“Again!” your little one yells after reading their favorite book. Inside you groan and sigh a little as you’ve read this book hundreds of times and have it memorized. You read it again though because who can say no to that sweet face that loves a book? That’s where this list comes in handy. These books are interesting to babies and adults (at least for the first 100 readings).
It’s great to start reading aloud to your baby as a newborn or around 3-4 months as they start to settle into a routine and begin to sleep for longer stretches. Of course most babies won’t be able to sit in your lap yet for a short book so find a way that works for you and your baby to enjoy a book together. Try having a little tummy time or sitting in an activity jumper or give your child a favorite toy that they only play with at bedtime while you read.
- MOO, BAA, LA LA LA! by Sandra Boynton This is my favorite Sandra Boynton book, but I recommend all of her books. They are all wonderful first books for baby and often include a little fun and humor for adults too.
- Barn Yard Dance another favorite by Sandra Boynton
- It’s Time for Bed by Mem Fox
- Brown Bear Brown Bear by Eric Carle
The repetition in this book can get a little tiring after a while. Make it a little more interesting by having your little one try to guess the animal on the next page or hide it in the back of the bookshelf.
- Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood
It appears that this book is no longer available as a board book, but still a wonderful book to have as part of your collection.
- Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson Another favorite author
It’s fun to make the different voices of the animals in this one.
- Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
Another fun one for voices especially when Llama Llama whines loudly for his mama.
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown a classic
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle another classic and favorite author
- From Head to Toe another favorite by Eric Carle
- Bright Baby Touch and Feel Boxed Set We love these textured books and babies love the sensory component on each page.
- Never Touch a Porcupine by Rosie Greening Another textured book
- Our God: A Shapes Primer and any of the in the Baby Believer Series Don’t be afraid of the challenging words and text in this book. It’s good for little ones to be exposed to high quality words and sentences.
- Who Sang the First Song by Ellie Comb Another beautiful Christian book
- Love is Kind by Laura Sassi A heartwarming book that teaches the biblical view of love
- Leaves by David Ezra Stein Sweet short story without a lot of text
My kids also enjoyed the books with sound buttons as they got closer to two years old, but not always my favorite to read. I love a sweet story and these are often lacking a strong story component, but if you’re trying to get your little one interested in books, these might be the answer.
A few of our favorite books with sound buttons.
- Hear Bear Roar from the World of Eric Carle
- Discovery: Honk on the Road by Thea Feldman
- Sesame Street – The Monster at the End of this Sound Book by Jon Stone I like this one because it reminds me of my childhood.
