As new parents, we’ve made sure to read board books to our daughter everyday since she was born. Not only is reading a great way to bond with your baby, but it also encourages language and cognitive skill development from an early age. Here are the best board books to get your little library started!
Reading skills have been proven to aid in long term academic success. Really it’s never too early to start reading to your child! To make the process easier, especially when they’re so young and just learning how to use their arms, board books make reading simple.
What Are Board Books?
The name board book has less to do with the type of story, and more-so how the book is made. Unlike standard bound books, these tend to be shorter because they’re made of thick paperboard pages. Sometimes you’ll be able to find your favorite stories in a board book version, making it more accessible for a young reader.
Because babies tend to grab anything in sight, the sturdy pages of a board book keep the books from getting damaged or bent. They’re the perfect style of books for babies who are curious about everything (and who may be teething).
Why You’ll Love Board Books
- They’re easy to read with one hand
- Colorful, full-page illustrations
- Thicker pages that baby can grab, chew, and not rip!
- Simple, sweet stories for babies
We’ve been reading these board books to our daughter since she was born (she’s now 9 months old, where does the time go?!). Our library is growing as quickly as she is! I can’t recommend the following books enough. And yes, I have them all memorized at this point.
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Our Favorite Board Books
The following links will direct to Amazon. If you’d like to shop our favorite board books with independent bookstores, click here!
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- My Lake Baby by Rose Rossner
- Colors by Leo Lionni
- Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
- Future Astronaut by Lori Alexander
- Future Doctor by Lori Alexander
- Future Engineer by Lori Alexander
- ABC Roar by Chieu Anh Urban
- This is Music: Strings by Rekha S Rajan
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- Baby Touch and Feel: Bunny by DK
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
- NYC ABC’s by Mr. Boddington’s Studio
- The Number’s Store by Harold Green III
- The Rainbow Park by Harold Green III
- Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi
- Corduroy by Don Freeman
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
- Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Time for Bed by Mem Fox
Gift Tip
If you’re going to a baby shower, opt for a board book instead of a card. They’re about the same price, but there’s more value to the book. Don’t forget to sign your name with a note inside!
If you have any board books in your library that aren’t on this list, please let me know in the comments below! We’re always looking to add more to our collection!
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