The only 31 board books you need for baby’s first year
Here are 31 classic and new titles that will take you from baby's first day to their first birthday.
It's no secret that reading is one of the best things you can do for your baby.Reading to your little one—even from a very young age—stimulates brain developmentand strengthens the parent-child bond. Reading helps babies develop language skills andmake sense of the world around them. Fostering a love for books is a gift your children will treasurefor the rest of their lives.The best first books for babies are board books. The smaller size and chunky pages make them easierfor little hands to grasp and turn while the cardboard can withstand everything from teething babychomps to over-enthusiastic toddlers.
This recent release from BabyLit teaches the ABCs while introducing the tiniest adventurers to thewonders of America's National Parks. Illustrator Greg Paprocki is at his finest with gorgeous retromid-century takes on everywhere from the Grand Canyon to Yosemite.
Ok, so this is technicallyfourbooks but they come in a bundle and it's too hard to pick just one. The bold and colorful volumesfeature iconic female artists, pioneers, leaders and activists so that little ones can get theirhistory on from day one.
Yanking the cat by the tail? No. Gentle pats? Yes! This expressive book uses their favorite firstwords and common behaviors to teach right from wrong.
We'll never get tired of this ultimate classic of children's literature, beloved by generations forits quiet prose and simple beauty.
"If you run away," said his mother, "I will run after you. For you are my little bunny." This bookhasnevergone out of print since its publication in 1942; if that isn't enough of a ringing endorsement,we're not sure what is.
Little ones have loved chomping their way through the pages of this book for decades, right alongwith everyone's favorite little caterpillar.
Read it once and it will be in your head for days... and in baby's vocabulary within weeks! Belovedfor his drawings, Eric Carle's famed career as an illustrator began with this book back in 1966.Despite being more than five decades olds, the story's lessons on colors and animals are still asrelevant as ever.
This is one you'll come back to time and time again, well beyond the toddler years to sparkconversations about social justice, community and the power of people to make change. Who says ABCbooks have to be babyish?
The TouchThinkLearn series stands out as a favorite for its clean, modern aesthetic and engagingtactile die-cuts and cut-outs. Tiny, curious hands will love touching—andlearning—their ABCs.
This colorful, visually stimulating story about a dog enjoying the splendors of a day at the farmis a great way to teach little ones about animals, colors and more.
This sweet book will teach them from day one that no matter what, you'll love them through andthrough. Bonus: This is one of our favorite books to gift new parents.
Travel the solar system with this cute and colorful planetary party. With the added interest of astacking cut out, it's certain to become an instant hit!
We dare you not to start singing (or rapping!) the catchy phrase pout pout fish repeats over andover in this brightly illustrated tale that takes place on the ocean floor.
"Once there was a gorilla, and everybody loved him. His mother loved him. His father lovedhim....even when he was only one day old, everybody loved Little Gorilla... But then Little Gorillabegan to change."This heartwarming story about how baby—and love—grows over the first year of life willgive you all the feels. (We may or may not be crying as we type this... ) And the amazing retroillustrations will never go out of style.
As parents, we really can't get enough of baby fingers and toes, and this book celebrate all theirtiny body parts with rhyming prose and sot illustrations of of babies from all backgrounds.
Our favorite peekaboo book promises lots of giggles, while lots of flaps to lift and brightlycolored animals to spot promise lots of learning for little ones!
This sturdy lift-the-flap book puts babies on the hunt for their favorite body parts and will bringlots of delight along the way.
Babies will love to lift the flaps and find out which animal will be coming home as the new familypet!
Indestructibles are just that: chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic, and washable. We love them forstroller entertainment or tossed in the diaper bag for a "I need to distract baby now!" emergency.
The black and and white images throughout this board book will help your little one's visualdevelopment, and the sophistication of the illustrations—created by a British textiledesigner—means you won't mind reading it again and again.
Fun fact: babies love looking at other babies! Short of running a daycare in your own house, thisoversized board book is perfect for showing your little one bright baby faces and expressions allday long.
