The BBC Culture Platform showcases global trends in music, film, television, books, and style, and celebrates how the arts inspire and enrich our daily lives. Over the years, the platform has conducted polls of industry experts and critics to reveal “the greatest of all time” in various categories. This year, 177 book experts from 56 countries were engaged to determine “the 100 greatest children’s books of all time.” According to BBC Culture, despite the sheer variety available – and the untold joy of reading they produce – children’s books “are sorely undervalued compared to adult literature” and “not receiving the critical respect they should.” Certainly, the current swathe of book banning and modernizing of classics continues to make news headlines, but BBC Culture notes the time is right to “give children’s literature its due.” In the end, a total of 1050 different books were scored and ranked to produce the top 100 – and while not definitive, the resulting list reflects not only the vast scope of children’s books from different eras, countries, and languages but books that have shaped, inspired, enthralled and delighted children (and adults) of all ages. So, which of your favourites are considered among the “greatest of all time”?
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1聽 聽 聽SENDAK, Maurice聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Where the Wild Things Are
2聽 聽 CARROLL, Lewis聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland聽
3聽 聽 LINGREN, Astrid聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Pippi Longstocking
4聽 聽 DE SAINT-EXUPERY聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Little Prince
5聽 聽 TOLKIEN, J.R.R聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The Hobbit聽
6聽 聽 PULLMAN, Philip聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Northern Lights聽
7聽 聽 LEWIS. C.S聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe聽
8聽 聽 MILNE, A.A聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Winnie the Pooh
9聽 聽 WHITE, E.B聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Charlotte’s Web聽
10聽 DAHL, Roald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Matilda
11聽 聽MONTGOMERY, L.M聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽 聽Anne of Green Gables
12聽 聽ANDERSEN, Hans Christian聽 聽 聽Fairy Tales聽
13聽 聽ROWLING, J.K聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
14聽 聽CARLE, Eric聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Very Hungry Caterpillar
15聽 聽COOPER, Susan聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Dark is Rising聽 Book 1 is Over Sea Under Stone
16聽 聽TAN, Shaun聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Arrival聽
17聽 聽ALCOTT, Louisa May聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Little Women聽
18聽 聽DAHL, Roald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Charlie and the Chocolate Factory聽
19聽 聽SPYRI, Johanna聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Heidi聽
20聽 聽WISE BROWN, Margaret聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Goodnight Moon
21聽 聽COLLODI, Carlo聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽The Adventures of Pinocchio聽
22聽 聽LE GUIN, Ursula聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Wizard of Earthsea
23聽 聽JANSSON, Tove聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Moominland Midwinter
24聽 聽KLASSEN, Jon聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 I Want My Hat Back
25聽 聽BURNETT, Frances Hodgson聽 聽 Secret Garden聽
26聽 聽ERLBRUCH, Wolf聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Duck, Death, and the Tulip
27聽 聽LINDGREN, Astrid聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Brothers Lionheart
28聽 聽ROWLING, J.K聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
29聽 聽WOODSON, Jacqueline聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Brown Girl Dreaming
30聽 聽UNGERER, Tomi聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Three Robbers
31聽 聽KEATS, Ezra Jack聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Snowy Day
32聽 聽KERR, Judith聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Tiger Who Came to Tea
33聽 聽WYNNE JONES, Diana聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Howl’s Moving Castle
34聽 聽L’ENGLE, Madeleine聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽 聽聽 Wrinkle in Time聽
35聽 聽ADAMS, Richard聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Watership Down
36聽 聽PEARCE, Philippa聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Tom’s Midnight Garden
37聽 聽BROTHERS GRIMM聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Grimm’s Fairy Tales聽
38聽 聽POTTER, Beatrix聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Tale of Peter Rabbit聽
39聽 聽NESBIT, Edith聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Railway Children
40聽 聽BLACKMAN, Malorie聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Noughts and Crosses聽
41聽 聽DAHL, Roald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽BFG
42聽 聽TAN, Shaun聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Rules of Summer
43聽 聽ENDE, Michael聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Momo
44聽 聽LEAF, Munro聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Story of Ferdinand
45聽 聽TOLKIEN, J.R.R聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Lord of the Rings
46聽 聽GARNER, Alan聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Owl Service
47聽 聽LINDGREN, Astrid聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter
48聽 聽ENDE, Michael聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Neverending Story
49聽 聽ANONYMOUS/FOLK聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Panchatantra
50聽 聽STEVENSON, Robert Louis聽 聽 聽 聽 Treasure Island
51聽 聽TRAVERS, P.L聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Mary Poppins
52聽 聽STREATFIELD, Noel聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Ballet Shoes
53聽 聽COOKE, Trish聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽So Much!
