Best Baby Books to Read: 50+ Awesome Picks

$image_url = https://bookkooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/best-baby-books-to-read.png

Reading a book is the best part of a bedtime routine for any toddler. This activity strengthens parent-child bonds and helps develop the brain and language skills of your offspring. The choice of a raising book is very important since it should include an entertaining story and great illustrations.

To save your time, BooKKooks offers a list of the top-rated authors and books for toddlers now available for sale on the market. Add these best baby books to your home library!

Top 10 Board Books for Babies

Rank	Review	Name	Author	Date	Page	Age Range	Rating
1		I Love You to the Moon and Back View Details	Amelia Hepworth	2015	28	2-5	10.0
2		Baby Shark View Details	Pinkfong	2018	18	For toddlers	9.8
3		First 100 Words View Details	Roger Priddy	2011	24	1-3	9.7
4		Peek-A Who by Nina Laden View Details	Nina Laden	2000	10	Baby - 12	9.5
5		Baby Touch and Feel: Animals View Details	DK Children	2008	14	For toddlers	9.4
6		Look, Look View Details	Peter Linenthal	1998	18	1-3	9.2
7		On the Night You Were Born View Details	Nancy Tillman	2010	32	1-4	9.1
8		Alphablock View Details	Christopher Franceschelli	2013	104	1-3	9.0
9		Disney Baby Peek-a-Boo Winnie the Pooh View Details	Marcy Kelman and Disney Book Group	2016	10	3-5	8.9
10		ABC I Love You View Details	P.K. Hallinan	2000	26	5-6	8.7

I Love You to the Moon and Back: Cute Baby Book for New Parents

This is a heartwarming story written by the English writer Amelia Hepworth, a mother of a little boy. The story will make your heart skip a beat.

It portrays the daily life and adventures of a mama polar bear and her cub. They climb mountains, splash in the water, play chase, and watch the stars. They show love for each other by hugging and touching noses.

The story is rhymed that makes it simple to read and remember. Your baby will like this sweet and gentle story and the illustrations.

This is a board book meaning that it is tear-resistant.

Baby Shark: Awesome Sound Book

This is a fantastic board book created by Pinkfong, a famous brand of the South Korean educational company SmartStudy. The sound book includes 10 magical songs so that kids can sing along. Each page contains a new song with lovely characters that will bring a lot of fun for your child. “Baby Shark” is the most famous song with 4 billion views on YouTube.

The singing book is specially designed for small hands and has a comfortable grip. The built-in speaker delivers clear sounds that are not louder than 83 dB. The soft buttons are easy to press. This music book runs on two AAA batteries.

First 100 Words: Perfect Educational Book

“First 100 words” is written by Roger Priddy, an English author (and a parent of 3 kids) famous for creating informative and entertaining books for young learners.

This board book is made of 100% polyurethane foam, which is sturdy enough to stand up to toddler’s abuse. Actually, it belongs to a series of books along with “First 100 numbers/animals/Bible words” and others. This edition features 100 essential words that are simple enough to discover and learn. The bright pictures help babies recognize and understand the items. It is also recommended for kids with autism to work on their speech development.

Peek-A Who: Great Lift-the-Flap Book

This is a very famous board book created by the U.S. writer and illustrator Nina Laden. The book features simple text, which easily rhymes, and peek-a-boo cutouts. This is a guessing game with the word “Peek” on the left page and a die-cut window on the right page with a visual clue to the rhymes. The colorful pictures make kids anticipate which word is hidden.

The plot of the book is not exceptional, but kids adore it, especially the last page with the reflective surface.

Baby Touch and Feel (Animals)

This board book is released by DK Children, the UK founded publisher that creates non-fiction content for children and adults. Its progressive books are published in more than 60 languages in over 100 countries.

This bestselling sensory book (with more than 1 million copies sold) is filled with animal photographs that are textured. Tiny fingers can explore various textures like leather or wool. In addition, each page has glitter or foil able to hold a toddler’s attention as well. This helps develop fine motor skills and build an early language foundation. Kittens, puppies, bunnies, and other animals throughout the pages are so cute that young readers will adore them.

