So, you’re expecting a new baby, whether through adoption or birth. First of all, congratulations!! One of the most fun aspects of being expectant parents must be setting up a baby gift registry, and when it comes to asking for gifts for your impending bundle of joy, where better to start than with a selection of high quality baby books for you and your new bubs to enjoy together?
As anyone who’s ever wandered through the children’s section of a bookstore can tell you, there are a lot of baby books available these days, and as your friendly neighbourhood children’s librarian, I’m here to tell you that a lot of these books simply aren’t worth your time or money. Because I work a lot with babies and caregivers, and spend a lot of time around board books, I’ve decided to put together a handy little checklist for anyone looking to start their very own baby library.
Instead of listing specific books I think you should purchase, I’ve decided to break my list down into categories, which allows for more individual choice and customisation. The individual books you choose aren’t nearly as important as having a well-rounded collection that offers a variety of different sensations and experiences for your tiny reader.
Please note: I’ve limited this list to board books, and I’ve eschewed most board books that are simply smaller versions of picture books originally written for older children (these are one of my librarian bugbears – babies are not simply smaller versions of toddlers and preschoolers, and what’s developmentally appropriate for an older child isn’t necessarily the best fit for an infant…<rant over>). This list was designed with infants in mind (the sturdy board book format is perfect for little ones who learn best by experiencing things will all their senses, including their sense of taste…), but many of these board books will still appeal to toddlers as well, making them good investments.
Without further ado, here we go!
The high contrast offered by black and white board books is ideal for very small babies whose visual acuity is still developing, and make these a perfect first book purchase for newborns.
Some of my favourite black and white board books include:
Babies take in the world around them using all of their senses, especially their sense of touch, which is why board books with textural elements can be so fascinating for little readers. There are literally hundreds of touch-and-feel books to choose from, so there’s plenty of choice to be had!
Some of my favourite touch and feel board books include:
Babies adore staring at other babies, so if nothing else, be sure to have at least a couple of board books featuring photos of babies in your collection! Thankfully there are a quite a few wonderful baby face board books featuring diverse babies from around the world that are very worth the purchase. Books that include child-safe plastic mirrors can also be a lot of fun, as little ones haven’t quite come to realise who that adorable baby is looking back at them through the mirror.
Some of my favourite baby face board books include:
Flaps are so much fun for curious little ones! Babies love playing peek-a-boo, and lift-the-flap books capture that magical experience in book form. Learning to lift a flap is also a fantastic way for little ones to build muscle tone and practice the fine motor skills they’ll one day need to turn pages and hold a pencil. This is another incredibly broad category, so feel free to choose whatever books appeal to you most!
Some of my favourite lift-the-flap board books include:
This another incredibly broad category with countless options, but I’ve decided to shake things up a little bit and highlight a few beautiful board books that tackle the theme of colour vocabulary through a diverse lens. It should go without saying that ideally your at-home library should introduce your little one to their new world in all its breathtaking diversity, and these books are a lovely way to do just that, while also fitting in some fantastic early vocabulary. Just in these four books alone we have religious diversity, gender/sexual identity diversity, ability diversity, and linguistic/cultural diversity, all presented in adorable, colourful little packages.
Some of my favourite diverse colour board books include:
Now, you probably don’t need to have animal sound board books in your first home library collection, but they really are so much fun to read with babies, who often find their grown ups’ imitations of various animals absolutely hilarious. And really, what’s better than the sound of baby laughter?
Sound of my favourite animal sound board books include:
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t particularly care about “classics” when it comes to children’s books. Whether it is old or new, well-known or a hidden gem, what matters most to me is how developmentally appropriate a board book is, and to be honest, many of the so-called “classics” really don’t do anything for me, at least when it comes to books for infants. But, I’m very aware that there are certain classics that many caregivers consider “must haves” for their home libraries, and it’s not my place to judge what people want to include in their personal collections. So, here are a few classic board books that have earned a place on countless bookshelves across the decades that I think are actually worth taking a look at.
A few of my favourite “old standard” board books include:
Alright, this last category is a cheeky little one that I just couldn’t resist including on this list! It’s no secret that I adore the work of Japanese artist and designer Yusuke Yonezu, and I highly, highly recommend including at least one of his ingenious board books in your home library collection.
Some of my favourite Yusuke Yonezu board books include:
And there you have it, a recommended shopping list for a baby’s first library! Obviously these are just the suggestions of one children’s librarian, and should not be taken as gospel – if you have favourite baby books, by all means, share them with your baby! There are more wonderful books out there than I could ever possibly list, so I’m sure I’ve left countless fantastic board books off this list, simply in the interest of time and space.
Baby books, like all things baby-related, can really start to add up, so never feel like you have to buy a huge stack of books for your baby – that’s what the public library is for! Visit your local branch, attend a baby storytime, find all the books I’ve listed and many, many more, and get to know your friendly, helpful librarians who can recommend even more great books for your newest family member.
What are some of your favourite board books for babies? I’d love to get your recommendations!