3 Things I Noticed About the Bestselling Children’s Books of 2025

Publishers Weekly just released data on the best selling children’s and YA books of 2025. Here are three things I noticed:

1. After the top three, the hardcover backlist crushes the hardcover frontlist in sales. Save for the three bestselling new books of 2025, the hardcover backlist (Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, etc.) is running circles around them. A good reminder of how the picture book classics still sell like crazy.

2. Miss Rachel Crashes the Top 10. Now that she’s releasing board books (First 100 Words and Potty Time with Bean) – #5 and 6 on the list, respectively – global domination is one step closer.

3. Two Picture Books in the Top 15. The very top of the list is filled with Kinney, Pilkey, board books, and YA, but a couple more straightforward picture books snuck in there too (both series updates): Little Blue Truck and Racer Red by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry and The Humble Pie by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald.

What stood out to you?

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