I love baby books. While there are certain things I won’t miss about having a baby (hello, diaper blowouts!), I’ll always treasure the time I spent reading books to my babies. What’s better than snuggling on the glider together and sharing a story?
It’s never too early to start reading to your baby. Long before they can understand the words, infants love staring at the bright pictures and hearing the sing-song sounds that the best baby books offer. Plus board books for babies are pretty awesome chew toys when they’re teething!
Not only are baby books fun to read, but they also give kids a head start on language skills that will have lifelong benefits, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. So we’ve chosen 11 of the best baby books to jump start your mini’s library.
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11 Baby Books Your Mini Will Absolutely Adore
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I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy
Adorable animals share their excitement over the arrival of a new baby, asking each other, "Did you sing to the baby?" and, "Did you feed the baby?" At the end, we finally meet the baby, a happy duckling who loves kisses from his mama. Newborns can't yet see color, so the bold, black and white illustrations in I Kissed a Baby make it a perfect first storybook.
Photo: Amazon -
Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton
The best baby books are the ones that never get boring, even when you have to read them over and over. That's why we love Sandra Boynton's masterful sense of silliness -- her playful rhymes always make us laugh. "Moo, Baa, La La La!" introduces baby to the animal sounds, but with a few twists, like pigs who sing instead of oink.
Photo: Amazon -
Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
In this hilarious quest for a missing green sheep, we meet a whole universe of other sheep -- red and blue, near and far, scared and brave -- doing very un-sheep-like things such as taking a bubble bath or traveling to outer space. Baby is sure to notice something new in the clever illustrations each time you read it together.
Photo: Amazon -
Baby Happy Baby Sad, by Leslie Patricelli
For a book that basically has only four words ("Baby happy, baby sad"), it conveys so much about the big feelings and moods that can change quickly with circumstance. Baby is happy holding a helium balloon, but sad when the balloon flies away. Baby is sad when sister grabs his toy, then happy when sister shares her toy. What a great way to help little ones get in touch with their emotions!
Photo: Amazon -
From Head to Toe, by Eric Carle
Baby is invited to copy the movements of various animals, such as waving arms like a monkey and clapping hands like a seal. Both my kids were obsessed with this baby book and could mimic the motions before they could even talk. Be ready for a full-body workout as you join in the fun!
Photo: Amazon -
Pat the Zoo by Golden Books and LV Studio
Some of the best baby books have interactive elements, like the touch-and-feel textures on each page of Pat the Zoo. Feel panda's soft fur, turtle's bumpy shell and frog's sticky tongue -- all of which are sturdy enough to stand up to rough handling, no worries.
Photo: Amazon -
More More More Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams
You get three stories for the price of one in this darling book about babies and the grownups who love them. It features racially diverse family groupings that celebrate multiculturalism.
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Where is Baby's Belly Button? by Karen Katz
In this lift-the-flap favorite, baby learns how to find all the parts of the body, from eyes to toes, including of course the ever-popular belly button (hint: it's under baby's shirt!).
Photo: Amazon -
Go Baby Go by Marilyn Janovitz
Spend a day in the life of a typical baby -- it should seem familiar! -- playing with bubbles, riding in a baby swing, eating messily, and finally sleeping. The rhythmic cadence is upbeat yet soothing, making this baby book a great choice for the naptime routine.
Photo: Good Reads -
In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming
Great books for babies rely on simple, lyrical language and bold illustrations like those found in this eye-catching exploration of the animal kingdom. Each page brings a wondroous new discovery, from ants lugging a leaf to fireflies glowing in the dark.
Photo: Amazon -
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
No list of baby books would be complete without a bedtime story, and Goodnight Moon is the ultimate classic. There's something so reassuring about saying goodnight to all the mysterious items a baby might find notice in his room, from innocuous mittens to the more mysterious "noises everywhere." After reading this story once -- or 10 times -- baby will feel better about light's out and be ready for sleep.
Photo: Good Reads
