When your baby is very little, they may be more interested in the book itself than its contents. Consider board books that are engaging and durable, so they can be read into toddlerhood. We carefully considered material, any age recommendations, durability, and engagement when reviewing products. Here are the best board books for your little one. “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” ranks high on our list because this book has a little bit of everything—colors, animals, clever verse, and drawings of other children. Written by Bill Martin, Jr., and illustrated by the legendary Eric Carle, whose other books include the classic “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, this board book will enrapture your child from infancy through toddlerhood and beyond. Carle’s collages are a great way to teach your child about colors and animal sounds—featured creatures include a purple cat, a blue horse, and a yellow duck. The first faces a newborn falls in love with is their parents’. A close second? Baby’s own face, which they see mirrored in all of the other babies they encounter. That’s why Baby Faces, a DK board book, is perfect for your newborn. Along with showing babies processing all sorts of emotions, from happiness to sadness to befuddlement and more, the board book features bright, primary colors that will be sure to capture your newborn’s blossoming color vision. Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? is the perfect way to teach your child about their body. Illustrated and written by Karen Katz, this board book features bubbly drawings that are irresistible to children. Each body part is hidden behind a wide, easy to maneuver flap that is difficult to rip. “I really think it will help her learn where her body parts are and what they are called!” one customer wrote. “The flaps are nice and big so she can do them all by herself.” If your child is really into this book, there are a bunch more books in the series including First 100 Animals, Numbers, Shapes, and Colors, and more. This book also has many different versions, including a stuffed book option, and you can also buy a stuffed bunny that mimics the one in the book. Unlike other board books about potty training, which can be longer and wordier, Potty appeals to a toddler’s short attention span. “He thought the babies’ expressions were hilarious,” one customer wrote of her son’s reaction to the book. Another mentioned: “It helped to get my son interested in potty training. He enjoys it and wants it read to him while going potty… small steps in the potty training realm.”
Durable
When your baby is very little, they may be more interested in the book itself than its contents. You may find your baby sucking and chomping down on their favorite book. That’s okay, as long as it’s made of material that can withstand these antics. Lift-the-flap books are popular with babies, but keep in mind that many little ones will tear off the paper flaps of these books, so if you want to preserve them, consider waiting until they are a little older to introduce these books.
Engaging
Babies usually aren’t too picky about what books they enjoy as long as they have bright colors and interesting pictures. But as your baby gets older, you may find that they have more refined interests. Your baby may be a truck or car fanatic, or they may be particularly interested in everything about going potty (one would hope!). So look for books that match your baby’s interests.
