‘Where is the Green Sheep?’ tops bestsellers chart

Australian children’s book author Mem Fox consistently tops the earnings chart for Public Lending Rights and Educational Lending Rights in Australia—the system under which authors are renumerated for the borrowing and use of their books in libraries and schools. This month, she is dominating the Australian picture book bestseller charts too, with perennial favourite Where is the Green Sheep? (illus by Judy Horacek) topping the monthly list, alongside a 35th anniversary edition of the classic Possum Magic (illus by Julie Vivas) in sixth place and Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (illus by Helen Oxenbury) coming in at number eight. Sheep, possums or people, Fox can’t put a (five-toed) foot wrong.

Some 2018 picture book releases that have stayed in the bestsellers chart include prolific children’s author Tony Wilson’s Hickory Dickory Dash (illus by Laura Wood), and Matt Cosgrove’s Macca the Alpaca, which was published in February this year and has already generated a follow-up title, Alpacas with Maracas, which is due out next month in July.

Australian children’s picture book bestsellers: May

1. Where is the Green Sheep? (Mem Fox, illus by Judy Horacek, Puffin)
2. Hickory Dickory Dash (Tony Wilson, illus by Laura Wood, Scholastic Australia)
3. Thelma the Unicorn (with Unicorn Horn) (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic Australia)
4. Macca the Alpaca (Matt Cosgrove, Scholastic Australia)
5. Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic Australia)
6. Possum Magic 35th Anniversary Edition (Mem Fox, Scholastic Australia)
7. Some Mums (Nick Bland, Scholastic Australia)
8. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (Mem Fox, Puffin)
9. No One Likes a Fart (Zoe Foster Blake, Viking)
10. My Mum’s the Best (Rosie Smith, Scholastic Australia)

© Nielsen BookScan 2018
Period covered: 29 April to 26 May 2018
Data supplied by Nielsen BookScan’s book sales monitoring system from 1000 retailers nationwide

Category: Think Australian newsletter Think Junior bestsellers