The figures in these lists cover sales from the original date of publication through the end of 1995. We asked publishers to supply us with figures for hardcover books that have sold more than 750,000 copies, and paperback books with sales over one million copies. The lists are based on actual sales as reported by publishers; they reflect domestic sales only, and do not include book club and international sales. Books in the public domain generally are not listed, since aggregate sales figures are not available. Some publishers were unable to supply accurate cumulative numbers, often because the originating publisher was acquired by another and sales figures could not be found. Therefore, some titles had to be left off, and others are ranked according to whatever sales figures were available.
1.The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey (Golden, 1942) 14,000,000
2. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne, 1902) 9,331,266
3. Tootle by Gertrude Crampton (Golden, 1945) 8,055,500
4. Saggy Baggy Elephant by Kathryn and Byron Jackson (Golden, 1947) 7,098,000
5. Scuffy the Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton (Golden, 1955) 7,065,000
6. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt (Golden, 1940) 6,146,543
7. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1960) 6,065,197
8. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1957) 5,643,731
9. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1960) 4,822,331
10. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (HarperCollins, 1974) 4,623,762
11. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1963) 4,398,271
12. Dr. Seuss's ABC by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1960) 4,266,910
13. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne, 1904) 4,105,757
14. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (HarperCollins, 1964) 4,075,925
15. The Children's Bible (Golden, 1965) 4,025,749
16. Disney's the Lion King adapted by Justine Korman (Golden, 1994) 3,900,150
17. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne, 1908) 3,825,819
18. Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever by Richard Scarry (Golden, 1963) 3,798,953
19. The Real Mother Goose, illus. by Blanche F. Wright (Rand McNally, 1916 OP) 3,600,000 (as of 1989)
20. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1958) 3,445,303
21. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein (Collins, 1981) 3,302,278
22. Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman (Random House, 1960) 3,277,939
23. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne, 1903) 3,079,317
24. The Tale of Tom Kitten by Beatrix Potter (Frederick Warne, 1907) 2,986,005
25. Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1965) 2,949,628
26. Where's Waldo? by Martin Handford (Little, Brown 1987) 2,911,190
27. The Great Waldo Search by Martin Handford (Little, Brown, 1989) 2,819,504
28. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton Mifflin, 1985) 2,734,670
29. Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne, illus. by Ernest Shepard (Dutton, 1926) 2,730,398
30. Find Waldo Now by Martin Handford (Little, Brown, 1989) 2,730,306
31. Go, Dog. Go! by P. D. Eastman (Random House, 1961) 2,715,788
32. Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1990) 2,658,935
33. My Book About Me (by Me, Myself)by Dr. Seuss, illus. by Roy McKie (Random House, 1969) 2,491,445
34. Walt Disney's Storyland by Walt Disney (Golden, 1962) 2,400,904
35. The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary by P. D. Eastman ( House, 1964) 2,382,269
36. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (North-South, 1992) 2,357,700
37. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1957) 2,251,625
38. Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever by Richard Scarry (Golden, 1964) 2,167,079
39. The Touch Me Book by Pat and Eve Witte (Golden, 1961) 2,040,125
40. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Clement Hurd (HarperCollins, 1947) 2,039,916
41. I Am a Bunny by Ole Risom, illus. by Richard Scarry (Golden, 1963) 2,003,832
42. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper (Platt & Munk, 1930) 1,993,043
43. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, illus. by Garth Williams (HarperCollins, 1952) 1,933,710
44. Never Talk to Strangers by Irma Joyce (Golden, 1967 OP) 1,916,040
45. When We Were Very Young by A. A. Milne, illus. by Ernest Shepard (Dutton, 1924) 1,800,687
46. Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever by Richard Scarry (Golden, 1968) 1,764,176
47. Barney's Magical Picnic by Stephen White (Golden, 1993) 1,743,700
48. I Can Read with My Eyes Shut by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1978) 1,739,355
49. The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew #1)by Carolyn Keene (Grosset & Dunlap, 1930) 1,700,979
50. The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys #1) by Franklin Dixon (Grosset & Dunlap, 1927) 1,694,286
51. Just Imagine by Mary Shrode, illus. by Mary Grace Eubank (Lyons/Barney, 1992 OP) 1,588,233
52. Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire (Random House, 1960) 1,584,471
53. Disney's 101 Dalmatians adapted by Ronald Kidd (Golden, 1991) 1,520,900
54. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Philomel, 1969) 1,519,677
55. Barney's Farm Animals by Kimberly Kearns and Marie O'Brien, illus. by Malzeke-McDonald (Lyons/Barney, 1993) 1,498,274
56. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (HarperCollins, 1964) 1,486,903
57. Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry (Golden, 1968) 1,483,285
