From Bedtime Stories to Bilingual Tales: Our Best Baby Book Picks
Share on Pinterest We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
How we vet brands and products
Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: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.
A quick look at the best baby books
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 of 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 baby 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.
Without further ado, here are some of our favorites.
Pricing guide
Healthline Parenthood’s picks of the best baby books
Best educational baby books
Baby Loves Gravity!
“Baby Loves Gravity!” is an installment in the Baby Loves Science series. This is an adorable and easy-to-read board book with simple sentences that break down the complex scientific concept of gravity. Little ones will love the brightly colored pages and caregivers will enjoy narrating the adorable sound effects.
Shop now at AmazonRocket Science for Babies
It’s never too early to encourage STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) learning with your little one. “Rocket Science for Babies” is part of the Baby University board book series — and this installment tackles aerospace engineering. For maximum effect, read this book with enthusiasm to help your baby understand the ups and downs (pun intended!) of rocket science.
Shop now at AmazonMy First ABC — The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Help baby learn their ABCs by associating each letter with a unique picture that just so happens to be an iconic work of art. The detailed images in this board book help to encourage a love of reading — don’t be surprised if your little one enjoys flipping through the pages even when you’re not reading to them!
Shop now at AmazonDaytime Nighttime
Who doesn’t love animals? With this adorable and simplistic board book, your tot will get one of their first introductions to wildlife and learn which animals are active during the day versus at night. Both you and your little one will love the realistic full-color illustrations, and the simple one- or two-word text on each page will keep even young babies engaged.
Shop now at AmazonLittle Quack Loves Colors
Word and color association — in addition to the adorable and colorful illustrations — are some of the biggest draws for this board book. Your toddler will quickly learn how to tell colors apart as the actual name of each color is written in that shade. Plus, the simple sentences will help to engage older babies.
Shop now at AmazonBest bilingual baby books
La oruga muy hambrienta / The Very Hungry Caterpillar
While technically far older than this publishing date, this lovable classic has been turned into a helpful bilingual board book that teaches your child English and Spanish. The colorful drawings and detailed descriptions help children understand numbers and common fruits they’ll encounter regularly. And the dual languages on each page make it easy for caregivers to read this fan favorite to your little one — whether they speak English or Spanish.
Shop now at AmazonQuiero a mi papa porque… / I Love My Daddy Because…
This cute board book features adorable baby animals with their dads. It focuses on daily activities, making it relatable to older babies and toddlers as they notice similarities between the animals’ lives and their own. Best of all, the animals featured in the book are clearly labeled in English and Spanish to help expand your child’s vocabulary.
Shop now at AmazonFix It! / ¡A reparar!
Broken toys are a part of growing up, but “¡A reparar!/Fix It!” is part of the Helping Hands book series and teaches little ones to understand the steps necessary to fix broken toys or replace batteries. This colorful paperback features simple sentences in both English and Spanish and makes it easy to learn key Spanish vocabulary words.
While this book discusses replacing batteries, batteries and other small pieces should be kept out of reach from your little ones as they can be a choking hazard.
Shop now at Amazon¡Fiesta!
Getting ready for a party has never been so easy! In this bilingual counting book, you and your little ones will follow a group of children as they travel through town picking up everything they need for an upcoming party. In addition to learning how to count, this easy-to-follow story also helps build your child’s Spanish language vocabulary.
Shop now at AmazonThe Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear / El ratoncito, la fresa roja y madura, y el fran oso hambriento
This adorable book — available as a bilingual English/Spanish board book and also as a Spanish paperback and hardback book — is a fan favorite for good reason. Your little ones will listen excitedly as you animate the adventures of a daring mouse who must hide their strawberry bounty from a hungry bear. Everyone will love the full-color illustrations and breathe a sigh of relief as the mouse — and you — get to enjoy the sweet rewards.
Shop now at AmazonRed Racer Presents ABCs of Racing My First Guide to Formula 1 Racing
Sports fans will rejoice at this fun twist on the ABCs. While most alphabet books focus on tried and true classics like “A is for apple,” this cute version ups the ante by introducing concepts like STEM early with parallels such as “A is for aerodynamics.” Better still, this book is available in both English and Spanish. Both parents and children will love the vivid full-color illustrations and racing fans, in particular, will appreciate this ode to a popular sporting tradition.
Shop now at Red Racer BooksBest historical baby books
Maya: My First Maya Angelou
Introducing young children to historical figures can be difficult. The Little People, Big Dreams story series offers two options — hardback and board books — for every historical figure. The board books are perfect for offering simple stories that introduce your little one to pivotal people like the poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, along with their diverse backgrounds and how they shaped our pop culture and shared history.
