In this era of ebooks and kindles, it’s not surprising that book sales are falling. However, according to the Australian Booksellers Association, one area that has seen a growth is sales is children’s books, up 12 % in the last year.
“Children’s books are definitely the strongest area overall,” ABA chief executive, Joel Becker, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The newspaper also spoke to beloved Australian children’s author Mem Fox who described the turning of pages to a young child’s reading experience as “incredibly important”. She continued, “I’m ecstatic to tell you that e-book picture books do not sell. I have fought against having my books on tablets because I want parents or an adult to be with a child when they are reading.”
The ABA conducted a poll asking for the nation’s favourite children’s book and out of 5,000 responses came up with the following top 10 list.
1. Possum Magic Mem Fox and Julie Vivias
Grandma Poss uses her best bush magic to make Hush invisible. But when Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums must make their way across Australia to find the magic food that will make Hush visible once more.
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone J.K. Rowling
The first book in the Harry Potter series finds the boy wizard learning about his magical heritage as he starts at the spectacular Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle
A best seller since its 1969 publication, the book features a caterpillar who eats its way through a wide variety of foodstuffs (and pages), teaching young children to read and count along the way, before emerging as a magnificent butterfly.
4. The Fault in Our Stars John Green
The heart-breaking tale of two teenage cancer patients who fall in love.
5. Where is the Green Sheep Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
There are red sheep and blue sheep, wind sheep and wave sheep, scared sheep and brave sheep, but where is the green sheep? Will we ever find out?
6. The 39-Storey Treehouse Andy Griffiths
This is a treehouse like no other with 13 new levels including a chocolate waterfall, a non-erupting active volcano, an opera house, a baby-dinosaur petting zoo, a not-very-merry merry-go-round, a boxing elephant called the Trunkinator, an X-Ray room, a disco with light-up dance floor, the world’s scariest roller-coaster and a top secret 39th level that hasn’t even been finished yet!
7. The Magic Faraway Tree Enid Blyton
The second book in the The Faraway Tree series follows the continuing adventures of Joe, Beth and Frannie and their Magic Faraway Tree friends Silky, Moonface and Saucepan Man.
8. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak
When little boy Max is naughty, and sent to his room without any supper, he goes on an adventure to an island inhabited by strange beasts – the Wild Things – and becomes their king. But was it real or just a dream?
9. Diary of a Wombat Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
The first in the Shaggy Gully series, this tale follows the adventures of Mothball, a wombat with attitude as she wrestles, digs and trains her humans.
10. The Gruffalo Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
This wonderful tale follows a mouse who takes a walk in the deep, dark woods and uses cunning to avoid being eaten by an owl, a snake and a fox. But can he outfox a gruffalo?
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