SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

January 14, 2012 by Travis Jonker

4 Observations About the Best-Selling Children’s Books of 2011

January 14, 2012 by Travis Jonker   2 comments

I just read the USA TODAY list of the 100 Best-Selling Books of 2011. If you enter “youth” into the search box, you can just view the children’s and YA entries. A few things I noticed…

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

1. Wimpy Kid Trumps Steve Jobs
While all three books of The Hunger Games trilogy sold more than Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs: A Biography, they had an entire year of sales to do it. What really shocked me is that the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Cabin Fever, also outsold the Jobs bio – and it was released a full three weeks later (Steve Jobs: Oct. 24, Cabin Fever: Nov. 15).

2. Series Reign
Among the youth titles on the top 100 list, not a one is a stand-alone.

3. Realism Takes a Back Seat
Other than books in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, all the other best selling youth titles are fantasy, sci-fi, or (the genre I get the biggest kick out of saying) paranormal romance. No other realistic fiction or nonfiction to be seen.

4. The Last Potter and Twilight Sightings?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (#98) is the lone Potter sighting on this list – a surprise to me. Breaking Dawn (#38) is the only Twilight entry. With the book series and films for both all wrapped up, is this the last we’ll see of them on the top 100? One thing that could have me eating my words on the HP front is the release of Potter e-books. That would likely result in another explosion in sales.

(Image: ‘100‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/49968232@N00/5979655704)

Filed under: Articles

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

Throw Wide Those Cemetary Gates: Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio Discuss The Invisible Parade

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Our Mock Newbery List is Up to 52 Titles

by Steven Engelfried

Politics in Practice

When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Teen MakerSpace: DIY Color Your Own Stickers, Low Tech

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Yarn

How Colby Sharp Celebrates Reading with Students

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

6 Picture Books All About Dad

9 Titles to Learn About Juneteenth

Family Ties: 7 Graphic Novels That Bring Family Dynamics to Life | Stellar Panels

23 Titles to Welcome Little Ones Back to School

4 Books for the 4th (July 4th, That Is!)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BookMoot says

    January 14, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    I am seeing Sorcerer’s Stone checked out frequently in the school libraries where I work. I think a new generation of readers are finding Harry. I know that is true in my extended family. Since he has been a part of my life for so long it tickles me when I encounter folks who are starting the series for the first time.

  2. Louise says

    January 15, 2012 at 4:38 am

    I wasn’t aware that Harry Potter wasn’t available in e-book format. Seems crazy. I’m sure they’d be selling. I wonder why not.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025