54聽 聽ROSEN, Michael聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽We’re Going on a Bear Hunt聽
55聽 聽RODARI, Gianni聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Adventures of Cipollino
56聽 聽SILVERSTEIN, Shel聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Giving Tree
57聽 聽DONALDSON, Julia聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Gruffalo聽
58聽 聽LOVE, Jessica聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Julian is a Mermaid
59聽 聽JANSSON, Tove聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Comet in Moominland
60聽 聽JANSSON, Tove聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Finn Family Moomintroll
61聽 聽DAHL, Roald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Witches
62聽 聽BOND, Michael聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Bear Called Paddington
63聽 聽GRAHAME, Kenneth聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Wind in the Willows
64聽 聽TAYLOR, Mildred D.聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
65聽 聽LINDGREN, Astrid聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Karlsson-on-the-Roof
66聽 聽JUSTER, Norton聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Phantom Tollbooth
67聽 聽SEUSS, Dr聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Cat in the Hat聽
68聽 聽DICAMILLO, Kate聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
69聽 聽BARRIE, J.M聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽Peter Pan and Wendy
70聽 聽ANONYMOUS/FOLK聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽 One Thousand and One Nights
71聽 聽KONIGSBURG, E.L聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler
72聽 聽KERR, Judith聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
73聽 聽G’ULOM, G’afur聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Shum bola
74聽 聽VINCENT, Gabrielle聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Ernest and Celestine
75聽 聽MCNICOLL, Elle聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Kind of Spark
76聽 聽GOSCINNY, Rene聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Little Nicholas
77聽 聽SEWELL, Anna聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Black Beauty聽
78聽 聽WEBSTER, Jean聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Daddy-Long-Legs
79聽 聽UNGERER, Tomi聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 No Kiss for Mother
80聽 聽DURRELL, Gerald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽My Family and Other Animals聽
81聽 聽PATERSON, Katherine聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Jacob I Have Loved
82聽 聽SEUSS, Dr聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Lorax聽
83聽 聽PERRAULT, Charles聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Fairy Tales/Tales of Mother Goose
84聽 聽JANSSON, Tove聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽The Moomins and the Great Flood
85聽 聽BAUM, L. Frank聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Wonderful Wizard of Oz聽
86聽 CROMPTON, Richard聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Just William
87聽 DAHL, Roald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Twits聽
88聽 HOBAN, Russell聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Mouse and His Child
89聽 DRAPER, Sharon M.聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Out of My Mind
90聽 JANSSON, Tove聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Moominvalley in November
91聽 聽WILDER, Laura Ingalls聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Little House in the Big Woods
92聽 聽DAHL, Roald聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Danny the Champion of the World
93聽 聽BRIGGS, Raymond聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Snowman聽
94聽 聽LEE, Suzy聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Wave
95聽 聽TETZNER, Lisa聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Black Brothers
96聽 聽WILLIAMS, Margery聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Velveteen Rabbit
97聽 聽SNICKET, Lemony聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Bad Beginning
98聽 聽GAIMAN, Neil聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Graveyard Book聽
99聽 聽YANG, Gene Luen聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽American Born Chinese
100 RUSHDIE, Salman聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Haroun and the Sea of Stories