When Jay was a baby I remember being overwhelmed at how many books there were for kids and didn’t know which books to get first. As Jay got older he didn’t love a lot of books that I got for him yet, because he was just too little and didn’t have the attention span. I found it was so helpful to have age appropriate books so I could read to him and not get frustrated with his lack of interest, and really enjoy that special time with him. Once I had Charlie, I knew, generally, which books he would enjoy and which he wouldn’t, and it was so nice!
Having said all of that, in an effort to help you not go through the same learning curve I did, I thought I’d share my findings here. Here are, in my opinion, the 5 best books for babies 0-12 months!
1.Black & White-this book is perfect for those first 6 months when they love contrast so much. This whole book is black and white figures paired against each other. The book folds out like an accordion, so I would just stand it up next to my boys and they would stare at it forever.
2. First 100 Words-This book is awesome! Its the first 100 words your baby might learn, which is perfect for helping them build their little vocabulary. Its colorful and fun for babies to look at, and the outside of the book is soft and padded which is nice too.
3.Little Polar Bear: Finger Puppet Book-this has been a huge fan favorite with my boys. There is a whole collection of them with all different animals. They are so fun. And my boys love that there is dimension to it, I’ll wiggle my finger around in the finger puppet to make it interactive and keep them interested.
4.Fox in Socks (Beginner Books)-this book is a classic, and has been a favorite of my boys because of its rhyming. The rhyming is quick and the each page only has a short phrase or two, so you aren’t stuck on a page for too long for little attention spans. Also, the book is really is small so its perfect for baby to be able to hold.
5.Baby Babble: Indestructibles book -these books are indestructible just like the name says! Your baby can chew, tug, pull, tear and they will stay in tact. This is HUGE for me, because we’ve ruined so many books by my boys sucking on them or chewing on them. These are also made out of a non-toxic material that looks and feels like paper. This specific Indestructible, Baby Babble includes some fun first words for baby, which I love. Charlie is a big drooler and he drooled all over this book and it looked good as new after!
I hope this is helpful, enjoy cuddling with and reading to your little one! Did I miss any of your favorite books for baby’s first year? Let me know!! I’d love to hear more ideas!