From Publisher’s Weekly:
Our 2022 Facts and Figures compilation of children’s and YA bestsellers includes a wide variety of titles, dominated by ever-expanding illustrated and graphic novel series and their spinoffs, YA movie tie-ins and sequels, and time-tested picture books. Our lists are based on print unit sales at outlets that report to NPD Bookscan, which tracks approximately 85% of the print market. Here we compile the books that sold more than 100,000 copies in four categories: Hardcover Frontlist, Paperback Frontlist, Hardcover Backlist, and Paperback Backlist.
Last year’s overall top-selling book for children was Diper Överlöde, book 17 in Jeff Kinney’s hugely popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, which sold more than 800,000 copies in hardcover. The middle grade series and its spinoff, Awesome Friendly Kid, had a strong showing across multiple categories.
The hardcover frontlist list features heavy-hitter Dav Pilkey in the #2 slot, with Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, the third installment in a graphic novel series starring Dog Man character Li’l Petey. Pilkey also ranks high in that category with book four in his Cat Kid Comic Club series, Collaborations, and the color edition of the 12th Captain Underpants book. Despite continued controversy, J.K. Rowling appears at #3 with the newly illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And reflecting the popularity of movie tie-ins and crossovers is Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas by Shea Ernshaw, based on the 1993 film.
At the top of the paperback frontlist is The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. Her contemporary YA romance series has seen renewed popularity with the June 2022 release of the TV adaptation on Amazon Prime. And the sequel to British writer Holly Jackson’s bestselling teen thriller A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder nabs the third slot. Jackson is scheduled to publish a prequel, Kill Joy on February 28, followed by her first standalone novel, Five Survive, in November.
For hardcover backlist, the late Eric Carle once again takes the lead in the category with sales for The Very Hungry Caterpillar totaling more than 700,000. Perennial picture book favorites Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, and Goodnight Moon also had their usual strong sales.
Link to the rest at Publisher’s Weekly