Charles Kingsley books in order
British clergyman, historian and novelist
- Lived
- 1819–1875
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 37
Charles Kingsley published 9 novels, 8 non-fiction books, 3 children's books, 2 poetry collections and 15 other books, beginning with The Heroes (1855). The best-known is The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby (1863).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Charles Kingsley
Start here
The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby
Charles Kingsley's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Alton Locke (1850)
Yeast: A Problem (1851)
Hypatia (1853)
Westward Ho! (1855)
Two Years Ago (1857)
The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby (1863)
Hereward the Wake (1866)
Yeast (1875)
Non-fiction in order
Alexandria and Her Schools (1854)
Sermons for the Times (1855)
The Roman and the Teuton (1864)
At Last (1871)
Plays and Puritans (1873)
Health and Education (1874)
Charles Kingsley: His Letters and Memories of His Life (1878)
The Roman and the Teuton: A Series of Lectures Delivered Before the (1889)
Children's books in order
The Heroes (1855)
Madam How and Lady Why (1870)
Poetry in order
Andromeda and Other Poems (1858)
Poems (1872)
Other books in order
The Saint's Tragedy (1848)
Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet (1850)
Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet: An Autobiography (1850)
Sermons on National Subjects (1852)
Twenty-five Village Sermons (1854)
The Good News of God (1859)
Town and Country Sermons (1861)
What, Then, Does Dr. Newman Mean? (1864)
David (1865)
Discipline and Other Sermons (1868)
The Hermits (1868)
Town Geology (1872)
Prose Idylls, New and Old (1873)
Westminster Sermons (1874)
The Gospel of the Pentateuch, a Set of Parish Sermons (1878)
Free to read
All free classicsThe Water-Babies
Sanitary and Social Lectures and Essays
All Saints' Day and Other Sermons
Daily Thoughts
Literary and General Lectures and Essays
Historical Lectures and Essays
The Ancien Régime
Two Years Ago, Volume II.
The Gospel of the Pentateuch
The Water of Life, and Other Sermons
True Words for Brave Men
Two Years Ago, Volume I
Lectures Delivered in America in 1874
Scientific Essays and Lectures
About Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley was an English clergyman, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. A broad church priest of the Church of England, he is particularly associated with Christian socialism, Anti-Catholicism, the working men's college, and forming labour cooperatives, which failed, but encouraged later working reforms. He is known for his novels Yeast (1848), Alton Locke (1850), Hypatia (1853), Westward Ho! (1855), The Water-Babies (1863), and Hereward the Wake (1866).
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Charles Kingsley FAQ
- How many books has Charles Kingsley written?
- Charles Kingsley published 9 novels, 8 non-fiction books, 3 children's books, 2 poetry collections and 15 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Charles Kingsley's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby.
- What is Charles Kingsley's last book?
- Yeast (1875).
- What is Charles Kingsley's most famous book?
- The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby (1863) is Charles Kingsley's most widely read book.
- Can I read Charles Kingsley's books for free?
- Yes. 38 books by Charles Kingsley are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Charles Kingsley
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.