What Old Children's Books Are Worth Money

Tucked away in your bookcase or stowed away in the attic, there could lie some buried treasure in the form of a collectable book which is actually worth a fair amount of money.

Some of the best-loved books are the ones from our childhood, as we look back with a nostalgic eye to those days of innocent enjoyment and wonder. Whether they feature talking animals, fairy tale princesses, fantastical plots or adventurous trials, these books are often cherished for generations.

But they don't only have sentimental value - both traditional classics and modern books can reach high prices, as detailed by a new book, Buy, Keep or Sell?, edited by BBC's Antiques Road Show specialist, Judith Miller. It tell us everything we need to know about modern treasures and how to make a profit from our antiques.

When it comes to the best book collectables, classic authors are highly profitable, such as the likes of Beatrix Potter, Lewis Carroll, Kenneth Grahame, JRR Tolkien, AA Milne, and Rudyard Kipling. Rare or early editions by these famous writers are highly sought after.

Peter Macdiarmid / Staff Getty Images

"When Potter made a private printing of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, the edition comprised of just 250 copies and one of these can be worth £40,000," the book says. "The average price of most pre-1920s editions is around £300–500.

"A first edition of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings can cost £10,000 or more. Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows and the fantasy tales of CS Lewis are desirable, too."

But when talking about treasured children's books you can't ignore the Harry Potter series…

"First editions of JK Rowling's early Harry Potter books, particularly the first two volumes, can command high prices. Bloomsbury issued an initial print run of only 500 copies of the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997). In 2003 one of these was sold for £19,500."

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

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This extract from Buy, Keep or Sell? reveals the best children's series to look out for and some examples of valuable editions:

1. Babar the Elephant

The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant by Jean de Brunhoff, first UK edition, 1934 (Methuen, London) – £100-£150

2. Famous Five

Five Go to Demon's Rocks by Enid Blyton, first edition, 1961 (Hodder & Stoughton) – £90-£120

3. Biggles

Biggles and the Plane that Disappeared by Captain WE Johns, first edition, 1963 (Hodder & Stoughton) - £150-£250

4. Thomas the Tank Engine

The Little Old Engine by Rev W Awdry, no. 14 in the 'Railway Series', first edition, 1959 (Edmund Ward, London) - £70-£100

5. Winnie the Pooh

The House at Pooh Corner by AA Milne, first edition, illustrated by EH Shepard, 1928 (Methuen, London) - £800-£1,000

6. Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling, first edition, 1998 (Bloomsbury, London) - £2,000-£3,000

Minh Le / Contributor Getty Images

Some individual valuable books include:

7. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, first edition, 1967 (Allen & Unwin, London) – £500-£600

8. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter, first edition, 1903 (F Warne & Co, London) – £300-£400

Top tips of how to find valuable books

Buy, Keep or Sell? also conveys some advice on how to find valuable books...

Buy books by the best-known authors as these are likely to be a better investment.
Choose works featuring popular characters (such as Peter Rabbit), as these will be more desirable than those about lesser characters.
Seek out limited editions, often with lavishly bound slipcases – these will be worth less than first editions, but more than standard print runs.
Focus on hardbacks rather than paperbacks, as they tend to be rarer, more durable, and more collectable.
Look out for pre-war signed copies – a plain inscription raises the value by 25%, and up to 50% for the more sought-after authors.

So now might be a good time to look through your old book collection…

Buy, Keep or Sell? An Insider's Guide to the Collectables of Today and Tomorrow, editor-in-chief Judith Miller, published by DK, £17.99, DK.com, is out now, and is available on Amazon.

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