30 Favorite Board Books for Babies

One of the best picture books of all time, this quintessential bedtime story by Margaret Wise Brown is a must for every young child's library. The combination of the peaceful rhythm of the words and restful illustrations signal the end of the day like no other.

Katie G. said:  One of the best bedtime stories for babies! All three of my kids loved this book from Margaret Wise Brown when they were babies and toddlers. I used to read it to them every single night. Fast forward several years later and I can still recite the book from memory. Babies will love the repetitive poetic words and following the cute, little bunny as he/she says "good night" to all the things in the room. The board book size is perfect for little hands to hold and help turn the pages. Pick this one up and add it to your bedtime routine to help you little one fall fast asleep.

Youngsters are hooked by the symphony of the truck's beeps and the animals' sounds in this story about a truck and his barnyard friends, and wind up with a lesson about kindness and helping others.

This story by Bill Martin Jr., accompanied by the incomparable collage artwork of Eric Carle, is a real classic. The board book edition for babies has simple, high-contrast illustrations with an emphasis on color identification, animals, repetition, and alliteration.

Alexandra F. said:  This is my 2-year-old's favorite book to read together, and we probably read it 4-5 times a sitting! All of my kids have loved this one, and I think they especially love it because the familiar repetition makes it easy for them to memorize and "read" along with me. "Little Blue Truck" is another favorite - one or the other is never far away!

Hannah Scott said:  One of my biggest issues with textured board books is the lack of variety from page to page. The Touchy-Feely books by Usborne do not have that problem! In this story, each puppy is "not mine" because the texture is off -- "too hairy," "too fluffy," "too shaggy," etc. This board book is also exceptionally high-quality with super thick pages that are resistant to any bending. Win!

Dawn Denning said:  Where's Spot by Eric Hill is a classic! Read the book and help your little person find Spot all over the place! Flaps are so much fun to open up and see if Spot is behind all the best hiding places around his house. My kids loved to open the flaps and see what's behind each one! Enjoy hours of fun with your sweet baby while they try and find their favorite puppy!

Hannah Scott said:  "Little Fish" from the Little Finger Puppet book series by Chronicle Books is a great combination of story and toy. The attached finger puppet pokes through a hole on each page as you read. I particularly like the story -- not because it's a fine piece of literature, but because the text rhymes well and includes lots of different consonant sounds and alliteration. It just feels good to read! (Is that nerdy to say about a board book? Probably. But it's true!).

This wordless bedtime story tells the tale through delightful illustrations of a gorilla who follows the zookeeper home -- and takes the whole zoo with him! You can "read" this with your babies for the pictures at first, but it turns into a great chance for an older child to explain what's going on without the use of text.

Hannah Scott said:  We received this book by Roger Priddy as part of a box of new parent freebies, but I'm so glad it was included! Each two-page spread features a different theme (playing outside, eating, getting dressed, etc.) with photos and vocabulary words that every baby needs to learn. My son was a very late talker, but I really feel like this book helped him make some verbal connections to the everyday items in his life.

Dawn Denning said:  The Mitten by Jan Brett is about a lost mitten on a cold winter day that provides a home for all the woodland creatures! One by one starting with a mole they crawl into the warm safety of the mitten. The mitten stretches as each new animal crawls in with their friends until a brown bear takes his turn! The illustrations are so beautiful and kept my kids attention with every read.

Hannah Scott said:  The signature brightly colored illustrations of Karen Katz stories are back in this lift-the-flap book about identifying body parts. Once your baby starts reaching out to turn pages, they'll also enjoy lifting flaps to see what's underneath. It's like literary peek-a-boo! We enjoy pointing to the illustrations and then pointing to our own body parts (eyes, nose, etc.) when reading this one together.

Lisa R said:  If you're not familiar with this classic song by Raffi, go listen to it now! Then pick up this adorable book illustrated by Ashley Wolff and you'll find that you can't help but sing the lyrics as you read it. Young children love the adorable pictures of baby sea creatures alongside their parents and will soon know the words on every page. This book is sure to make everyone smile.

Katie G. said:  Babies will love touching, lifting and scratching the pages in this touch and feel book. This classic book by Dorothy Kunhardt has been around since 1940 and loved by many generations of families. The book takes babies through a series of things to do - pat the bunny, scratch daddy's beard, look in the mirror and more. Babies will love interacting with this fun board book.

Hannah Scott said:  I will never get tired of classics adapted for babies, and the BabyLit primers by Jennifer Adams do not disappoint! This rendition of Jane Austen's classic "Emma" focuses on the emotions that other characters feel after Emma meddles in their lives -- angry, happy, tired, etc. Simple illustrations make this a truly charming book (and an awesome baby shower gift for a literature-loving friend). Take a look at the whole series if you get a chance! Other "primers" are for colors, numbers, and things like that. Super cute :)

If you love classic literature, you MUST check out the Cozy Classics series by Jack and Holman Wang! Each board book features one simple word on each page to tell the story, accompanied by exquisite illustrations done entirely in felt. They're truly works of art that you'll enjoy as much as your child!

Hannah Scott said:  I confess: I actually like this book by Sara Gillingham more than my baby does. Something about the collage illustrations, the patterns, and the color scheme really does it for me -- not to mention the cute little attached finger puppet who enjoys getting cozy with his family at the end. Melt my heart! When I found out there is actually a whole series of stories featuring different animals in their habitats, I was completely hooked.