Look, Look: Cool High Contrast Book

“Look, Look” is a great variant if you are searching for the first book for a newborn. The author of this board book is Peter Linenthal, the U.S. artist and photographer who has taught art in elementary school for 20 years.

The book contains large black and white pictures. Since it is difficult for infants to distinguish and focus on certain images, this high contrast art stimulates their brain development and eye movement. This is an immediate hit with babies from several months old that will mesmerize them. It can be a good way to distract them during outfit and diaper changes.

The book is extremely popular and a must-have for parents.

On the Night You Were Born Book

The book was self-published by Nancy Tillman in 2005 and became a New York Times bestseller. In 2010 it was released in a board book format.

The story is a sentimental message of love, which shows that every child is unique and valued. This is a wonderful book for expecting parents that portrays the way of how people feel when their kids enter the world.

The text sits on white pages opposite large colored illustrations that make the story memorable. The image of the moon appears in all pictures. The story is a mixture of rhymes and prose. The text is so touching that it makes most people cry.

Alphablock: Good for Little Hands

“Alphablock” is an award winning board book created by Christopher Franceschelli. The pages of this ABC book are cut in the shape of uppercase letters. The peek-through game helps children see an image of a letter and guess a word before turning the page and discovering an item that starts with the given letter.

The book is nicely animated, and its retro-style illustrations are very bright. Along with memorizing letters, kids physically interact with them learning their curves and angles.

“Countablock” and “Dinoblock” are also available from these authors.

Disney Peek-a-Boo Winnie the Pooh: Top Durable Book for Babies

This is a brilliant lift-the-flap board book for babies with colorful illustrations and familiar Disney characters. Winnie the Pooh and his friends are hiding among the book pages and will keep your child engaged for hours. It is sold as a part of a “Winnie the Pooh” series of books.

For adults, it may not seem the greatest work of literature, but youngsters adore this cute story. The happy faces of the characters make babies smile each time they see them.

The “Pick-a-boo” tabs are not flimsy, and kids can explore the book by throwing and mouthing.

ABC I Love You: Great Book About Parents Love

“ABC I Love You” is written by P. K. Hallinan who has been writing and illustrating books for 40 years. He is an author of more than 100 books with 9 million copies sold.

This board book describes parents’ love for a child and contains words that start with A, B, and C. The characters depicted in the book are a little boy and a girl.

The book teaches great things, and poetry is sentimental and catchy. The messages are geared towards the Christian community and grounded on faith. This is a good variant to be used as a bedtime book.

Best Baby Hardcover Books: Rated List and Reviews

Rank	Review	Name	Author	Date	Page	Age Range	Rating
1		The Wonderful Things You Will Be View Details	Emily Winfield Martin	2015	36	3-7	9.9
2		The Very Hungry Caterpillar View Details	Eric Carle	1981	32	2-5	9.7
3		Goodnight Moon View Details	Margaret Wise Brown	2005	32	4-8	9.6
4		Guess How Much I Love You View Details	Sam McBratney	2014	40	5+	9.3
5		The Going To Bed Book View Details	Sandra Boynton	2004	14	For toddlers	9.1
6		Dear Zoo View Details	Rod Campbell	October 1, 1986	24	1-4	9.5
7		365 Bedtime Stories and Rhymes View Details	Various	October 2, 2018	384	4-7	8.9
8		You Are Special View Details	Max Lucado	1997	32	4+	8.7
9		Simple First Words Let’s Talk View Details	Roger Priddy	2011	14	1-3	8.6
10		Auntie Loves You View Details	Helen Foster James	2018	32	2-6	8.5

The Wonderful Things You Will Be: Good Baby Picture Book

This masterpiece created by Emily Winfield Martin is an admission of parents’ love for their baby. This eternal care and love will support toddlers throughout all their lives until they are grownups.

