Worlds of Wonder: Celebrating the Great Classics of Children's Literature

A beautifully illustrated journey through the most beloved classics of children's literature, spanning more than twenty countries and one hundred and fifty years

From Little Women to Harry Potter, children's literature is a treasure trove of literary magic. Written in multiple genres and featuring some of literature's most memorable characters and worlds, fiction for young audiences offers narratives into which to escape even while it teaches lessons about the real world.

This volume traces the history of the world's most beloved children's fiction, showcasing the vast breadth of iconic literature written for children. Spanning from the Victorian era to the present and focusing on books for readers age five through young adult, Worlds of Wonder will take you on an enthralling nostalgic journey through the most important works in children's literature from across the globe.

• Celebrates some 75 beloved children's books from around the world, from the mid-nineteenth century to today
• Beautifully illustrated throughout with original artwork, film and television stills, and sketches and manuscripts
• Compiled by an international team of leading critics and children's literature specialists, including John Sutherland, Peter Hunt, Elena Sheppard, Alison Flood, Michelle Smith, Nick Tucker, Jon Hughes, and Emily Lethbridge
• The books featured include The Water Babies - Alice in Wonderland - Little Women - A Dog of Flanders - Sans Famille - The Adventures of Pinocchio - Treasure Island - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Five Children and It - Anne of Green Gables - The Secret Garden - Peter and Wendy - The Wind in the Willows - The Secret Garden - Winnie the Pooh - Emil and the Detectives - Mary Poppins - Night on the Galactic Railroad - The Hobbit - The Sword in the Stone - The Magical Faraway Tree - The Little Prince - Pippi Longstocking - The Moomins and the Great Flood - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Charlotte's Web - The One Hundred and One Dalmatians - A Bear Called Paddington - The Phantom Tollbooth - A Wrinkle in Time - The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - The Mouse and His Child - My Sweet Orange Tree - A Wizard of Earthsea - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - The Dark Is Rising - Under the Mountain - The Neverending Story - The Sheep-Pig - Kiki's Delivery Service - Haroun and the Sea of Stories - Northern Lights - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear - Mortal Engines - Inkheart - The Arrival - The Wild Book - Catlantis - Lampie and the Children of the Sea - The Cat Who Saved Books - Ikenga - Impossible Creatures

Author: Daniel Hahn
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 10/28/2025
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780691274638


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/21/2025
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2025
Booklist 08/08/2025

About the Author
Daniel Hahn is a writer, editor, and translator. His work has won the International Dublin Literary Award and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, and has been shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize. He is a trustee of the Society of Authors, former chair of the Translators Association, and former national program director of the British Centre for Literary Translation. His books include The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature. Julia Eccleshare is the former children's books editor at The Guardian and recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award for distinguished service to the world of children's books.