What Books Are Best for Babies?

You want to read to your baby, but what should you look for? What books are best for babies?

learn how to find books your and your baby will love reading together

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I received review copies of some of these books, but no other compensation and I was not required to review them here. All opinions are my own.

How to Find a Great Book for A Baby

We all know that it’s important to read to our children, and that you literally cannot start too soon! But how do you find a great book to read aloud to a baby?

Look for Diverse Books

find books to read to your baby

This is super important, and all too often overlooked! Our children look to us as parents to learn about how to treat the world, including how to treat people who may not look quite like us. Reading and embracing diverse children’s literature helps children see that there is room for everyone, and that diversity makes the world beautiful.

Ibram X. Kendi wrote Antiracist Baby for his own child. It’s an excellent place to start.

Find Books That Feature Babies

find engaging baby books

A lot of baby books feature animals. Those books are fine, but when I think back on the stories my babies adored, there is always at least one book full of babies in the mix!

Classics like Making Faces offer a lovely range of diverse babies. This particular title also builds emotional intelligence. And it features a mirror (more on that with the next book) so that Baby feels included with all the other babies!

Babies also adore finding themselves suddenly in a book thanks to a mirror. ""” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow”>Peek-a Who? is a favorite baby mirror book in our home.

Look for Books that See Babies as Intelligent Beings

find the best baby books

Babies are very smart, right from the very beginning! They really appreciate books that recognize this.

Babies appreciate stories that take them and their fears seriously. Owl Babies features separation anxiety, an fear that many babies will identify with.

Babies also love humor! Sandra Boynton’s baby books are so popular with babies because she recognizes this. Blue Hat, Green Hat was my own babies’ favorite in the humor category.

Pick Out Sturdy Books

books for babies

It’s important for your baby to own books that you won’t worry about them destroying. Babies will stick books in their mouths. If pages are bendable or tear-able they will be torn and bent.

I always keep a nice stash of board books on hand for my babies. I also like indestructibles books for lightweight options to throw in a diaper book. These soft cover books also look a lot like paperback picture books that older siblings might be carrying around.

Buy Books You Will Enjoy Reading Aloud – Over and Over

how to find a book to read to your baby

Babies learn to love books when they see us loving books! Pick out books that you can enjoy reading to your baby – even when you’ve already read it 7,983 times already.

What are your top tips for picking out a great book for a baby?

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