Emily is not just a writer but also an illustrator of her books. The artwork of the book is amazing, and the pictures of kids in costumes are adorable.

The story is very encouraging and includes supportive statements like “I know you will be clever/kind/brave” and others. It has received thousands of positive reviews and is a must-have for any parent.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Classic Book for Babies

The world of Eric Carle (a former graphic designer) is very recognizable because the author creates books as toys that can be read. Kids adore his illustrations, cheerful images, and die-cut pages. Can you imagine that “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” is sold every minute somewhere in the world?

The story portrays a very hungry caterpillar baby just hatched out of an egg. He starts searching for food and eats more and more each day. When full, he makes a cocoon and goes to sleep in order to transform into a butterfly one day. The book ends in a double-page picture of a gorgeous butterfly.

Goodnight Moon: Best for Baby Shower

“Goodnight Moon” along with many other beloved stories of Margaret Wise Brown is the classics of children’s literature. The author is truly conveying a child’s perspective of the world. Despite the fact that the writer died more than 45 years ago, her books are still popular.

This is a time-honored story about a little bunny, who is going to sleep and wishing good night to everything around him. The book combines lulling pictures and quiet poetry, which makes it perfect for bedtime reading.

Guess How Much I Love You

The book was written many years ago by Sam McBratney, an author from Ireland, and became very popular. “How Much I Love You” was translated into 57 languages with 47 million copies sold.

The story describes Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare, who try to measure love saying how much they love each other. Beautifully rendered in watercolors, the book shows deep bonds between a parent and a child. It features earthy shades of soft brown and gray working as a visually soothing effect ideal for sleep.

The Going to Bed Book: Good for Baby Sleep

The book is written by the famous American children’s author and cartoonist Sandra Boynton. This is a classic bedtime story, which persuades kids that getting ready for sleep has tons of fun. It describes a joyful group of animals on a boat, which scrub in a tub and brush teeth.

Thanks to the rhyming and rhythmic repetition of some words and funny pictures, the story turns a regular routine before going to bed into something interesting that can be repeated after the animals.

Dear Zoo: Funniest Book for Babies

“Dear Zoo” is written by Rod Campbell and features simple text with repeating phrases that are ideal for young readers. The protagonist asks to send him an animal, and each time he discovers which animal is in the cage. When he finds that the animal is too big/tall/scary, he sends it back to the zoo.

The author uses flaps and other elements that make the book interesting for toddlers. They can lift the flaps and find the animal. Kids love a hidden surprise.

365 Bedtime Stories and Rhymes: Top with Nursery Rhymes

This book has been released by the independent publisher Cottage Door Press. It incorporates 365 stories and nursery rhymes from various authors. The collection includes both classic and new stories that let children drift into the magical world. It encompasses stories about children, animals, and favorite fairy-tale characters. The book integrates the works of famous writers and illustrators around the world.

This is a strong and massive edition that will stand the test of time. It comes with a padded cover and has a ribbon bookmark.

You Are Special: Good Christian Baby Book

“You Are Special” is written by Max Lucado, who serves as a minister of preaching in Texas. The author describes the life of the Wemmicks, wooden people carved by the woodworker Eli. Each day, they get stickers in a form of gold stars or gray dots. Punchinello is a Wemmick made of rough wood who has lots of gray dots. He feels worthless, and his creator Eli explains to him his true worth.

This story helps parents tell their kids that they all are special and unique before God. It helps raise children’s self-esteem.

Simple First Words Let’s Talk: Well Made Hardback Baby Book

Written by famous Roger Priddy, this is an awesome beginning book for babies who are learning to speak. The interactive pages of this play-a-sound hardback book show illustrations and names of what these things are. Kids can easily learn by pressing the buttons and matching the pictures with the sounds.

“Simple First Words” comes with large pictures, and the buttons are of good quality. This is a wonderful teaching aid, and pushing the buttons makes children happy each time. The book is very helpful for teaching preschoolers with special needs.

