Board Books for Infants, Babies and Toddlers
Babies love to sit with Mommy and Daddy and read a book. The repetition of words helps them acquire language. From as early as 3 months, they will recognize patterns and request certain favorite books.
There are no shortage of books available. The tried and true classics - such as "Goodnight Moon" - will also prove soothing for the adults who read them.
For infants below 8 months, board books that are durable are the best bet. Babies love to turn the page, and board books are easy for small hands to manipulate.
Children's Books
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle
All the Eric Carle books are great for children! He's got a unique graphic style that makes them instantly recognizable to any age reader. The board books such as
The Very Hungry Caterpiller,
Papa Please Get the Moon For Me,
The Grouchy Ladybug are fantastic. However, I think the best first book to introduce to children is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You Hear?" Everyone who reads it will begin to memorize which fantastic animal comes next. I promise that babies will love it.
Not The Hippopotamus
Huge favorites of our children - all of the Sandra Boynton board books are wonderful. Babies listen along to the words and rhythms, while adults chuckle at the original humor on every page. The illustrations are a delight. Each of the books expresses emotions that 3-10 month old babies will understand. For example,
But Not the Hippopotamus is alternatively sad and joyous! A great series for babies and toddlers. Check out:
Moo Ba La La La
,
The Going to Bed Book and
Barnyard Dance. A great gift would be a set of 3.
Goodnight Moon
Goodnight Moon - you probably already have it, but it is a classic and a must have. The rhythm of the words and the pictures keep even 3 month-olds entranced. Margaret Wise Brown also created
Runaway Bunny
and
The Big Red Barn. Those board books are wonderful for babies aged 3 months - 2 years. Many parents recall years later that some of their fondest memories their child's early days involved reading these classics.
Dr Seuss
Of course you know the Dr. Seuss books for older children (and adults), but there are also several board books for babies and toddlers. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? is a great book for 4-10 months because babies can learn the animal sounds and love to try to imitate them as you read. Other board book favorites from Dr. Seuss:
There's a Wocket in My Pocket and
Dr. Seuss' ABC
Maisy Books
The Maisy series of books appeal to both boys and girls. Lucy Cousins' illustrative style is unique, colorful and recognizable by babies as young as 6 months. Her characters are simply cool. Many off the Maisy books are flap books, so little fingers can keep busy opening the doors. As we read Maisy flap books to our children, we'd have to keep track of whose turn it was to open the flaps. Some of our favorites are:
Maisy's Big Flap Book,
Where is Maisy? and
Maisy's Morning on the Farm
Jamberry
Jamberry is a cute story centering on a Bear's hunt for berries. It's a great book for babies ages 6 mos - 2 years.