Let those little hands work their way through the rainbow with this book featuring sturdy cardboardpages of graduating lengths. This unique design introduces colors in a fun and creative way.
With 100 first words accompanied by 100 clear, bright photos, this word book stands out as one yourbaby will go back to again and again.
"A told B and and B told C, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree." This lively alphabetchant couldn't be better—we've never met a little one who doesn't agree!
This simple, beautiful story about the passing of a day will capture baby's attention with itsbright, high contrast art and sparse, rhythmic text.
We 💜 Gossie, our favorite precocious little yellow gosling who loves to wear bright redboots. (Andget into all sorts of trouble.) We think your little one will agree!
Babies as young as eight months old can learn to communicate with basic sign language—andthis simple primer is the perfect introduction. With 13 essential signs like milk, more and alldone, it can provide a path to fewer tantrums and less frustration.
Get ready to practice those animal sounds ? Babies will love the bright backgrounds set againstblack + white images, and you'll have fun perfecting the noise of penguins flip-flopping across thesand.
We love little Llama so much that we couldn't choose just one! This four-board book set is theperfect introduction to Llama Llama and all of his rhyming adventures. These are the perfect firstread-alouds.
Our love for Sandra Boynton knows no bounds, and we can't imagine kid lit without her. This cheekyboard book about a silly hippo is guaranteed to put a smile on your baby's face—and yours,too.
This one doesn't always make the classic favorites lists, but we have a soft spot for it—italways elicits the giggles, features of a lovable cast of silly dogs, and was edited by Dr. Seuss.Little ones will love the basic concepts but will enjoy it as they get older, too.We independently select and share the products we love—and may receive a commission if youchoose to buy. You've got this.
It can be a bit overwhelming to start your baby's first library, so we've created a guide featuringthe best of the best—31 classic and new baby board books that will take you from baby's firstday to their first birthday.
B is for Bison
This recent release from BabyLit teaches the ABCs while introducing the tiniest adventurers to thewonders of America's National Parks. Illustrator Greg Paprocki is at his finest with gorgeous retromid-century takes on everywhere from the Grand Canyon to Yosemite. $12.99
Little Feminist set
Ok, so this is technicallyfourbooks but they come in a bundle and it's too hard to pick just one. The bold and colorful volumesfeature iconic female artists, pioneers, leaders and activists so that little ones can get theirhistory on from day one. $11.33
No No Yes Yes
Yanking the cat by the tail? No. Gentle pats? Yes! This expressive book uses their favorite firstwords and common behaviors to teach right from wrong. $6.99
Goodnight Moon
We'll never get tired of this ultimate classic of children's literature, beloved by generations forits quiet prose and simple beauty. $5
The Runaway Bunny
"If you run away," said his mother, "I will run after you. For you are my little bunny." This bookhasnevergone out of print since its publication in 1942; if that isn't enough of a ringing endorsement,we're not sure what is. $8.85
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Little ones have loved chomping their way through the pages of this book for decades, right alongwith everyone's favorite little caterpillar. $5.06
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Read it once and it will be in your head for days... and in baby's vocabulary within weeks! Belovedfor his drawings, Eric Carle's famed career as an illustrator began with this book back in 1966.Despite being more than five decades olds, the story's lessons on colors and animals are still asrelevant as ever. $11.27
A is for Activist
This is one you'll come back to time and time again, well beyond the toddler years to sparkconversations about social justice, community and the power of people to make change. Who says ABCbooks have to be babyish? $7
TouchThinkLearn: ABC
The TouchThinkLearn series stands out as a favorite for its clean, modern aesthetic and engagingtactile die-cuts and cut-outs. Tiny, curious hands will love touching—andlearning—their ABCs. $19.47
Sally at the Farm
This colorful, visually stimulating story about a dog enjoying the splendors of a day at the farmis a great way to teach little ones about animals, colors and more. $7.95
I Love You Through and Through
This sweet book will teach them from day one that no matter what, you'll love them through andthrough. Bonus: This is one of our favorite books to gift new parents. $4.46
8 Little Planets
Travel the solar system with this cute and colorful planetary party. With the added interest of astacking cut out, it's certain to become an instant hit! $7.19
Pout Pout Fish
We dare you not to start singing (or rapping!) the catchy phrase pout pout fish repeats over andover in this brightly illustrated tale that takes place on the ocean floor. $7.99
Little Gorilla
"Once there was a gorilla, and everybody loved him. His mother loved him. His father lovedhim....even when he was only one day old, everybody loved Little Gorilla... But then Little Gorillabegan to change."This heartwarming story about how baby—and love—grows over the first year of life willgive you all the feels. (We may or may not be crying as we type this... ) And the amazing retroillustrations will never go out of style. $5.99
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
As parents, we really can't get enough of baby fingers and toes, and this book celebrate all theirtiny body parts with rhyming prose and sot illustrations of of babies from all backgrounds. $6.89
Peek-A-Who?
Our favorite peekaboo book promises lots of giggles, while lots of flaps to lift and brightlycolored animals to spot promise lots of learning for little ones! $5
Where is Baby's Belly Button?
This sturdy lift-the-flap book puts babies on the hunt for their favorite body parts and will bringlots of delight along the way. $5
Dear Zoo
Babies will love to lift the flaps and find out which animal will be coming home as the new familypet! $5
Indestructibles: Baby Faces
Indestructibles are just that: chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic, and washable. We love them forstroller entertainment or tossed in the diaper bag for a "I need to distract baby now!" emergency. $5.95
Jane Foster's Black and White
The black and and white images throughout this board book will help your little one's visualdevelopment, and the sophistication of the illustrations—created by a British textiledesigner—means you won't mind reading it again and again. $5.81
Look At You!
Fun fact: babies love looking at other babies! Short of running a daycare in your own house, thisoversized board book is perfect for showing your little one bright baby faces and expressions allday long. $7.99
Colors
Let those little hands work their way through the rainbow with this book featuring sturdy cardboardpages of graduating lengths. This unique design introduces colors in a fun and creative way. $10.95
First 100 Words
With 100 first words accompanied by 100 clear, bright photos, this word book stands out as one yourbaby will go back to again and again. $4.78
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
"A told B and and B told C, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree." This lively alphabetchant couldn't be better—we've never met a little one who doesn't agree! $4.59
Sunrise, Moonrise
This simple, beautiful story about the passing of a day will capture baby's attention with itsbright, high contrast art and sparse, rhythmic text. $7.99
Gossie
We 💜 Gossie, our favorite precocious little yellow gosling who loves to wear bright redboots. (Andget into all sorts of trouble.) We think your little one will agree! $6.99
Baby Signs
Babies as young as eight months old can learn to communicate with basic sign language—andthis simple primer is the perfect introduction. With 13 essential signs like milk, more and alldone, it can provide a path to fewer tantrums and less frustration. $5.18
Wibble, Wobble
Get ready to practice those animal sounds ? Babies will love the bright backgrounds set againstblack + white images, and you'll have fun perfecting the noise of penguins flip-flopping across thesand. $5.99
Lllama Llama's Little Library
We love little Llama so much that we couldn't choose just one! This four-board book set is theperfect introduction to Llama Llama and all of his rhyming adventures. These are the perfect firstread-alouds. $13.49
But Not the Hippopotamus
Our love for Sandra Boynton knows no bounds, and we can't imagine kid lit without her. This cheekyboard book about a silly hippo is guaranteed to put a smile on your baby's face—and yours,too. $4.77
Go, Dog, Go!
This one doesn't always make the classic favorites lists, but we have a soft spot for it—italways elicits the giggles, features of a lovable cast of silly dogs, and was edited by Dr. Seuss.Little ones will love the basic concepts but will enjoy it as they get older, too. $2.98