Auntie Loves You by Helen Foster James: Perfect As a Gift

This is not easy to find a unique gift from an aunt for her niece or nephew. The book is the cutest thing that describes a story of love between a little bunny and his aunt. This touching story is complemented by sweet pictures. It is dedicated to boys and girls and will keep their attention.

There is a section where aunts can add a photo and write down a message. This is a quick and captivating book thanks to adorable detailed pictures and rhyming lines. It will bring plenty of memories.

Other Baby Books That Are Worth Your Attention

Review	Name	Author	Date	Page	Book Cover	Age Range	Description
	Hello, Farm View Details	Amy Pixton	2018	12	Paperback	Baby-2	The book is from the Indestructibles series meaning that it is washable, non-toxic, and chew-proof. The story is about a rooster that wakes the farm and says “hello” to other animals.
	Before I Was Born View Details	Carolyn Nystrom	2007	40	Paperback	5-12	The author uses age-appropriate language to explain kids the nature of sexual intercourse between parents, fetal development, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
	Black on White View Details	Tana Hoban	2017	36	Hardcover	Preschool and up	Created by a famous photographer, the book features 34 black-and-white images to engage an infant. They are great for developing young brains and optic nerves.
	How Babies Are Made View Details	Steven Schepp, Andrew Andry	2015	90	Hardcover	3-10	This is a helpful guide how to answer delicate questions about reproduction and sexuality asked by kids. The book includes cutout illustrations and starts with explanations about plants and animals.
	Love You Forever View Details	Robert Munsch	1995	32	Hardcover	4-8	This best ever book of all time shows a mother’s love to her baby throughout all his life until he is a grownup. Comic illustrations performed in pastel are a great contribution to the story.
	The Wheels on the Bus View Details	Paul O. Zelinsky	1990	16	Hardcover	For toddlers	This is a memorable adaptation of a famous song with a catchy tune. The book features moving (pop-up) parts that are immensely popular for kids.
	Dog View Details	Matthew Van Fleet	2007	20	Hardcover	1+	This is a novelty book about dogs with creative pull-tabs, flaps and textures for an interactive play. It demonstrates opposites, synonyms, and action words.
	Avocado Baby View Details	John Burningham	1982	28	Hardcover	1-2	A little boy grows stronger by eating an avocado. He becomes able to protect himself from bullies and help his weakling family.
	I Love You Through And Through View Details	Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak	2005	24	Paperback	For toddlers	This is a rhyming story about love of a toddler and a teddy bear depicting its happy/sad/mad sides. The book contains adorable illustrations.
	I Am Mixed View Details	Garcelle Beauvais, Sebastian A. Jones	2013	52	Hardcover	5-6	This is a story about friendship between 2 biracial twins who lead the same life as people of other races.
	Animals View Details	Ingela P. Arrhenius	2016	40	Hardcover	3-7	This giant book features 32 colorful images of animals. The eye-catching illustrations help kids remember the names.
	New York, Baby View Details	Ward Jenkins	April 25, 2012	24	Hardcover	0-4	Two babies have an adventure around New York to see exciting sights. The rhyming text describes the top NY destinations.
	Baby on the Way View Details	William Sears, Martha Sears, Christie Watts Kelly	2001	32	Hardcover	4-8	The book provides age-appropriate information for kids who expect a new brother or sister.
	Book of Many Things View Details	Eric Carle	2019	80	Hardcover	3-7	With this brilliantly illustrated book, kids will learn 200 new words. Your offsprings will have hours of fun learning the things they see, eat, and others.
	My Little Word Book View Details	Roger Priddy	2004	28	Hardcover		The book develops language skills in a fun way by creating associations between simple words and beautiful pictures.
	Baby Faces View Details	Dawn Sirett	1998	18	Paperback		A series of photographs features the moods and expressions of babies ranging from sad to happy.
