50 Essential Books for Babies

These are the books from our collection that were Tommy's favorites as a baby.  I've subdivided the list...because it's the sort of thing that I do.  Many of the books would fit in more than one category, but it should give you some idea of the types of books that are best for babies.  I thought some of you might find it helpful if you have a baby of your own or if you are buying gifts for a newborn.  

First stories with plot...

  1. Alborough, Jez -- Hug!
  2. Carle, Eric -- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  3. Galdone, Paul -- Three Little Kittens
  4. Taback, Simms -- Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
  5. Wolff, Ashley -- Me Baby, You Baby

Rhythmic Language...

  1. Degan, Bruce -- Jamberry
  2. Fleming, Denise -- In the Tall, Tall Grass
  3. Lear, Edward -- The Owl and the Pussycat (illus. Jan Brett)
  4. Meyers, Susan -- Everywhere Babies
  5. Van Laan, Nancy -- Tickle Tum!

Bedtime...

  1. Boynton, Sandra -- Pajama Time
  2. Brown, Margaret Wise -- Goodnight Moon
  3. Katz, Karen -- Counting Kisses
  4. Lee, Spike -- Please Baby Please
  5. Lewis, Kevin -- Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo

Identification/concepts...

  1. Boynton, Sandra -- Opposites
  2. Ehlert, Lois -- Eating the Alphabet 
  3. Feming, Denise -- The Everything Book
  4. Priddy, Roger -- My Big Animal Book
  5. Stickland, Paul -- Dinosaur Roar

Animals...

  1. Butler, John -- Whose Baby Am I?
  2. Butler, John -- Can You Cuddle Like a Koala?
  3. Martin, Bill -- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
  4. Martin, Bill -- Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear? (bb)
  5. Marzollo, Jean -- Mama, Mama & Papa, Papa 

Touchy-Feely Books (not for book eating or book tearing babies)...

  1. Dorling Kindersley Publishing -- Touch and Feel Wild Animals
  2. Hill, Eric -- Where's Spot?
  3. Hood, Susan -- Peekaboo Zoo
  4. Kunhardt, Dorothy -- Pat the Bunny
  5. Van Fleet, Matthew -- Tails

Counting

  1. Fleming, Denise -- Count!
  2. Gerth, Melanie -- Ten Little Lady Bugs
  3. Priddy, Roger -- Counting Colors
  4. Wood, Audrey -- Piggies
  5. Yaccarino, Dan -- Five Little Pumpkins

Songs

  1. Boynton, Sandra -- Snuggle Puppy
  2. Frazee, Marla -- Hush Little Baby (traditional lyrics)
  3. Gershwin, George -- Summertime: From Porgy and Bess
  4. Long, Sylvia -- Hush Little Baby (new lyrics)
  5. Long, Sylvia -- Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Onomatopoeia

  1. Fleming, Denise -- Barnyard Banter
  2. London, Jonathan -- Crunch Munch
  3. London, Jonathan -- Wiggle Waggle
  4. O'Connell, Rebecca -- The Baby Goes Beep
  5. Stanley, Mandy -- What do you say?

Mother Goose & Manners  (Yeah.  I know this isn't really a category.)

  1. Opie, Iona Archibald -- My Very First Mother Goose (illus: Rosemary Wells)
  2. Opie, Iona Archibald -- Here Comes Mother Goose (illus. Rosemary Wells)
  3. Yolen, Jane -- How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
  4. Yolen, Jane -- How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? 
  5. Yolen, Jane -- How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? 

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