Children of the Forest
by Elsa Beskow
Children of the Forest is the English title of Elsa Beskow's Swedish picture book Tomtebobarnen, first published in 1910. Its rhymes follow a tiny forest family through the year. An English adaptation by William Jay Smith appeared in New York in 1969, and Benn published it in London in 1982.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First UK edition
- Benn, 1982
Children of the Forest by Elsa Beskow was first published in 1910. We track 2 editions.
Which edition do you have?
Editions
- Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence1969 Hardback I own Children of the Forest, Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence 1969 Log in to want this
- Benn1982 Hardback I own Children of the Forest, Benn 1982 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
In print
- Editions recorded
- 11 on Open Library, 5 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 2 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Elsa Beskow
CollectorsNot sure which edition you have, or want to tell other collectors about your copy?
Ask a question
Write a review
Read it or own it? Share what Children of the Forest is like to read or collect.
Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
How many editions of Children of the Forest are there?
We track 2 editions of Children of the Forest. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
When was Children of the Forest first published?
Children of the Forest by Elsa Beskow was first published in 1910.
Where these facts come from
- Tomtebobarnen, Swedish Wikipedia (sv.wikipedia.org)
- Children of the Forest, Wikidata (wikidata.org)
- Children of the Forest editions, Open Library (openlibrary.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 8 November 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.