Shop now at AmazonAli: My First Muhammad Ali
How do you tackle complex concepts like a peaceful protest as well as the flamboyant personalities of some of society’s most influential and prolific figures? Little People, Big Dreams’ Muhammad Ali board book manages to seamlessly tackle his transition from Cassius Clay to Ali, as well as how he continued to inspire those around him even after his retirement from boxing.
Shop now at AmazonThe Life of / La vida de Selena
Selena Quintanilla is one of the most recognizable Latina music artists of our time. Teach your little one about the Queen of Tejano with this simplified bilingual board book from Lil’ Libros. This book is adorably illustrated in full color and highlights Selena’s lasting impact on her industry and fans, and is easy for any caretaker to read to your little one
Shop now at AmazonThe Story of Rap
Whether you prefer your rap of the vintage NWA form or you’re here for Kendrick Lamar telling us that we’re gon’ be alright, if you’re a serious rap fan you’ve probably been introducing your baby to the greatest hits since they were still in the bump. “The Story of Rap” is a cute, kid-friendly intro to the history of rap music from the days of Grand Master Flash until now. You’ll recognize icons from Eminem and Jay Z to upstarting newcomers like Cardi B illustrated throughout the pages.
Shop Now at AmazonBest interactive baby books
I Love You All Day Long
Babies are tactile, which makes “I Love You All Day Long” the perfect book for them. The full-color pages are made even better by the play pieces that can be slipped into the pocket on each page. Your only challenge will be figuring out which baby play piece best matches the scenes on each page.
Although the play pieces are attached to the book by a string, it’s important to assure that they’re securely attached to prevent a choking risk.
Shop now at AmazonIf I Were a Monkey
Babies love to play, and these Jellycat series board books are the perfect solution. Your little one will love touching the various textures on every colorful page as they learn about the anatomy of a loveable monkey.
Shop now at AmazonYou Are My Work of Art
Children need to know what makes them special, and this loveable tale helps them to learn that being unique is perfectly okay. They’ll love the interactive and colorful pages that encourage them to open flaps and you’ll appreciate that they’re being exposed to iconic artwork like “Starry Night” and “Great Wave Off of Kanagawa.”
Shop now at AmazonHarold and the Purple Crayon
We all know that children have very creative imaginations — even at a young age. “Harold and the Purple Crayon” follows one small tyke as he uses an oversized purple crayon to create amazing backdrops that turn into exciting adventures. While the artwork in this book isn’t as colorful as some others on our list, the engaging plot will help to draw in young readers.
Shop now at AmazonVisiting – Visitando La Granja
Bilingual and interactive can go hand in hand — as seen with this cute little audible board book, “Visiting – Visitando La Granja.” Little ones will get to learn how to say popular farm animal names in both English and Spanish. Meanwhile, they can also push the button on each page to hear one of the cute farm animal sounds. Choose from the cow, horse, pigs, chicks, or sheep. There are even songs too. Meanwhile, the page buttons encourage fine motor skill development.
Shop Now at AmazonWho Said Moo?
Get your tiny tot engaged in the story by encouraging them to reenact their favorite farm animal’s sounds. With each page, children will not only recognize animals but can feel different textures and play along with the story as they try to figure out which animal should be matched with which sound. And younger babies will love the last page which features a kid-safe mirror so they can practice their own sounds.
Shop Now at AmazonBest baby books for diversity
Baby Dance
Small babies will love the rhythmic nature of this adorable book that highlights a scenario that many parents can relate to — a baby’s distress that a parent is sleeping while they’re awake. The colorful illustrations complement the vintage lyrics from the 19th-century poet Ann Taylor. Parents will also love that this book centers on the relationship between a father and his daughter.
Shop now at AmazonMindful Day
Although this is one of the few nonboard books on our list, we think the simplistic yet important messaging of being mindful and learning to enjoy the moment are important lessons that can’t be taught too early in life. The full-color illustrations and calming text will help baby and parents enjoy those final peaceful moments in the night before they drift off to sleep.
Shop now at AmazonBest classic baby books
Richard Scarry’s Trucks
Parents who grew up immersed in the unique world of Richard Scarry will enjoy this fun trip down memory lane. Trucks is a board book that’s perfect for younger babies with short attention spans thanks to the simplistic text and colorful illustrations.
Shop now at AmazonThere’s a Wocket in My Pocket!
While this is an abridged version of the full hardback book, “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” is a fun rhyming book that introduces your little one to wordplay and word associations. The colorful illustrations will bring delight to both you and your child as well as encourage a love of reading.
