Bestsellers have a few qualities in common and it is possible to predict a book that can become a bestseller. One of the qualities of bestsellers is that they engage the reader on an emotional level that makes it difficult to drop the book. Little Cricky, by Domnita Georgescu-Moldoveanu, did the same (8 editions so far!), and LilianaHoton’s translation has made it possible for English readers to enjoy the book too.

Domnita Georgescu-Moldoveanu spent most of her life churning out poems and novels in different genres. Little Cricky is one of her best children’s tale in verse. Although Georgescu-Moldoveanu passed away in 2013, her works live on. Little Cricky is filled with invaluable life lessons, from anger to joy to sadness to courage and friendship.

The characteristics of bestselling children books

There is a popular saying that success is predictable—and so are bestselling books across all genres. The Pleasures of Children’s Literature by Nodelman and Reimer listed some of the characteristics that are common among bestselling children’s books of the modern era. These include:

• The plot and writing style is simple and straightforward.
• Good and bad morals are well differentiated to avoid ambiguity.
• The story focuses on the action  rather than describing the settings or character.
• The main characters are usually weak and powerless but still win against all odds against their more powerful enemies.

Courtney Carpenter mentioned that books that engage readers with a sense of excitement are most likely to become bestsellers. This is because when people write reviews it is based on their emotional reaction to the book.

What Little Cricky has in common with other bestselling children’s book

J. K. Rowling set a new record in the children’s bestselling list with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows selling over 15 million copies in 24 hours. In doing so, it broke the record set by The Poky Little Puppy which was first published in 1942. According to ABC News, by 2011 over 450 million copies of Harry Potter books had been sold. Other bestselling children books of all time and the message they portray are:

The Tale of Peter Rabbit: it was first published in 1902 and sold 9.3 million copies. The captivating story written by Beatrix Potter was about disobedient young Peter.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: this story about a ravenous caterpillar that ate almost anything sold 35 million copies.

Scuffy the Tugboat: written by Thomas Wolfe, Scuffy had bigger plans besides sailing in a bathtub and was able to sail in the open river with the help of a man in polka dot tie. However, Scuffy realizes from the experience that sailing in the bathtub is not a bad idea.

Bestselling children book authors have compelling life stories. Rowling was very poor at some point, Potter taught herself to paint, and Georgescu-Moldoveanu had to flee Romania because of communism. Little Cricky, which can be found at Agora Books, is nothing short of a masterpiece worth including in every home’s library.