Reading Library from Usborne, which contains versions of Aesop’s Fables and nursery rhymes. These schemes lead to sets such as The Usborne Reading Collection for Confident Readers, which includes children’s versions of Robinson Crusoe and Frankenstein. Find more in our reading libraries collection.

Once your child’s a confident reader of classic fiction books, there’s nothing like the original versions of the text. The Puffin Classics Story Collection contains authoritative versions of ten essential children’s books. This instant library includes the magical Peter Pan, the lyrical The Wind in the Willows, the heartbreaking The Railway Children, and many more unbelievable novels. This great value box set makes a fantastic gift for any kid pushing on into broader reading.

Some classic children’s authors like Beatrix Potter and A.A. Milne have survived the test of time, with several books getting passed on to the next generation. However, few can rival Enid Blyton as one of the most popular children’s authors of all time. Her classic series like The Famous Five and The Secret Seven are still widely read today, and who could forget the iconic Noddy? We sell a wide range of Enid Blyton books, including complete series box sets like Malory Towers: 12 Book Collection. They’re perfect for your kid or a nostalgic trip down memory lane for yourself!

Some children’s characters last well beyond their original creation. Winnie-the-Pooh, The Wicked Witch of the West, Long John Silver - good or bad, or somewhere in between, these characters have entranced children for as long as they’ve been in print. However, there is no character quite like Paddington Bear. Star of film and television, the marmalade-loving bear, first emerged from Darkest Peru in 1958’s A Bear Called Paddington. Ever since he’s been taken into children’s hearts across the world. The Classic Adventures of Paddington Bear: The Complete Collection contains all fourteen chapter books and Love from Paddington, in which Paddington himself retells some of his adventures in a series of letters to his beloved Aunt Lucy.

For older children, why not check out Sweet Cherry Publishing’s Easy Classics. For this fantastic series classic authors such as Shakespeare, Jane Austen and the Bronte sister's work is broken down into a simpler and easier-to-understand format, making them accessible to a wider range of readers. One of our favourite book sets in this series is Charles Dickens Collection. This set contains beloved classics such as Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol all broken down for a younger audience. All of the easy classics come with free audiobooks so children can read along or just listen to the stories if they prefer. 

For children aged 9-14 years or older, why not check out some of the classics? The Oxford Children's Classics World of Wonder 4 Books Set is the perfect book set for any bookworm, it makes the perfect gift too! This book set all features unabridged copies of four iconic novels with a contemporary feel to the books themselves. This book set contains Anne of Green Gables, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Look-Glass, The Secret Garden, and Black Beauty. 

If you want your child to grow up with fond memories of reading, then this collection of classic children's stories is the perfect place to start. They won’t just get hours of entertainment out of these books – they might even inspire them to become writers themselves one day! And if you ever wanted some great bedtime stories yourself, why not give them a go? You never know where they might take you…