Before the creative fair tales of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, children's literature was dominated by morals or historic legends. During the 20th century, particularly after World War II, children's publishing began to develop into a highly profitable industry.

The most notable titles in this genre include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Pinocchio, Treasure Island, The Jungle Book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and most recently the Harry Potter series. A strong fantasy theme has continued throughout children's fiction.