Best Baby Book Picks

There’s something inherently precious about reading to children — especially when they’re babies. Watching their eyes intently study each page as you read is a heartwarming experience, and it feels good to know you’re encouraging a present — and future — love of books.

But there are a lot of choices out there. So, if this is your first time at the parenting rodeo or you’re shopping for a friend or relative who’s a new parent, it can be intimidating as you try to choose the right books — ones that are not just engaging but also age-appropriate.

Benefits of starting the reading habit early

Even though it might seem like very young babies aren’t paying attention when you read to them, regularly reading to children from a young age has a wide range of benefits. These go beyond just bonding (which is valuable in and of itself, of course).

Language development

Babies learn by mimicking those around them. So, exposing them to words — especially when they’re hearing them from a trusted source like a parent or caregiver — can help them develop the skills they need to talk. By the time a baby reaches the age 1, they’ve learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language.

Accelerated learning

Research has shown that children who are regularly read to tend to know more words than children who aren’t. And consistently reading encourages a child to learn to read within the suggested developmental milestone time frame. So your little baby Einstein will head to school set up for success!

Social cues

Babies who are read to learn about social cues as you use different emotions and expressive sounds to narrate a story. And this means that they’ll be better able to understand how to interact with others, as well as support their emotional development.

How we chose the books on this list

Every family will have their own needs that should be met by the books they bring into their home. However, we did poll a number of our Healthline staff and families to create a roundup of books that focus on education, diversity, language, age appropriateness, and of course, are fun to read for caregivers and baby!

You’ll note that the majority of the books we selected are board books. We probably don’t have to tell you — children can be rough with items. Sturdier books give little ones the freedom to easily flip through the pages whenever they like and for years to come.

Also, our age recommendations are only suggestions. Many books earmarked as ideal for older babies or toddlers may still be engaging for the younger set. Keep in mind, too, that you can easily find alternate language editions for many of the classic books on our list.

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