<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001144204-09-012647
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090305
<FILING-DATE>20090306
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090306
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MATTHEWS NORMAN S
<CIK>0001178445
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23071
<FILM-NUMBER>09663340
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>650 MADISON AVENUE, 23RD FLOOR
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10022
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CHILDRENS PLACE RETAIL STORES INC
<CIK>0001041859
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5651
<IRS-NUMBER>311241495
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0131
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>915 SECAUCUS RD
<CITY>SECAUCUS
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07094
<PHONE>2015582400
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>915 SECAUCUS RD
<CITY>SECAUCUS
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07094
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>v142107_ex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001041859</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHILDRENS PLACE RETAIL STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PLCE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001178445</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MATTHEWS NORMAN S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>915 SECAUCUS ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SECAUCUS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07094</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4663</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4663</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (the &quot;Company&quot;)
 underlying a deferred stock award granted under the Company's Amended and Restated 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended
 (the &quot;Plan&quot;) on March 5, 2009, which shares are deliverable to Mr. Matthews on the first anniversary of the date of grant of
 the deferred stock award, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Lenwood Ross, as Attorney-In-Fact for Norman S. Matthews</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
