Puffin Books was founded in 1940 by Allen Lane, the founder of Penguin Books, with the aim of creating high-quality, affordable children’s literature. And here Puffin still is 85 years later. Having made a huge impact on generations of readers young and old.

Why Puffin Books Was Started

During World War II, there was a shortage of books for children. Lane believed children deserved the same access to well-designed, low-cost books that adults had through Penguin.

Puffin began as a non-fiction imprint focused on war-related topics (e.g. War on Land, War at Sea) to help children understand the world around them during wartime.

It quickly evolved into fiction publishing, launching its first novel, Worzel Gummidge by Barbara Euphan Todd in 1941.

Puffin’s Impact

Not only did Puffin make books widely accessible, affordable, and appealing to young readers, but it introduced us all to ground-breaking, time-defying authors like Roald Dahl, Jill Murphy, and Jacqueline Wilson.

Puffin also played a key role in publishing classics and diverse voices, shaping children’s publishing in the UK and beyond.

There have been many notable moments in the decades since, and  Puffin has been shaping children’s reading for 85 years. Much has changed in that time, but they are still committed to making beautiful books for children and helping them fall in love with reading. And with the current crisis in reading for pleasure it’s critical now more than ever.

Here are some of the highlights:

1945–1960s – Post-war expansion

Puffin becomes known for affordable, quality fiction. They introduced  UK readers to classic and contemporary children’s authors, including E. Nesbit, Noel Streatfeild, and C.S. Lewis. Classics to this day.

1967 – Kaye Webb becomes Puffin editor. A transformative figure, she brought charisma, vision, and broad appeal to Puffin and expanded the list dramatically and founded the Puffin Club, a fan club for young readers with its own magazine (Puffin Post), designed to make reading fun and social.

Landmark publishing moments included “the very first book with holes for kids to poke their fingers through” [Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar]; “the very first lift-the-flap book” [Eric Hill’s Where’s Spot?]; “ 

1970s–80s – Golden era of publishing whereby Puffin becomes home to Roald Dahl, Jill Murphy, Raymond Briggs, and Penelope Lively. They gave us “the first picture book without words” [Briggs’ The Snowman];

1990s–2000s – Global expansion and modernisation

Puffin continues to publish major contemporary authors like Jacqueline Wilson, Rick Riordan, and Malorie Blackman.

Today – Part of Penguin Random House Children’s UK

Puffin remains a leading children’s publisher, with a growing emphasis on diverse voices, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Puffin’s Legacy

Puffin isn’t just a publisher. It’s a cultural institution for generations of young readers. With a backlist that blends classics and new voices, it continues to evolve while staying true to its founding mission: making great books accessible to children everywhere.

Puffin’s Special Clothbound Classics Collection

Puffin has released an exclusive eight‑book clothbound collection, each volume presented in bright yellow hardback, bound in real cloth, with sprayed edges, two-tone foil detailing, and ribbon markers. They are a joy to behold. A gift of a book. Each and every one of them. 

Francesca Dow, MD of Penguin Random House Children’s says: “Puffin has been shaping children’s reading for 85 years. Much has changed in that time but what has endured and deepened has been our commitment to create a book for every child because we believe in the transformative power of reading. I grew up with

Puffin and many of my favourite books were Puffins with that distinctive yellow logo a key to incredible adventures, characters and stories. With reading for pleasure in sharp decline, our mission is more important than ever, and we will continue to publish widely and imaginatively to build tomorrow’s generation of readers. Not only because we want to share what’s between the pages but because we know that reading for pleasure is the single biggest factor in a child’s success in life.”

Each title includes a new foreword by a current Puffin author or illustrator, celebrating both its legacy and modern relevance. 

Charlotte's Web (E. B. White) with a foreword by Jordan Lees

Matilda (Roald Dahl) with Robin Stevens

The Story of Tracy Beaker (Jacqueline Wilson) with Beth Lincoln

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney) with Dapo Adeola

Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief (Rick Riordan) with Nazneen Ahmed Pathak

Pig‑Heart Boy (Malorie Blackman) with Adam Kay

Wonder (R. J. Palacio) with Tom Fletcher

The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks (Katie Kirby) with Nadia Shireen 

These collector editions launch today on 7th August, offering both nostalgia for longstanding fans and gifts for new readers.

Amanda Punter, Publishing Director at Puffin says: “Readers have grown up with our stories, and this collection celebrates characters that have inspired, entertained and given voice to generations of children. From being a child in care, like Tracy Beaker; to facing experimental heart surgery, like Cameron in Pig-Heart Boy; living with a disability, like Auggie in Wonder; standing up for their beliefs, like Matilda and Charlotte the spider; simply navigating your way through school, like Greg Heffley and Lottie Brooks; or even discovering you’re a demi-god, like Percy Jackson, these iconic characters have triumphed over challenges in both real and imaginary worlds.”.

Why It Matters

Puffin’s 85th anniversary isn't just about celebrating the past. It’s a reaffirmation of their commitment to “spark imaginations” and make quality children’s literature accessible to all.  At LoveReading4Kids we love the instantly recognisable stamp of quality on their children’s books. And trust that the charismatic little seabird will be flying around for some years to come.