My baby boy is 8 months old and really starting to show an interest in books (mostly in chewing them, but I think he likes when I read to him too)! I read to him as part of his nap/bedtime routine. It only takes a couple of minutes, and yet I know those two or three minutes are so essential to fostering a lifetime love of reading.
Whoever came up with the idea to make books out of sturdy board material for babies was a genius! The trouble is, maybe I'm just picky, but it is so hard to find good board books! I can't stand "my first word" books. Or most ABC/Number books. Or most cutesy "I love you" books. Or those board book editions of classic children's books like Dr. Seuss that cut/change parts of the story and totally ruin the book! (Ok, I'm definitely picky.)
Here are some things I look for in a great baby board book:
1.) It is short. I'm talking two minutes tops.
2.) It has engaging illustrations, preferably with lots of white space and/or bright, contrasting colors.
3.) It has repetitive and/or rhythmic language.
4.) It invites fingerplay, sound effects, or other interactions.
5.) It is enjoyable to read over and over and over and over. :)
So, without further ado, here are 15 of my very favorite board books to read to babies!
1. Freight Train by Donald Crews. Like many on this list, Freight Train was not originally published as a board book. Thankfully, someone besides me realized how perfect it was for babies and.now Freight Train comes in a compact board book edition. The text is brief, and the illustrations are bold...I love how the colorful train stands out from the white and gray background. Freight Train also gives a natural opportunity for fingerplay as you move your finger with the train "through tunnels" and "by cities." And, of course, adding in chugging and choo-chooing sound effects is a must while reading this book!
2. Hello Baby! by Mem Fox, illustrated by Steve Jenkins. All my babies have loved this book. The pairing of Mem Fox's lyrical rhymes with Steve Jenkins' incredible, lifelike illustrations is pure magic. I love how this book branches out from the familiar dog, cat, horse, etc and instead features wild animals including an eagle, jaguar, and gecko. (Side note: I like to make different animal noises as I read this book, and when my daughter was a baby she would respond to "What does a gecko say?" by sticking her tongue out like I did while reading Hello Baby! It was adorable.)
3. Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli. The playful illustrations of the cute big-headed baby together with the short, repetitive text make Leslie Patricelli's board books ideal for the littlest readers. Yummy Yucky is our very favorite of hers because it's just so darn funny! I love how each of the yummy/yucky examples share something in common and yet are very opposite in their palatability. "Blueberries are yummy. Blue crayons are yucky." "Apple pie is yummy. Mud pie is yucky." And so on. My older kids think its hilarious and love to read this one to their baby brother!
4. Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear by Emily Gravett. This cleverly simple book uses the same four words in different (and surprising!) combinations. The sparse text and generous white space make this fun book great for babies!
5. Piggies by Audrey and Don Wood. Adorable and imaginative, Piggies is probably my personal favorite on this list. The illustrations are a little more detailed then what I typically look for in a baby board book, but because the book lends itself SO well to fingerplay, it always keeps my babies' attention. My baby boy loves to put his hands on top of the illustrated hands in the book, and with the board book edition, his hands are almost the exact same size!
6. Rhymoceros by Janik Coat. One bright blue rhinoceros and one word per page makes this rhyming book very accessible for babies. Some of the pages even incorporate different textures making it extra fun for little hands. I love Rhymoceros uses uncommon examples, so instead of "cat/bat and house/mouse" you get "wilted/tilted and "mossy/glossy." (Also check out Hippopposites and Llamaphones by the same author!)
8. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This classic children's book has sold over 50 million copies and for good reason! The bright illustrations, repetitive text, and the chance to turn your finger into a squirmy caterpillar make this book awesome for babies.
9. Moo! by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. This hilarious story of a cow and a car was the first book I remember making my now 4-year-old laugh out loud when he was a baby. Except for the very last page, the entire text of this book is the word "moo." It's like a challenge for me to see how many different voice inflections I can use to change the meaning of a single word!
10. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow. The bouncy rhyme, obvious opportunity for fingerplay, and the funny twist at the end is sure to make both parents and babies smile!
11. Egg by Kevin Henkes. This funny and sweet story about four eggs is a family favorite. We already have a hardcover copy of this book, but I'm really tempted to buy the board book version too because it is just great for babies...single word captions, simple and bright illustrations, and plenty of white space!
12. The Go series by Steve Light (Trains Go, Trucks Go, Planes Go, and Cars Go). My babies and I love the onomatopoeia and bold primary colors in these extra-long board books.
13. Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle. This timeless color concept book with its gentle cadence and vivid colors is an instant favorite of babies.
14. Train! by Judi Abbot. This cute story about an elephant who loves trains is geared more toward toddlers, but I think it's great for babies too. I especially love the bright illustrations and the almost song-like repetition in this book. "Train-plane-digger-digger-train-plane-car!"
