Books & Manuscripts

Books that Defined Childhood

30 September 2025

Lyon & Turnbull

“Once there was a little girl called Sophie, and she was having tea with her mummy in the kitchen.

Suddenly there was a ring at the door.
…
Sophie opened the door, and there was a big, furry, stripy tiger…”

The wide-eyed excitement of a three-year old listening to Judith Kerr’s “The Tiger who Came to Tea” for the first (or second, third, fiftieth) time is a testament to the unique and treasured place children’s literature occupies in our cultural memory. The doors to imagination are opened in their brains – “Just imagine if a tiger came to MY house, and then what if I had to go out to a café in MY pyjamas for supper!?”

Children’s literature is not simply a form of entertainment – alongside the cognitive skills reading and being read to develops in children, children’s books have shaped creativity, instilled values and provided a gateway to fantasy and escapism for decades. Many older children’s books have become cherished companions for children, passed down through generations.

At Lyon & Turnbull, we take pleasure in showcasing books as both literature and collectable works of art, and we are often reminded that childhood reading shapes many collectors’ earliest and most lasting passions. It is in those very first encounters that the love of books often begins.

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Milne, A. A.

Complete set of the Pooh books

When We Were Very Young; Winnie-the-Pooh; Now We Are Six; The House at Pooh Corner

The Magic of Picture Books

For countless children, the journey into reading begins with pictures. Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902) is still a childhood favourite today, marrying Potter’s iconic illustrations with a story full of mischief and a certain amount of peril – “don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s Garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor…”

For many families, Potter’s tales became treasured objects, their appeal lying as much in the illustrations of expressive animals running around in the rolling countryside, as in the words.

Other early illustrated volumes, such as Kate Greenaway’s Under the Window (1879) or fairy tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham, gave young readers a world of wonder to linger over. Rather than being produced as teaching tools, these books were designed to be enjoyed, and have become respected as artworks in their own right. Although many copies have not survived the harsh environment of the nursery, other copies now grace libraries and collectors’ shelves alike.

Working with Children's classics reminds me of the stories I discovered as a child, it is that nostalgia the sees these works continue to be highly collectable and sought after at auction, particularly when they arrive in fine condition.

Cathy Tait, Head of Rare Books & Manuscripts

Stories of Adventure and Morality

The first part of the 20th century brought a surge of adventure stories, particularly those aimed at older children, what we may today term young adult literature. Classics such as R.L. Stevenson’s Treasure Island or Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book were written to ignite a spirit of exploration and moral courage, particularly amongst young boys.

At the same time, the likes of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden or Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women shaped ideals of kindness, resilience, and self-discovery, especially for young female readers. These coming-of-age narratives were books to grow up with, often resonating with their audiences well into adulthood.

Fantasy Worlds and Escapism

Particularly for older children, books present the possibility and thrill of entering an entirely new world, and living a life unachievable in this existence. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland remains a classic, if somewhat bizarre, read. Its dreamlike narrative and surreal illustrations challenge conventional storytelling to this day. C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit invited children and young adults to imagine vast new realms of possibility and grapple with their own questions about how they would approach a situation: would you be brave enough to leave your cosy home and venture across Middle Earth for the greater good? Would you be resolute in your faith in Aslan and not succumb to the temptation of Turkish delight?

These books offered safe spaces to explore curiosity, courage, and morality. Their lasting popularity shows how strongly they resonate as stories and as part of our shared culture.

Rowling, J. K.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

London: Bloomsbury, 1999. First edition, first issue, first state with the number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page and the incorrectly dropped text block on page 7.

Learning Through Storytelling

The pedagogical function of children’s books should not be ignored, and many of the earliest books for children were explicitly designed with learning and morality in mind. Primers, such as The New England Primer, taught moral lessons through rhythm and repetition, while the infamous Struwwelpeter, or Shock-Headed Peter, presented moral tales and highlighted disastrous consequences for non-compliant youngsters! Even the charming tales of Winnie-the-Pooh, beneath the charming buffoonery, gently nudged readers toward reflections on friendship, loyalty, and imagination. One one occasion, the endlessly subdued and stoical Eeyore reminds us: “Remember that another time, all of you. A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.”

The interplay between education and delight is one reason why such books remain so important. They comfort, but they also shape the way young readers understand the world.

Collecting Childhood

Today, first editions and early illustrated copies of these works hold a cherished place in the world of rare books. They are not merely relics of personal childhoods, but artefacts of a collective cultural memory. To hold an early Potter, Greenaway, or Rackham is to connect with generations of readers who turned the same pages in wonder.

For collectors, such books offer an opportunity to preserve that magic. Whether bound in original cloth, decorated with gilt, or enriched with tipped-in plates, they embody both the artistry of their makers and the nostalgia of their readers.

Ultimately, childhood books remind us of the transformative power of literature. They plant the first seeds of imagination, curiosity, and empathy. They can shape not only who we are as readers but who we are as people.

At Lyon & Turnbull, we take great pride in bringing these volumes to light, whether in specialist book auctions or within wider sales of history or design. They are works to be treasured, celebrated, and passed on, much like the stories they contain.