Although your baby is not at the stage when he can read, he’s still able to enjoy books by looking at pictures, and hearing your voice reading to him. Studies show that talking to babies boosts their brain development, and what better way than reading an interesting story. But when it comes to buying board books for babies, you might get confused in front of the huge number of options available.
To help you save some time, and find the best books out there, we’ve done some research and came up with a list of the 30 best baby board books of all time. Let’s take a look at what we found:
Table of Contents
Pat the Bunny Classic Boxed Gift Set
There are some things that transcend time and become classics. One of these is Pat the Bunny. It has been around since 1940, and has delighted kids ever since. Truth is, that it’s a tried and tested technique to teach children about colors and textures, in a fun way. It’s one of the all time favorites of generations of parents and babies. If you want to make a special gift to someone who’s expecting or already having a baby, you can’t go wrong with this board book.
Goodnight Moon
Goodnight Moon is probably one of the best bedtime stories for babies, ever. The drawings are cute and the story follows a bunny who’s saying goodnight to everything in sight. As you get to the last page the colors darken and you can surely expect a yawn or a sleepy smile. The theme of the book encourages babies to find all the items mentioned in the story, which makes for a good bedtime activity. Definitely a recommended choice!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This is one of the most popular all-time stories for kids. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been sold in over 12 million copies and has been translated into 20 languages. It’s safe to say that it’s among the classics. The story follows the evolution of a caterpillar who eats its way to the point where he transforms into a beautiful butterfly. It also teaches counting and the days of the week in a fun way. A really nice gift-package for caterpillar fans.
The Night Before Christmas
This is a republication of the 1823 famous story by Clement Moore, The Night Before Christmas. The story follows the journey of 2 elves on their ride with Santa to deliver Christmas gifts. It has been reedited according to present standards, although they don’t mention this anywhere in the book. The illustrations, done by Tomie DePaola, are wonderfully complementing the story. Your kid will probably love it. It’s surely a great choice for the holiday season.
Little Blue Truck Board Book
This is probably one of those books that will keep your child asking you to read again. Little Blue Truck is a great story that is short enough to keep your child’s attention. It gives a great lesson about helping someone in need and friendship while reinforcing different farm animals and their sounds. It’s great for babies, but makes for a great gift even to older kids, as they will read it multiple times over. The numerous sound effects, which depend a lot on the reader, will make the entire story a lot more fun for younger children.
First 100 Words
This board book is as much educational as it is fun. There are 100 color photos to look at and talk about, and 100 words that describe each object, to read and learn, too. Your baby will be able to have fun with it even if there’s no one around to read it to him. Think at the long hours in the car. First 100 Words board book is made of tough board and is able to take some wear, with a soft cover padding that is perfect for your little ones’ hands.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is a favorite book on most kids’ bookshelves. The illustrations and truly amazing in their simplicity and boldness. The text is rhythmic. On each page a new animal will nudge us towards guessing what the animal on the next page could be. Rhythmic text and identifiable illustrations are known to help young children learn more easily. It’s part of a collection of bear books, which sold in millions over the years, and is recognized by many adults today.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a another great board books that teaches the alphabet in a fun way. The story is captivating, using rhymes combined with a rhythmic pace. The illustrations are not the necessarily a strength of this baby book, but they help get the message over pretty well, mainly because of their simplicity. Last, the durability of this board book is pretty good. This is an important factor because a book of this type is bound to be subject of variable degree of wear.
The Monster at the End of This Book (Sesame Street) (Big Bird’s Favorites Board Books)
It’s hard to start the description of this board book with anything else than mentioning what a popular item it is among Amazon customers. It currently has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 from over 1,000 reviewers. Your child will most likely be completely captivated by The Monster at the End of This Book from start right to finish. Grover, the main character, is distressed to learn about the existence of a monster at the end of this book. He will say anything to hinder you from going on to find out, which of course, will make your kid want to go on more than anything else. It’s just such an enjoyable baby book. Make sure to get this one too if you don’t really know which ones to pick.
