One of my absolute favorite things to do with a beautiful baby is read to them while they're having tubby time and then rocking them to sleep with a book.
{How surprised are you? Oh, not at all? Because I'm obsessed with books? Okay.}
So often new parents are super well-prepared with diapers, clothes, toys, etc., but books should be just as high on the priority list! It is so important to start reading to your child as a baby to get them started on the path of loving reading!
If you care to learn more about why babies need books and need to be read to, check out this article by Scholastic for more info.
Now, I understand that as a teacher {and soon-to-be literacy specialist} I am more apt to know what types of books are great for babies, and what they are interested in, so I have decided to compile a list of a few staple books that every baby should have in their little library. :) Keep in mind, as your baby and their interests grow, you can use this as a way to cater your book selection to topics they might like best. Find what your baby loves and it will help you with your selection of books.
Board books are just one type of book that are GREAT for babies! The pages are smaller for baby's little hands to help you turn the pages, and are made from a sturdier cardboard {in case baby is hungry for a little book snack}. These books are much more durable than traditional picture books, and are great for babies who are becoming more and more interested in helping with the read-along process.
Here are some of my favorite {Books for Baby} that would be great additions to any nursery library:
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| We will start the list with a classic. You can't go wrong with Goodnight Moon. Baby will love to listen to this story before bedtime. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Next up, another classic. The Very Hungry Caterpillar will help baby learn different types of foods, the life cycle of a butterfly, and sequencing! All while being entertained by Eric Carle's AMAZING artwork. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| I LOVE Karma Wilson, the author of Bear Snores On. Most of her stories are filled with repetition, as well a beautiful artwork by Jane Chapman. These "Bear Books" are a series and are available in many different formats. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| We're Going on a Bear Hunt is a favorite of children from baby on up through second grade. This book is full of fun and adventure, matched with fairly simple illustrations. As baby gets older, go on your own "bear hunt" together through the yard! Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| One of my absolute favorite books would have to be Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Not only will baby have early exposure to the letters of the alphabet {and the sequence of the alphabet}, but they will love looking at the colorful illustrations filling each page. Other "Chicka" books in the series include: Chicka Chicka ABC and Chicka Chicka 123. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Another fun book filled with beautiful Eric Carle artwork is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This book is part of a series of books by Bill Martin Jr. This is a great book for introducing baby to animals, repetition, rhyming, and sequence. Other books in this series include: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?, Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Alright, I'm Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version, $3.75? What a steal!} |
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| Well, this book is just about as ADORABLE as it gets. Guess How Much I Love You is a great book to read while snuggling your little babe in bed. The illustrations are just the icing on the cake with this one. I love it. Clearly. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Where the Wild Things Are is another classic tale to share with your little one. As baby gets older, you can have a 'wild rumpus' of your own, just as Max does with the wild things! Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book version available} |
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| The Napping House, I cannot truly say enough great things about this one. This is the PERFECT bedtime story. Plain and simple. "There is a house, a napping house, where everyone is sleeping" is the line repeated over and over throughout the story, as everyone tries to get comfortable heading to bed. Be sure to read this story in your quietest whisper voice, you don't want to wake anyone up! Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Next up on my list are these AH-DORABLE "Little Miss" books by Jennifer Adams. The great classics have been transformed into books for baby. How perfect would these be for a display shelf in baby girl's room?! *There are also a few that would be adorable in baby boy's room, as well! There are many other books in this Babylit series: Moby Dick, Sherlock Holmes, Wuthering Heights, Dracula, & Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, just to name a few. Available on Amazon here. |
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| Okay, I had never heard of this one before my sister-in-law's shower, but it is absolutely adorable. If you're looking for a cute book to bring to a baby shower or gift for a mommy-to-be, this is it. The illustrations are just one more thing that makes this book quite possibly the cutest ever. Available in Board Book Version only on Amazon here. |
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| Giraffes Can't Dance is a book with an amazing message for little ones - nothing is impossible! All Gerald the Giraffe wants to do is to be able to dance. You'll have to check it out to see what happens! Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site is a perfect book for any baby boy {OR GIRL!} interested in different types of machines and things that go. This is a cute twist on a goodnight story, complete with adorable illustrations. Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book Version available} |
Some of my favorite Alphabet books for baby include:
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| L,M,N,O Peas has got to be one of my favorite alphabet books. The illustrations are the cutest. Ever. And I really love the different aspects of the story: the peas are each have a different career or hobby, exposing baby to so many different things at once! There is another book by Keith Baker: 1,2,3 Peas introducing baby to numbers. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book version} |
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| Alpha Oops is a cute and silly alphabet book where the Z goes first. My only word of advice with this book, is to overly emphasize just how 'silly' it is that the Z went first. Surround this alphabet book with other ones that have the letters in the 'correct' order so that baby learns to understand why this book is silly compared to the others. Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book Version available} |
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| Alphabet Mystery is part of a three-book series, including: Alphabet Rescue and Alphabet Adventure. These books include fantastic illustrations coupled with the writing talents of Audrey Wood {also author of The Napping House}. Alphabet Rescue includes a visit to the fire station and Alphabet Adventure is pretty self-explanatory. Available on Amazon here. {No Board Book Version available} |
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| Saving one of the best for last, I absolutely adore The Sleepy Little Alphabet as the perfect bedtime ABC book. The little alphabet letters are getting ready for bed, but first they each need something from Mom or Dad before they can fall asleep. The illustrations are to die for. Available on Amazon here. {I recommend the Board Book Version} So, if you are a new mom or dad, mommy-to-be/daddy-to-be, grandma/grandpa {to-be}, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend, babysitter, ANYTHING, check these books out for the little one in your life! :) Do you have any favorites for baby? Please share in the comments below!
Happy Reading!
- Kristen
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