100 Years of Books Childrens
2 October 2025
We celebrated our 100th anniversary this year, and to celebrate we picked our favourite book published each year that we've been open.
Village Books originally opened as the Gallery Bookshop and Lending Library in 1925. While it’s name has changed over the years it has remained a bookshop for the past century. To celebrate this milestone, we have selected one book published for every year that we’ve been open. Below is the full list of children’s titles that we selected. You can have a look here for the full adult list.
1926 – Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
1927 – Now we are Six by A.A. Milne
1928 – Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories by Joyce Lankester Brisley
1929 – Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner
1930 – Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
1931 – The Story of Babar by Jean De Brunhoff
1932 – Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
1933 – The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm by Norman Hunter
1934 – Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
1935 – Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
1936 – Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield
1937 – The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
1938 – Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater
1939 – Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot
1940 – Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
1941 – Twins at St Clare’s by Enid Blyton
1942 – Five on Treasure Island by Enid Blyton
1943 – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
1944 – Five Run Away Together by Enid Blyton
1945 – Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Jannson
1946 – First Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
1947 – Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
1948 – I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
1949 – Secret Seven by Enid Blyton
1950 – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
1951 – Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
1952 – Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
1953 – Explorers on the Moon by Herge
1954 – Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
1955 – The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
1956 – 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
1957 – Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
1958 – A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
1959 – Tintin in Tibet by Herge
1960 – Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
1961 – James and the Giant Peach
1962 – Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
1963 – Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
1964 – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
1965 – Asterix and Cleopatra by Rene Goscinny
1966 – Curious George Goes to Hospital by H.A. Rey
1967 – Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
1968 – Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
1969 – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
1970 – Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
1971 – When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
1972 – Watership Down by Richard Adams
1973 – Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
1974 – The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
1975 – Danny Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
1976 – Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
1977 – Dogger by Shirley Hughes
1978 – Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
1979 – The Twits by Roald Dahl
1980 – Mr. Magnolia by Quentin Blake
1981 – Peepo by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
1982 – War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
1983 – Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird
1984 – Hairy Maclary’s Bone by Lynley Dodd
1985 – Giraffe the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl
1986 – The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
1987 – Where’s Wally by Martin Handford
1988 – Matilda by Roald Dahl
1989 – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
1990 – Oh the places you’ll go by Dr. Seuss
1991 – The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson
1992 – Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
1993 – Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas
1994 – Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
1995 – Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
1996 – Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo
1997 – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
1998 – Holes by Louis Sachar
1999 – The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
2000 – Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
2001 – Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
2002 – Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Lawrence
2003 – How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
2004 – The Recruit by Robert Muchamore
2005 – Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2006 – Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
2007 – Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
2008 – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2009 – Maze Runner by James Dashner
2010 – Theodore Boone by John Grisham
2011 – 13 Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
2012 – Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2013 – Demon Dentist by David Walliams
2014 – Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
2015 – There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
2016 – Dog Man by Dave Pilkey
2017 – One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
2018 – Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
2019 – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
2020 – Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard
2021 – Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby
2022 – Mouse’s Wood by Alice Melvin
2023 – Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
2024 – The Camel Who Had the Hump by Rachel Bright
2025 – Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins