Five Best Ever Children’s Books for Babies

Just because babies can’t read doesn’t mean that books are no good to them. Babies need stimulation and to hear the sound of your voice. Reading picture books and soft touch books will introduce them to new ideas and familiarize them with their senses. Here are the best ever children’s books for babies.

1. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt - This is my all time favorite book for babies. In Pat the Bunny, babies get to use their sense of touch to learn about the bunny rabbit in the book. They can feel various surfaces and you can even rub the pages against their face or arms so they can see how soft and tickly the book is. As your child grows, they will be intrigued by the pictures that they can touch. This should be the first book for all children.

2. Are You My Mother? By P.D. Eastman - No matter their species babies need the loving touch of a mother. They will search out their mother by her voice or facial recognition until they find the one they belong to. The baby bird in this book had to do just that. When he hatched, his mother was off gathering food. He had no idea that he was even a baby bird. He walked to the edge and fell out of his nest to the ground. In order to find out where he belonged he asked everything he saw if it was his mother. This book is offered by Amazon.com as a cloth book. Cloth books are perfect for a baby. They can spit up on them and all you need to do is throw it in the washer and dryer and it is ready to read again.

3. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss - I adore all of Dr. Seuss’ books with his nonsense rhymes. Your baby will meet Sam I Am. Sam is trying to get a fellow traveler to try green eggs and ham. The more the fellow protests, the more Sam I Am insists that he must try his product. Just when the traveler thinks he’s lost him, Sam pops up again. He follows the guy everywhere, not taking no for an answer. Your baby will see Sam and the traveler on a train, in the dark, in a house, and with a mouse. As your child grows, the tongue twisters will bring hours of laughter and fun. By the end of the journey, does Sam I Am convince the traveler to try the green eggs and ham? You’ll have to read the book with your child to find out.

4. Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb! By Al Perkins - In this fun rhyming book, as the monkeys demonstrate each hand, finger, and thumb show your baby his/her hands, fingers, and thumbs. It’s never too early to start familiarizing them with who they are. The monkeys also discover what they can do with their hands. They can wear sparkly rings on their fingers. They can clap and make music on the drums with their hands. Show your baby how to clap their hands together and pat with them.

5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. - This book is full of bright colors and letters. The book introduces each letter of the alphabet as it makes its way on stage and up into the coconut tree. Say the letters of the alphabet slowly and point to them on the page. Your child is not old enough now to say them, but in time they will be and they will recognize the letters that you have been showing to them.

Babies need to start early with reading. If you read to them when they are young, they will want you to continue reading to them as they get older. Any of the above favorites will get the ball rolling. 

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