Children’s Literature & Fairy Tales

Home  »  Collecting »  Children’s Literature

Collecting Beautiful Children's Books & Fairy Tales

Children’s books are actually a great genre for the collector. The books remain desirable for a long time for nostalgic reasons, they provide a fascinating cultural snapshot of their time, and classic children’s literature draws the attention of many incredible artists and illustrators. Books series range from cheap and cheerful sets that brighten up any room, to collectible fine press editions. And collections can include genres, authors, illustrators or anything that takes your fancy.

This page provides a jumping off point with links to both vintage and contemporary illustrated bibliographies of stunning fairy tale collections, fascinating folklore, and beautiful children’s book series. 

Contemporary Collectibles

nyrb children collection hestia header placeholder
NYRB Children's

Reprinted Classics

A collector's guide and complete illustrated bibliography of the New York Review's Children's Collection

chronicle-tales-hestia-header
Chronicle's Folk Tales

Diverse Illustrations

A review of Chronicle's world folklore collections, with different illustrators for each volume.

puffin sisterhood hestia header
Puffin Sisterhood

Classic Paperbacks

Bright beautiful paperback classics about strong, fearless and inspiring women and girls.

minalima-set-hestia-header
MinaLima

Interactive children's classics

A collector's guide and complete illustrated bibliography of the interactive children's classics by the renowned illustrators of the Harry Potter universe.

puffin clothbound classics
Puffin Clothbound Classics

Glittering Classics

A review of Puffin's latest collector's editions of children's classics, bound in cloth with glittery gold highlights.

Puffin Classics Original set sm
Puffin Hardback Classics

A Pastel Rainbow

A review of the 22 children's books in the Puffin hardback children's classics series.

puffin-VA-classics-hestia-header
V&A Children's Classics

Stunning Morris Designs

A review of the children's classics series produced by the Victoria & Albert Museum using William Morris designs on the bindings.

Children's Literature & Fairy Tales
Cut Paper Fairy Tales

Die-cut Tales

A review of Sybille Schenker's magical die-cut fairy tale classics.

arcturus classics Hestia Header Image sm
Arcturus Slipcased

Newly illustrated Slipcased children's classics with bright new illustrations.

Fancy & Fine Press Editions

Children's Literature & Fairy Tales
Folio Society Rainbow Fairy Books

Beautifully bound Andrew Lang

A guide to the Folio Society's fdecoratively clothbound fairy book collection with stunning original illustrations by contemporary artists.

lang-fairy-books-hestia-header-2
Andrew Lang's Original Fairy Books

Fairy tales from around the world

The original rainbow fairy book set by Andrew Lang and his wife, with their glorious decorative bindings and illustrations by Henry J. Ford.

fs-classic-fairy-tales-hestia-header
Folio Society Classic Fairy Tales

Facsimiles of Golden Age Classics

The Folio Society's collection of facsimiles children's books by the best illustrators of the Golden Age of Illustration.

Vintage Children's Books

Children's Literature & Fairy Tales
Junior Deluxe Editions

Fabulous 1950s artwork

A collector's guide and complete illustrated bibliography of the American children's classics series known as the Junior Deluxe Editions.

bicb-best-in-childrens-books-spines-hestia-header
Best in Children's Books series

Famous 1950s artists

A collector's guide to the American children's classics series known as the Best in Children's Book Club series.

hamish-hamilton-hestia-header
Hamish Hamilton

Books of Myth and Legend

A vintage series of children's books on dragons and goblins, princes and princess, and all manner of fantastic beasts.

australian-fairies-hestia-header
Australian Fairies

The art of the Australian fairy

A review of those literary magical fairy beings of the sort that typically feature prominently in pan-European fairy tales but here are living in the Australian bush.

BN rainbow classics hestia header
B&N Rainbow Collection

A leatherbound rainbow

Now out of print, this rainbow of children's classics from B&N is still a popular collectible series.

mullers-folk-tales-hestia-header
Muller's Folk & Fairy Tales

World folklore

World fairy tale collections published between the late 1950s to the early 1970s

queens treasure spines hestia header
Queen's Treasures

Delicate Designs

Delightful vintage children's books by Bell & Sons with pretty decorative bindings.

dent dutton shelf hestia header
Dent Dutton

Children's Illustrated Classics

Pretty patterned bindings from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s

Collectible Titles

alice-video-tour-hestia-header
Alice in Wonderland

Down the rabbit hole

A collector's guide and illustrated bibliography of the wonderful variety of illustrated editions of Lewis Carrol's famous books.

princess-bride-collection-hestia-header
The Princess Bride

As you wish...

A history and collector's guide to the various editions of William Goldman's classic novel The Princess Bride.

Children's Literature & Fairy Tales
Beedle the Bard

The many illustrated tales

A collector's guide to the illustrated editions of J. K. Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard.

mary poppins Hestia Header Image
Mary Poppins

Spit, Spot, a Mary Poppins comparison

A review of the varied illustrated editions of Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers.

east-of-the-sun-hestia-header
East of the Sun

East of the Sun, West of the Moon

A comparison review of the Nielsen-illustrated editions of this Nordic classic fairy tale.

secret garden Hestia Header Image
Secret Garden

Find the key

A collector's guide and illustrated bibliography of the best editions of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Authors & Illustrators

grahame johnstone snow queen hestia header
Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone

Twin illustrators

A collector's guide and complete illustrated bibliography of the folklore, fantasy and children's illustration work by the wonderful Grahame Johnstone twins. Also includes a small gallery of their paintings, and a sampling of their work in the Finding Out magazine.

errol le cain Hestia Header Image
Fantasy & Fairy Tale Artist

East of the Sun, West of the Moon

A collector's guide and complete illustrated bibliography of the illustration work by the amazing artist Errol Le Cain.

CVS Sandwyk Hestia Header Image
Charles van Sandwyk

Magical fairies and animal art

A complete collector's guide and illustrated bibliography of Charles van Sandwyk's delightful private press work and Folio Society publications.

Coming Soon...

Children's Literature & Fairy Tales
Ruth Manning Sanders

The complete illustrated bibliography of works by wonderful fairy tale teller Ruth Manning Sanders, including her brilliant fairy tale and folklore series 'A book of...' illustrated by Robin Jacques.

Children's Literature & Fairy Tales
Anne of Green Gables
Beautiful Books