Hard on books

First edition

Why are first editions of classic children's books in good condition relatively hard to find? Simply because children are hard on books, especially the books they love.

Very small children even chew on books. So do their pets. Children want their parents to read the same favorite stories over and over again at bedtime. They like to carry these books with them and take them places, even outside when they play. Before they learn to read, they enjoy sitting down with these books to look at the illustrations and relive the stories in their minds.

Like teddy bears and favorite dolls and toys of any kind, few favorite books survive childhood in good shape. They may eventually get tossed. If kept, they may become prized possessions to their original owners, yet they may not be prized by collectors looking for something more pristine.

It is probably true that any book, whether written for children or adults, that remains in a condition loved by collectors was never truly loved by its original owner.