Hi all! I wanted to share with you the most treasured books we read to our babies, roughly between the months of 0-12. I think there are SO many great books for babies out there, but these really did an amazing job of capturing the attention and hearts of our kids. I hope you enjoy and check some of these out!
I Am A Bunny by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry
This is the story of a little bunny named Nicholas who lives in a hollow tree. He gives the reader a tour of his favorite things to do throughout the seasons of the year. Our babies always were entranced by the vibrant colors, so much so that we would prop up the book open in front of them during tummy time. A family favorite.
~
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin Jr, illustrated by Eric Carle
No surprise here! This is a classic that each of our kids loved and is a great book to learn the colors and names of popular animals. I used this book to teach animal sounds too, stopping at each page to say “rawr” for bear, and “tweet” for bird, and so on. I recommend this edition with the page tabs for sneak peeks to really excite your child to turn the next page!
~
Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman
This book is one of my favorites by Nancy Tillman (and ALL her books are worth looking at, just so you know), because my kids LOVED the imagery of the animals on each page interacting with the child in the book. The message is that of which any parent or caregiver would want their child to know: that no matter what life throws at them, no matter where they go, our love is always with them.
~
Day Dreamers by Emily Winfield Martin
Have you introduced magical beasts like dragons and jackalopes to your baby yet? If not, then you should! Our children love the concept of “make-believe” and use their imagination each day. I credit this to introducing stories like Emily Winfield Martin’s Day Dreamers to them from a young age. The illustrations are stunning and the book reads like a beautiful poem. I always love reading this one, even my preschooler still enjoys it. Utterly enchanting.
~
Wheels on the Bus by Raffi Cavoukian, illustrated by Sylvie Wickstrom
I could not end this post without a mention to Raffi! A baby’s first bookshelf collection just would not be complete without a sing-along book. I think it’s such a fun song for kids (who are already naturally enthused with “things that go”) and encourages them to do hand-motions which, I believe, helps them to learn. The illustrations are bright and goofy. It’s an engaging book, and is one of our family’s favorites, but I’d honestly recommend any of Raffi’s, particularly Baby Beluga and Down by the Bay. This one made the list because it is a song they can dance along to with the motions.
~
Well, that’s a short list of what I would recommend to any mother or father looking for a great first library for their bundle of joy coming into the world. I have to say, all of these books are STILL enjoyed by our 3 and 4 year old, so it’s a good investment. Thanks for checking this out! Remember to look at your local public library for these as well.
Please comment below to share some of your favorite books for babies! What other age range of books for children would you like to see? 🙂
Leave a Reply