Choose books you like. Baby will pick up on your excitement for – or boredom with—a book, so pick books that make you feel good inside. Also, babies thrive on repetition. The more you like a book to begin with, the less you’ll mind reading it to baby for the hundredth time.
Choose disaster-proof books. There are some gorgeous “baby” books out there, but they are not made with baby in mind. Real babies drool, chew, tear, and smear. Little board books, with their extra-thick pages, are made to withstand baby behavior.
Choose books with bright, bold illustrations. Words are optional (Tana Hoban, for instance, has some fantastic board books that are word-less), but good illustrations are a must. Babies love pictures, particularly of other babies, but whimsical illustrations (think Sandra Boynton or Dr. Seuss) work well, too.
Choose books that sound right. A baby board book with a story should have a natural cadence, either because of a good rhyme scheme or a repetitive structure (For instance… “I went walking/What did you see?/I saw a brown cow following me./I went walking./What did you see?/I saw a pink pig following me./etc.”) Not all books that rhyme have good cadence… in fact, most don’t. Read the book out loud before you buy it. If it doesn’t sound right, put it down.
Choose baby books. Many “board books” are actually picture books in board book form. Unfortunately, books that are fantastic for preschoolers may not address baby’s needs. Babies don’t understand plot and can't absorb lessons in sharing or other values. What they do need and appreciate are interesting pictures and fun sounds. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t expose baby to alphabet and counting books (again and again and again), but that you should keep in mind that babies have different needs than older children.
Popular Baby Book Authors
- Sandra Boynton – author and illustrator Boynton creates energetic, whimsical board books
- Eric Carle – author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and others
- Tana Hoban – creator of very bold, high contrast board books
- Dr. Seuss – the Board Book versions are different than similarly titled books, but they’re just as fun
The Best Baby Books
There is no definitive list of best baby board books – it is partially a matter of taste. However, these fine lists from Amazon.com readers are full of excellent suggestions:
- Books to Read to Baby
- So You’d Like to Read to Your Baby
- So You’d Like to Find Books for Your Baby (12 months and under)
- Wonderful Books for Baby Gifts
