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I bought a lot of my daughter's books to start her baby library. There were certain books I wanted and there were certain books I didn't want at all.
There are books that it seems like almost every new mom registers for - you know the ones - The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, Dear Zoo, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Where the Wild Things Are, Guess How Much I Love You - you get the picture. These are all great books, but a new mom is inevitably going to receive these.
But there are so many other books! Here is a list with a mix of American Library Association recommendations, Caldecott winners, most-checked out kid books from the library, my daughter's favorites and my own favorites. I often buy and recommend books by well-known authors, but their lesser known titles that are just as fantastic.
Many of my own favorites are books that are not annoying to be read over and over and over and over and over...and that makes it more fun for Liliana. If I can convey enjoyment while I read, she will pick up on that. Read books that are joyful to you as a parent!
There are books that it seems like almost every new mom registers for - you know the ones - The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, Dear Zoo, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Where the Wild Things Are, Guess How Much I Love You - you get the picture. These are all great books, but a new mom is inevitably going to receive these.
But there are so many other books! Here is a list with a mix of American Library Association recommendations, Caldecott winners, most-checked out kid books from the library, my daughter's favorites and my own favorites. I often buy and recommend books by well-known authors, but their lesser known titles that are just as fantastic.
Many of my own favorites are books that are not annoying to be read over and over and over and over and over...and that makes it more fun for Liliana. If I can convey enjoyment while I read, she will pick up on that. Read books that are joyful to you as a parent!
 | This is an adorable story including animals, rhyming and beautiful pictures. This book promotes parent/child bonding and as the baby gets older and can interact more into its toddler years, it's a fun book to read together. In case you're wondering, I do prefer the hard cover to the board book. The illustrations warrant the extra page space. |
| This is a fantastic alternative to The Very Hungry Caterpillar and I actually like it better. You still get Eric Carle's artwork and bugs, but with other farm animals added in! |  |
 | Let's bring some diversity to this list. These sets of books are still Liliana's favorites, 3 years later. There is also a Global Baby Girls and Global Baby Boys. They are also a great springboard for talking about other parts of the world. |
| This book is so rhythmic, it's musical! It's a ton of fun to read and does not get old when you are reading it over and over and over. The book is easy to read to the beat and you'll see your kid bopping along while you read. It's really a joyful book. |  |
 | This book is relaxing to read. It's a sweet book which goes through the different kid reasons to be quiet. As kids get older, they will relate. But in the meantime, it's a nice way to wind-down for bedtime. |
In case you want more:
- The Little Island - Not your standard Margaret Wise Brown book. It won a Caldecott award in 1947 for the beautiful watercolor pictures and the story is very mellow.
- The Pout Pout Fish - The illustrations are great and the story is super cute. There are more of these books in case the child-to-be loves the first one. These stories can grow up with a kid.
- Fish Eyes - Lois Ehlert always has great pictures in her books. This board book has math extensions and is so colorful, you'll want to flip through it again. We frequently do art activities based on the fish in this book too.
- Eating the Alphabet - Another Lois Ehlert book with fruits and veggies. It's very colorful and there is a lot to look at. It's also a great book to bring along to the grocery store and keep those hands busy.
- Please Baby Please - Written by Spike Lee and has a musical tone to it. The book goes through a toddler's day - very familiar to us!
- G is for Goat - A great introduction to the world of Patricia Polacco - with a farm alphabet.
- Ten, Nine, Eight - A counting backward book akin to Goodnight Moon.
- Baby Beluga - Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea, swim so wild and you swim so free. Beautiful ocean animals and if you like Raffi music, even better.
- 10 Trick or Treaters - Another favorite of ours - a counting backward to bed book.
- Giraffes Can't Dance - A colorful, animal-filled book about finding the confidence in yourself. The rhyming in the book is well-done and hasn't been a bother to read over and over and over again.
- Chickens Aren't the Only Ones - A very colorful book explaining all the animals that lay eggs. The rhyming is done well and one Liliana picks this up from the bookshelf almost daily.
Enjoy!