Guess How Much I Love You
This 24-page board book is the perfect reassurance of your love for your kids. Every child needs at some point some sort of reassurance that you wholeheartedly love them, and this tale of a young rabbit named Little Nutbrown Hare and his indulging parent, is probably one of the nicest way to say it. The theme is a twist on the “I-can-do-anything-better-than-you” idea in which the small rabbit tries to express his love for Big Nutbrown Hare using measures related to how far he can stretch, and is always lovingly surpassed by the elder. Guess How Much I Love You, is another great choice if you’re looking for a cute board book.
Potty (Leslie Patricelli board books)
Potty is one of a series of children’s books by Leslie Patricelli. It opens up the subject of going potty in a fun way, following the course of events of a bald baby. He first checks out the cat’s and dog’s solutions for this issue and eventually gives the potty a shot. This is a very clever and fun educational book, about a subject that you sooner or later will have to address. This book, and the entire series feature text, along with acrylic illustrations about everyday situations.
I Am a Bunny (A Golden Sturdy Book)
This classic book, illustrated by Richard Scarry, celebrates its 50th anniversary. The story of Nicholas, a bunny in red overalls, that, among others, picks flowers in the spring, watches the frogs on the summer, sees animals getting ready for winter in the fall, and notices how snowflakes fall from the sky in the winter is probably one of the best ways to teach your child about the seasons. I Am a Bunny is a recommended baby book for any child age 1 upwards.
On the Night You Were Born
If you want to make your child feel special, then On the Night You Were Born is the best choice. The main theme is the uniqueness of the newborn, and the everlasting impact it makes on the world. As the news of the birth travels, the entirety of creation celebrates. Although a sentimental subject generally, skeptics might argue, it is treated with authenticity. The paintings are very beautiful and complement the strong message. It’s a recommended book because it strikes a perfect combination between poetic quality and visual art.
Dear Zoo: A Lift The Flap Book (Classic Board Book)
Dear Zoo is one of the favorite baby books worldwide. It has been sold in more than two million copies. The story begins with a letter sent to the zoo, requesting a pet. As it turns out, most of the animals sent are not well suited; and the, the perfect one arrives. The illustrations are nice and the story is very engaging for the little ones. Wherever it makes sense, touch and feel elements make it an interactive experience for your baby. It’s definitely a great board book for pre-readers.
Green Eggs & Ham (Nifty Lift-and-Look)
Green Eggs & Ham is one of the most interactive board books. On each page you will find flaps that are durable and easy to lift, behind which you will find the well-known characters and text of the 1960 classic. The only exception is the last page, which is left blank, for you to put peel-off pictures from the accompanying sticker sheet. It’s one of those children’s books that stood the test of time, which isn’t a small achievement.
Peek-A Who?
Peek-A Who? is a board book full of colorful pictures and simple, rhyming text which keeps your child’s attention from cover to cover. They will most likely be giggling all the way to the end. The format is very smartly laid out. Die-cut windows will keep them guessing what’s behind each window. Because the text is really simple, and the lay out so interactive, it’s recommended for kids from age 1 upwards.
Corduroy: Giant Board Book
Corduroy is another of the children’s classics that stood the test of time. It has delighted generations of children for the last 40 years. The story starts when all shoppers have gone home for the night. A teddy bear named Corduroy climbs down from his shelf in search for his missing button. The story evolves describing all the adventures he goes through, but culminates on the next day when a girl buys him and shows him the home he always looked for.
Room on the Broom Board Book
Last, but not least, we chose to include Room on the Broom in our best board books list. The story follows a witch and her cat companion as they ride along on a broom, until the witch’s hat falls off. While trying to retrieve it they stumble over a helpful dog, who gets to ride along on the broom. As the story continues other helpful animals ride along and learn how to find place on the broom for everyone. Together with the friendly illustrations, it’s a great story to set the mood for Halloween.