15. Anything written by Sandra Boyton. The colorful illustrations and brief text make Boynton board books perfect for babies...and the quirky humor makes them lots of fun for parents, too. Some of our favorites are Opposites, Moo, Baa, La, La, La! and Blue Hat, Green Hat.
I hope this list helps you find some new favorites to share with your baby! It's never too early to introduce kids to great books...even if they currently make better teething toys than reading material. ;)
Here are some things I look for in a great baby board book:
1.) It is short. I'm talking two minutes tops.
2.) It has engaging illustrations, preferably with lots of white space and/or bright, contrasting colors.
3.) It has repetitive and/or rhythmic language.
4.) It invites fingerplay, sound effects, or other interactions.
5.) It is enjoyable to read over and over and over and over. :)
So, without further ado, here are 15 of my very favorite board books to read to babies!
1. Freight Train by Donald Crews. Like many on this list, Freight Train was not originally published as a board book. Thankfully, someone besides me realized how perfect it was for babies and.now Freight Train comes in a compact board book edition. The text is brief, and the illustrations are bold...I love how the colorful train stands out from the white and gray background. Freight Train also gives a natural opportunity for fingerplay as you move your finger with the train "through tunnels" and "by cities." And, of course, adding in chugging and choo-chooing sound effects is a must while reading this book!
2. Hello Baby! by Mem Fox, illustrated by Steve Jenkins. All my babies have loved this book. The pairing of Mem Fox's lyrical rhymes with Steve Jenkins' incredible, lifelike illustrations is pure magic. I love how this book branches out from the familiar dog, cat, horse, etc and instead features wild animals including an eagle, jaguar, and gecko. (Side note: I like to make different animal noises as I read this book, and when my daughter was a baby she would respond to "What does a gecko say?" by sticking her tongue out like I did while reading Hello Baby! It was adorable.)
3. Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli. The playful illustrations of the cute big-headed baby together with the short, repetitive text make Leslie Patricelli's board books ideal for the littlest readers. Yummy Yucky is our very favorite of hers because it's just so darn funny! I love how each of the yummy/yucky examples share something in common and yet are very opposite in their palatability. "Blueberries are yummy. Blue crayons are yucky." "Apple pie is yummy. Mud pie is yucky." And so on. My older kids think its hilarious and love to read this one to their baby brother!
4. Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear by Emily Gravett. This cleverly simple book uses the same four words in different (and surprising!) combinations. The sparse text and generous white space make this fun book great for babies!
5. Piggies by Audrey and Don Wood. Adorable and imaginative, Piggies is probably my personal favorite on this list. The illustrations are a little more detailed then what I typically look for in a baby board book, but because the book lends itself SO well to fingerplay, it always keeps my babies' attention. My baby boy loves to put his hands on top of the illustrated hands in the book, and with the board book edition, his hands are almost the exact same size!
6. Rhymoceros by Janik Coat. One bright blue rhinoceros and one word per page makes this rhyming book very accessible for babies. Some of the pages even incorporate different textures making it extra fun for little hands. I love Rhymoceros uses uncommon examples, so instead of "cat/bat and house/mouse" you get "wilted/tilted and "mossy/glossy." (Also check out Hippopposites and Llamaphones by the same author!)
8. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This classic children's book has sold over 50 million copies and for good reason! The bright illustrations, repetitive text, and the chance to turn your finger into a squirmy caterpillar make this book awesome for babies.
9. Moo! by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. This hilarious story of a cow and a car was the first book I remember making my now 4-year-old laugh out loud when he was a baby. Except for the very last page, the entire text of this book is the word "moo." It's like a challenge for me to see how many different voice inflections I can use to change the meaning of a single word!
10. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow. The bouncy rhyme, obvious opportunity for fingerplay, and the funny twist at the end is sure to make both parents and babies smile!
11. Egg by Kevin Henkes. This funny and sweet story about four eggs is a family favorite. We already have a hardcover copy of this book, but I'm really tempted to buy the board book version too because it is just great for babies...single word captions, simple and bright illustrations, and plenty of white space!
12. The Go series by Steve Light (Trains Go, Trucks Go, Planes Go, and Cars Go). My babies and I love the onomatopoeia and bold primary colors in these extra-long board books.
13. Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle. This timeless color concept book with its gentle cadence and vivid colors is an instant favorite of babies.
14. Train! by Judi Abbot. This cute story about an elephant who loves trains is geared more toward toddlers, but I think it's great for babies too. I especially love the bright illustrations and the almost song-like repetition in this book. "Train-plane-digger-digger-train-plane-car!"
15. Anything written by Sandra Boyton. The colorful illustrations and brief text make Boynton board books perfect for babies...and the quirky humor makes them lots of fun for parents, too. Some of our favorites are Opposites, Moo, Baa, La, La, La! and Blue Hat, Green Hat.
I hope this list helps you find some new favorites to share with your baby! It's never too early to introduce kids to great books...even if they currently make better teething toys than reading material. ;)