	You Are My Baby: Woodland View Details	Lorena Siminovich	2014	10	Board book	0-2	This is an inventive book in which a smaller one is nestled inside a bigger one. Kids have to match baby animals to their parents.
	My Little Animal Book View Details	Roger Priddy	2006	28	Paperback	For toddlers	With this colorful guide, toddlers will learn all kinds of animals (from the farm to the jungle).
	My First Words View Details	Dawn Sirett, Sarah Davis	2015	36	Board book	2+	This is a good book for preschoolers to read and learn first simple words. The bright photographs will encourage their learning.
	The Story of Me View Details	Stan Jones, Brenna B. Jones	1994	48	Paperback	3-5	The book explains the basics of human reproduction adding spiritual foundation to the process.
	Baby and Me View Details	Emma Dodd	2013	16	Hardcover	3-7	This interactive book for girls teaches how to care about baby dolls and accept a newborn sibling.
	You Go First View Details	Erin Entrada Kelly	2018	304	Hardcover	8-12	This novel is a story about friendship between a boy and a girl who live a thousand miles from each other, but have common interests and problems.
	Baby’s Day Out View Details	John Hughes	1994	24	Hardcover	For toddlers	The story is based on the screenplay of a famous movie with the same title.
	A Baby Is Born Welcome to Our World View Details	Melanie Zanoza Bartelme	2011	18	Board book	2+	The book contains colorful pictures of baby animals.
	San Francisco Baby View Details	Tess Shea, Jerome Pohlen	2013	22	Board book	Baby - 3	The babies acting as tour guides of San Francisco show iconic landmarks and famous attractions of the city.
	Baby 101: Architecture for Babies View Details	Jonathan Litton	2018	22	Board book	2-3	This is an educational book for babies that introduces architecture and portrays famous buildings in the world.
	You Are My I Love You View Details	Maryann K. Cusimano	2001	32	Hardcover	3-7	The book combines rhyming verses and colorful illustrations describing a regular day in the life of a parent and a baby.
	I Love You, Baby View Details	Giles Andreae	2014	25	Paperback	For toddlers	This is a heartwarming story about the new baby and wonderful things a little boy discovers in a new sibling.
	B Is for Baby View Details	Atinuke	2019	40	Hardcover	3-7	This is a vibrantly illustrated story set in Africa that teaches kids new words.
	Our New Baby Inside View Details	Mick Manning	2013	40	Paperback	For toddlers	The book with half-page flaps tells a story about how a baby grows inside its mom’s tummy.
	Once Upon a Time, the End: Asleep in 60 Seconds View Details	Geoffrey Kloske	2005	40	Hardcover	4-8	This is a book with an entertaining short story and hilarious illustrations, which can be used for nighttime reading.
	I Love You More View Details	Laura Duksta	2007	34	Hardcover	4-8	This is a book with a touching rhyming story and childlike illustrations about how big is a mother’s love to her baby.
	City Baby L.A. View Details	Linda Meadow	2011	272	Paperback	For parents	This is a guide for women, who are planning to have a baby living in Los Angeles: from pregnancy to preschool.
	Baby, I Love You View Details	Karma Wilson	2009	30	Hardcover	1-4	This charming storybook with adorable pictures and repetitive text promotes special bonds between parents and their babies.
	Best Baby Names 2020 View Details	Siobhan Thomas	2019	496	Paperback	For parents	This is a book with tips and advice about how to choose the best name for your new arrival.
	The Wide-Mouthed Frog View Details	Keith Faulkner	1996	16	Hardcover	2-6	This is a pop up book about a frog who is interested in eating habits of other creatures.

Interesting Facts About Baby Books

This selection of unknown and fascinating facts gives an insight into the history of some popular kids’ books.

Do you know any other unusual facts about your favorite books?

Overall Conclusions

It is very responsible to start your baby’s first library. The first sounds and words infants hear are important and help form their native language. The more stories you will read aloud to your children, the more words they will hear and remember.

This post includes the best classic and new titles tested by parents. With the right choice of literature, it will be easier to grow well-educated citizens. Let them like reading even when they are not able to read.

References