58. Disney's Beauty and the Beast adapted by Ronald Kidd (Golden, 1992) 1,479,350
59. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Harcourt Brace, 1943) 1,478,530
60. Eloise Wilkin's Mother Goose by Eloise Wilkin (Golden, 1961) 1,471,000
61. Disney's The Little Mermaid adapted by Ronald Kidd (Golden, 1991) 1,467,300
62. Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1975) 1,448,144
63. Love Is a Special Way of Feeling by Joan Walsh Anglund (Harcourt Brace, 1960) 1,384,375
64. Big Bird's Color Game by Children's Television Workshop (Golden, 1980) 1,354,626
65. Disney's Aladdin adapted by Ronald Kidd (Golden, 1992) 1,354,500
66. Macmillan Dictionary for Children edited by Judith Levey (Simon & Schuster, 1975) 1,350,450
67. The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew #2) Carolyn Keene (Grosset & Dunlap, 1930) 1,323,265
68. The House on the Cliff (Hardy Boys #2) by Franklin Dixon (Grosset & Dunlap, 1927) 1,282,153
69. Meet Samantha by Susan Adler (Pleasant Co., 1986) 1,266,746
70. Animalia by Graeme Base (Abrams, 1987) 1,258,000
71. Barney's Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes Vol. 1 by Stephen White, illus. by Mary Grace Eubank (Lyons/Barney, 1993 OP) 1,237,897
72. Disney's The Lion King adapted by Ronald Kidd (Golden, 1994) 1,212,200
73. Meet Addy by Connie Porter (Pleasant Co., 1993) 1,204,528
74. Oh Say Can You Say? by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1979) 1,198,643
75. Barney's Color Surprise by Mary Ann Dudko and Margie Larsen, photos by Dennis Full (Lyons/Barney, 1993) 1,159,190
76. The Way Things Work by David Macaulay (Houghton Mifflin, 1988) 1,148,818
77. Tawny Scrawny Lion by Kathryn Jackson (Golden, 1952) 1,126,000
78. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Viking, 1941) 1,122,213
79. Meet Kirsten by Janet Shaw (Pleasant Co., 1986) 1,108,740
80. There's a Wocket in My Pocket! by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1974) 1,107,265
81. Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág (Coward, 1928) 1,106,586
82. ET-The Extra-Terrestrial Storybook by William Kotzwinkle (Grosset & Dunlap, 1983) 1,096,338
83. A Fly Went By by Mike McClintock, illus. by Fritz Siebel (Random House, 1958) 1,092,967
84. The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew #3)by Carolyn Keene (Grosset & Dunlap, 1930) 1,091,897
85. Santa Mouse by Elfrieda Dewitt (Grosset & Dunlap, 1966 OP) 1,078,215
86. The Magic Locket by Elizabeth Koda-Callan (Workman, 1988) 1,062,000
87. The Secret of the Old Mill (Hardy Boys #3)by Franklin Dixon (Grosset & Dunlap, 1930) 1,056,053
88. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1970) 1,052,582
89. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, illus. by Felicia Bond (HarperCollins, 1985) 1,025,422
90. Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry (Random House, 1968) 1,007,177
91. Where's Spot? by Eric Hill (Putnam, 1980) 992,956
92. House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne illus. by Ernest Shepard (Dutton, 1928) 992,911
93. The Tall Book of Nursery Tales illus. by Feodor Rojankovsky (HarperCollins, 1944 OP) 968,218
94. Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1958) 915,313
95. Richard Scarry's Early Words by Richard Scarry (Random House, 1976 OP) 914,174
96. The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Little, Brown, 1986) 890,808
97. The Mystery of Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew #4) by Carolyn Keene (Grosset & Dunlap, 1930) 887,870
98. Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1962) 881,029
99. Baby Bop's Counting Book by Mary Ann Dudko and Margie Larsen, photos by Dennis Full (Lyons/Barney, 1993) 881,019
100. The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base (Abrams, 1989) 878,000
101. Babies So Tall Board Book by Gyo Fujikawa (Grosset & Dunlap, 1963) 872,068
102. The Silver Slippers by Elizabeth Koda-Callan (Workman, 1989) 867,000
103. The Mitten by Jan Brett (Putnam, 1989) 861,819
104. Baby Bop's Toys by Kimberly Kearns and Marie O'Brien, photos by Dennis Full (Lyons/Barney, 1993 OP) 861,020
105. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew #5) by Carolyn Keene (Grosset & Dunlap, 1931) 853,043
106. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1940) 834,803
107. Soft as a Kitten by Audean Johnson (Random House, 1982) 823,234
108. The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1961) 819,085
109. The Missing Chums (Hardy Boys #4) Franklin Dixon (Grosset & Dunlap, 1930) 815,073
110. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, illus. by Lane Smith (Viking, 1989) 802,530
111. Hunting for Hidden Gold (Hardy Boys #5) by Franklin Dixon (Grosset & Dunlap, 1928) 800,248
112. Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne, illus. by Ernest Shepard (Dutton, 1927) 799,762
113. Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1959) 799,091
114. Ten Apples Up On Top! by Theo.stet period here LeSieg, illus. by Roy McKie (Random House, 1961) 791,178
115. The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff (Random House, 1937) 788,971
116. The Star Wars Storybook adapted by Geraldine Richelson (Random House, 1978 OP) 779,259
117. Super Songs with Silly Sounds (Golden, 1992) 778,300
118. Baby Animals So Tall Board Book by Gyo Fujikawa (Grosset & Dunlap, 1963) 774,050
119. Kids Songs with Crazy Sounds (Golden, 1992) 758,700
120. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (Knopf, 1964) 758,624
121. Bennett Cerf's Book of Riddles by Bennett Cerf (Random House, 1960) 755,076
122. It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler, illus. by Roger Bollen (Random House, 1983) 751,010