A First Edition Of This Popular Old Children's Book Is Worth A Ton

In the realm of beloved children's books that are worth a ton of money, there are very few that have joined the million dollar plus club. While any children's book can join those ranks, it's more likely with fiction. According to NewBookRecommendation.com, 184 million children's fiction titles were sold in 2022, with one in four of those books sold in the powerhouse U.S. market. In 2023, the market for children's books had an estimate of just over $2.6 billion in sales. A large part of that has to do with more parents being engaged with their children's literacy, and more publishers considering diversity when it comes to books, hoping to attract wider audiences who want to see themselves reflected in the stories they read.

While it might shock a lot of people to know just how much a collection of Harry Potter books could be worth today, it's worth realizing that even a single book could fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars. At the top of the list for children's books that are worth a lot is a book the BBC considers one of the top 100 greatest children's books of all time (in fact, it ranks second only behind "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak), is "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" known more colloquially in the U.S. as "Alice in Wonderland." Let's explore why the first edition of this popular children's book is worth so much today.

"Alice in Wonderland" is a classic children's book with a big price tag, assuming you own the right copy in decent condition. In 2016, one of the just 23 original surviving 1865 editions of the book was listed at auction by Christies in New York. At the time, the book was estimated to sell for between $2 million and $3 million. One of the reasons this particular edition is so important is because the first 50 advance copies of the book ended up being pulled by the publisher. It seems that the illustrator of the first book — John Tenniel — wasn't happy with the illustration quality in the first printing. While there were 2000 copies printed at that point, they were all recalled, and the author requested that the 50 advance copies he'd sent out be returned. It can be assumed that didn't happen with all of them, and since then, 18 out of the 23 copies have found their way into public institutions. 

Meanwhile, an 1865 first issue working copy of the book with minor defects sold for just over $1.5 million in 1998. While owning one of the remaining five 1865 editions could make you an instant millionaire, it's worth mentioning that a copy of an 1866 edition sold at Christies in 2021 sold for $43,750 — after being estimated to sell for between $20,000 and $30,000. These amounts would likely make you very happy if you are the owner of an early copy of the book.

Over 100 million copies of "Alice in Wonderland" have been sold since the book was first published in 1865, making it one of the most read books of all time. Of the many fun facts about the book, perhaps the most surprising is that the author, Lewis Carrol, was actually using a pen name. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the actual birth name of the author, was a photographer, poet, and mathematician who, along with writing one of the biggest children's books of all time, also penned numerous math books and other works of literary fiction. The book's titular character, Alice, was actually inspired by the daughter of one of Dodgson's friends. Dodgson originally shared the "Alice in Wonderland" story with the girl, named Alice Liddell, and her sisters while boating on a pond. 

For those who might have had a childhood devoid of the classics, we're happy to inform you that "Alice in Wonderland: The Original 1865 Edition With Complete Illustrations" is currently available on Amazon. While there are plenty of sneaky ways Amazon can trick you into spending more money, this classic book is a steal. That said, if you're looking for even more discounts on classics, you might try browsing the secret section of Amazon to find even better deals.