Who better to review baby books than a baby?
Sure, I still have my personal favorites, but when story time rolls around each night we ultimately read the books that my baby wants to read. She can’t talk yet, but she finds ways to make her opinions very obvious. I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 baby books for babies first year as rated by Blake (my 10 month old). So which books are best for infants (in no particular order)? Read on to find out!
#1: Never Touch a Monster by Rosie Greening
I have read this baby board book so many times I could quote it with my eyes closed. My favorite aspect of this book is the clever rhyming on each page. The premise of the book is to never touch a monster, yet each page encourages you to do just that… touch a monster. My daughter’s favorite parts of this book are the fun tactile bumps and ridges on every page. There are actually quite a few of these “Never Touch” books. Her second favorite is Never Touch a Snake, but the whole series is pretty amazing.
#2: Where’s the Unicorn by Ingela P. Arrhenius
For at least a month straight we had to read this book every single night. Most nights multiple times in a row. And my baby girl would crack up every time she pulled down the little felt flaps to see the character hiding behind. This book is definitely a must have for any babies who love “peek a boo”. This book is also part of a series – if your little one isn’t into unicorns, they might enjoy Where’s the Dog better.
#3: You’re My Little Cuddle Bug by Nicola Edwards
This baby book was actually gifted to us by my sister-in-law who has a little one only 2 months younger than mine. This board book was her baby’s favorite book and she just had to share the sweet rhymes and bright pictures with us. I love how they utilize die-cut on their pages to add depth and something fun for babies to touch while reading.
#4: See Touch Feel: A First Sensory Book by Roger Priddy
I love how this book has pages for a variety of baby stages. When babies are a few months old they love looking at other babies and faces – something this book has. When babies get a little older around 4 to 5 months old, they want to touch and feel everything – and this book has so many fun textures to touch and feel. And as babies start turning their own pages and learning to read, this chunky book is perfect for independent reading time.
#5: In My Den by Sarah Gillingham
My younger brother came over one night to read a bedtime story to my baby, and she handed him this book to read. He mistakenly thought it was the same book that Gru reads to the girls in “Despicable Me” and called the bear a cat. Of course, my baby girl is too young to know the difference, but it’s a sweet memory for me. I love how simple and calming this little puppet board book is, and my daughter thinks it’s hilarious when she sticks her own finger into the puppet pocket.
#6: My First Complete Learning Library by Wonder House Books
These books have really grown with my baby so far, and I can only imagine how much use we will continue to get out of them as she gets a little older. When she was a newborn, we used the shapes and colors book to prop up during tummy time because they are filled with simple, bright, colorful images. Around 6 or 7 months old she became obsessed with putting things “in” and taking things “out”. These books are the perfect size for her little hands, and the sturdy bookcase they come in made for a great toy to practice her fine motor skills and “in” / “out” obsession. Now that she is starting to recognize everyday objects in photos and books, she loves pretty much every book in this set. And there are so many staple vocabulary words she has been getting exposure to from the time she was born. The learning library is a little bit more expensive, but in my opinion it is more than worth the investment.
#7: First 100 Words Lift-the-Flap by Roger Priddy
As you can see from the cover, this book is vibrant, colorful, and captivating. My babe loves the bright colors and I love that they use real life images for each of the 100 words. She gets so excited when she recognizes something in the book that she knows in real life (mostly the bananas and strawberries). The flaps make the book engaging and interactive and have helped her develop her fine motor skills.
#8: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
I highly recommend having at least one of these soft books for your baby when they are little. Bonus points if you find one like this that has a clip to attach to the car seat or stroller. My daughter’s favorite part about this book for a long time was the crinkle noise. She would shake and kick it like crazy and it kept her entertained long enough to give mom and dad a little breather. This book pretty much has everything you could want in a baby book for that 2-5 month range. It has bold colors, a corner to teethe on, textures, crinkles, a squeaker, and flaps. And one of my favorite parts is the price tag comes in under $6.
#9: Ever Love Tummy Time Mirror
This one is a little different from our other favorites, but it was Blake’s favorite toy for her first 6 weeks of life (at least). I also contribute her love of tummy time to this high contrast book. She would lay on her little belly and just stare at the high contrast pictures, sometimes until she was ready to for her next nap or her next meal. Although she grew out of the book around 6 or 7 months old, I highly recommend you have something like this at home for those first few months. We have it packed away ready to go for when our next baby comes along.
#10: That’s Not My Piglet by Fiona Watt
This book is currently a nightly read in our home. Although, lately she has been flipping past the pages faster than I can read them simply to get to her favorite fuzzy page towards the end. I love how simple and interactive this entire baby board book series is. Blake also loves That’s Not My Unicorn because of the unicorn’s fluffy tail page. Definitely a fun and sweet series to have in your baby library.
No matter which books you choose to get for your baby’s first year (or maybe you’re looking for baby books for baby shower gifts) you really can’t go wrong. Any time spent reading with your baby is going to expose them to new vocabulary, new images, and help develop a love of reading.
Jess
