World Book Day – new research: these are the world’s most wanted children’s books for 2022

New research uncovers the books that British children want the most ahead of World Book Day

·        The Tiger Who Came to Tea is the most wanted children’s book this World Book Day, 54 years after publication

·        90 years since first publication, Brave New World is also one of the most wanted books for children’s in 2022

·        The remaining top 5 most wanted children’s books are over 25 years old as well: The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969), Where’s Spot (1980), and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997)

·        Only one non-fiction children’s book features in the top ten, a self-help book focussing on harnessing introvert qualities  

Ahead of World Book Day on March 3rd, family holiday experts at Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts have taken a look at the children’s books topping Amazon’s “Most Wished For” books list to understand which books British kids are hoping to read on their holidays this year. Combining the number of Amazon reviews for each book alongside the monthly Google search volumes for the top 50 featured on the list, the experts were able to determine which books are the most popular amongst kids right now.

Top 10 Most Wanted Books for 2022 (by total popularity)

While it’s no surprise that various Harry Potter books are some of the most wanted amongst children, considering the long-standing fandom of the Wizarding World, it is fascinating to see The Very Hungry Caterpillar sitting comfortably at number three. First published in 1969, Eric Carle’s tale of a caterpillar with no self-control has almost 21,000 reviews on Amazon, as well as more than 22,000 Google searches monthly in the UK, giving it a combined popularity of 43,165.

Similarly, The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, which was first published in 1968, is also featured in the top 10, alongside Eric Hill’s 1980 classic Where’s Spot? These vintage stories have combined popularity of more than 29,000 and 23,000 respectively, and sit comfortably amongst some more contemporary titles such as Karen McMannus’ One of Us is Lying. Despite being published almost 10 years ago, One of Us is Lying is the most recent title that features on the list, and – perhaps thanks to Netflix’s current adaptation – has a total popularity of over 35,000.

In contrast, Aldous Huxley’s masterpiece Brave New World is the oldest book on the list, at almost 100 years old. First published in 1932, Brave New World continues to feature heavily in the suggested reading books for primary and secondary aged children in the UK, which explains in part why this dystopian classic is still one of the most wanted in 2022. With a total popularity score of 38,953, this book is the fourth most popular on the list overall.

Only one non-fiction book makes the top 10, Quiet: The Power of Introverts, by Susan Cain. This self-help and educational book, explores how modern society undervalues introverts, and looks at the disadvantages that come with that. It’s also not a typical children’s book, though an adaptation does exist which is aimed at children, called Quiet Power. Quiet Power does not feature in the top ten.

Rosa Santos, Communications Manager at Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts says: “This data really helps us to understand what books our child guests will be wanting to read when they come to visit us on their holidays this summer. With this sort of information we can make sure our kids clubs are fully stocked with the books and toys that our British families are wanting to read and play with the most, and ensure that all of our guests have the very best time with us.”