Shop now at AmazonDr. Seuss favorites
Countless Dr. Seuss books are ideal for babies, but in our offices, some other fan-favorite board book editions include “Hop on Pop” and “My Many Colored Days.”
Are You My Mother?
Help small children learn to distinguish between different objects and animals with this hilariously fun classic — in board book form! Little tykes will love the expressive baby bird as he tries to find his mother. A bonus is that this book is also available in a Spanish board book.
Shop now at AmazonThe Giving Tree
An oldie but goodie, “The Giving Tree” teaches us about unconditional love as an anthropomorphic tree does her best to give the apple of her eye (pun intended) everything he needs to be happy. Meanwhile, we also learn about enduring friendships as the little boy continues to return to his beloved tree at every significant life stage. While technically a book for older tots, some younger toddlers might be enthralled by the simple language and vivid illustrations.
Shop Now at AmazonGoodnight Moon
This classic tale is now available in board book form to help new parents create bedtime routines with their little bundles of joy. The full-color illustrations on every page will delight children as they listen to a sleepy little bunny says goodnight to all the familiar objects in the room. And parents will love reliving a bit of nostalgia with their child as they build new memories.
Shop now at AmazonBest for bedtime stories
Little Blue Truck
While this is one of the longer board books in terms of actual words per page, even young babies will love listening to their parents mimic the sound of Little Blue Truck (beep, beep, beep) and his farm animal friends. The colorful illustrations engage little ones while you’ll appreciate that the underlying message of helping your neighbors is being reinforced at an early age.
Shop now at AmazonGuess How Much I Love You
In this adorably competitive book, Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare try to “one-up” each other in proving how much they love each other. Toddlers in particular will love this cute storyline as Little Nutbrown Hare continues to express how much he loves his father. We think this is a perfect book to send your baby off to dreamland.
Shop now at AmazonOn the Night You Were Born
It can be hard to know if your little one knows how much you love them, but this adorable book can help to put that love into perspective. Your baby will love the colorful illustrations, and you’ll appreciate that the soothing lyricism of the text will help them fall asleep soundly.
Shop now at AmazonGoodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
Learning to work together is always an important lesson we try to teach our children. “Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site” is the perfect bedtime companion for little ones that are obsessed with trucks. While a bit more lengthy than some of our other choices, the engaging illustrations, animated trucks, and rhythmic text will make this a tiny fan favorite.
Shop now at AmazonLittle Rabbit Waits for the Moon
Bedtime is a special time, but little rabbit is concerned that the moon won’t watch over him while he snoozes. So, he goes looking for the moon and comes across a variety of natural wonders that try to help him on his quest. Eventually, he realizes that he might never find the moon but never gives up hope. And in the end, the moon finds him sleeping in a meadow. This is the perfect relaxing tale to help little ones drift off to dreamland.
Shop Now at AmazonBest books for babies under 6 months
Look, Look!
Very young babies will be drawn to this simplistic, black-and-white, high-contrast book. The friendly faces and brief text will help to ease newborns into the experience of being read to. And you’ll enjoy starting new traditions with your latest addition.
Shop now at AmazonTwinkle, Twinkle, Unicorn
The classic nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” serves as the background for this adorable and glitter-infused colorful tale of a unicorn that spends her days playing with her woodland friends. Thanks to the source material, you can even sing this simple book to your sweet babe to help them fall asleep.
Shop now at AmazonBest books that teach lessons
Don’t Touch My Hair
Personal autonomy and micro-aggressions might seem like a difficult topic to tackle when you’re talking about toddlers and preschoolers. But “Don’t Touch My Hair” manages to address both topics without making it awkward — and while reinforcing the idea that even small children have the right to decide what happens to their bodies. While this book addresses society’s obsession with Black hair, it also translates to emboldening children of all ethnicities and races by letting them know that they have the right to refuse to be touched.
Shop Now on AmazonOff to School
Starting school can be hard — especially for children that weren’t enrolled in day care as babies. “Off to School” follows our favorite lovable monster, Elmo, as he prepares for and experiences his first day of school. He teaches your children simple ways to manage first-day jitters, as well as highlights how fun school can be — making it a must-read for all pre-school parents.
Shop Now on AmazonNever Let a Unicorn Scribble
Creativity and imagination go hand in hand. And this fun book about a little girl, her crayons, and her favorite unicorn (who turns out to be a stuffed animal!) will encourage your children to tap into their artistic side. When coloring time goes awry, the little girl realizes that scribbling isn’t actually a bad thing and can in fact spark joy and wonder, while leading to beautiful masterpieces.
Shop Now on Amazon