25 Must-Have Books for Baby Bookworms

Bookworm weighs in on must-have books for your children in Little Hearts’ How to Build a Home Library for Bookworms from Tots to Teens series. Check out 25 Must-Have Books for Toddler Bookworms and 25 Must-Have Books for Preschool Bookworms, and watch for 25 Must-Have Books for Early Elementary Bookworms, 25 Must-Have Books for Tween Bookworms, 25 Must-Have Books for Teen Bookworms, and 25 Must-Have Books for Young Adult Bookworms in the coming weeks as well as literacy tips, book activities, and book nook ideas!

1.)
‘A’ You’re Adorable by Martha Alexander

This sweet alphabet board book is based on a song popularized by Perry Como in the 1940’s.

Preview:

A, you‘re adorable; B, you’re so beautiful; C, you’re a cutie full of charms; D, you’re a darling; and E, you’re exciting; and F, you’re a feather in my arms; G, you look good to me; H, you’re so heavenly…

 

2.)
You’re My Little Lovebug by Heidi R. Weimer

My own little lovebug adores this book with its catchy and silly rhymes and sweet message.

Preview:

You’re my little lovebug/My cuddly kangaroo/My funny bunny sweet as honey/All of this is true…

 

 

 

3.)
You Are My I Love You by Maryann K. Cusimano

This is one of my all-time favorites with its gentle cadence and touching rhymes.

Preview:

I am your parent; You are my child / I am your quiet place; You are my wild / I am your calm face; You are my giggle / I am your wait; You are my wiggle…

 

 

 

4.)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

This iconic book from the 1960’s offers an energetic, rhythmic introduction to colors and animals in a unique collage of tissue-paper art.

Preview:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? I see a Red Bird looking at me. Red bird, Red bird, what do you see? I see a Yellow Duck looking at me…

 

 

5.)
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

With artwork as sweet and mellow as its gently humorous message, this is one of the best bedtime books I’ve ever read to my little ones.

Preview:

Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare’s very long ears. He wanted to be sure that Big Nutbrown Hare was listening. “Guess how much I love you,” he said…

 

6.)
I Love You As Much… by Laura Krauss Melmed

The gorgeous illustrations of mother animals with their babies are enough to make this book a keeper, but the lilting lullaby quality of the wording make it a lovely and thoughtful baby shower gift, as well!

Preview:

Said the mother camel to her child, “I love you as much as the desert is dry”. Said the mother goose to her child, “I love you as much as the endless blue sky”…

 

7.)
I Couldn’t Love You More by Jason Ingram

Written by singer/songwriter Jason Ingram for his unborn son diagnosed with a serious heart defect, this gorgeously illustrated book is based on the words to a touching and lovely lullaby your little ones will enjoy cuddling up to again and again.

Preview:

I couldn’t love you more. But Somebody does. In the night, He is with you. At morning’s light, He is with you. Do not fear…

 

8.)
Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee

Not only is the artwork in this book heart-meltingly adorable, but this little person getting into one thing after another with her natural curiosity and playful demeanor are so, so, so real that mamas and daddies everywhere will be grinning and nodding their heads while reading this to their own adorable little explorers.

Preview:

Go back to bed, please, baby, please. Not on your head, baby, baby, baby, please…

 

9.)
Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton

This is a cute little rhyming board book that will make your little one giggle while introducing them to animal sounds (Although, if you want to be strictly literal, pigs don’t actually say, “La, la, la,” in case there was any confusion 🙂 )

Preview:

The cow says MOO! The sheep says BAA! Three singing pigs say LA LA LA…

 

10.)
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish by Dr Seuss

Always one of my children’s first Dr. Seuss favorites with its fun and silly rhymes, lively cadence, and engagingly colorful illustrations!

Preview:

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Black fish, blue fish, old fish, new fish. This one has a little star. This one has a little car. Say! What a lot of fish there are…

 

 

11.)

Whose Baby Am I? by John Butler

These baby animal illustrations by top wildlife artist John Butler are beyond adorable! And while sharing this sweet little book with your baby, you’ll be introducing the concept of which animal babies belong with which mothers. So, so cute!

Preview:

Whose baby am I? I am an owl baby! Whose baby am I? I am a koala baby…

 

12.)
Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children

My baby loves looking at pictures of other babies, and this book with its gorgeous photos of babies from around the world kept her riveted. I loved the many cultures and ethnicities represented along with the message of sameness in the midst of our differences.

Preview:

Wherever they live, wherever they go, whatever they where, whatever they feel…

 

13.)
Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig

A cute little board book with a lively rhythm and musical rhymes that will have your little ones dancing along with the beat!

Preview:

Ladybugs are dancing on tippety feet! Tippety! Tippety! Happy feet! Stompity! Stompity! Big grey feet! Who is dancing that stompity beat? Elephant is dancing on stompity feet…

 

14.)
Baby’s First Bible by Colin and Moira MacLean

This cute and colorful board book introduces little ones to Bible stories in simple rhymes, verses, and engaging illustrations. One of my children’s favorites!

Preview:

Flowers and tress, the sun way up high, fish in the ocean, birds that can fly! All kinds of creatures, big ones and small, with Adam and Eve taking care of them all…

 

15.)
Babies on the Bus by Karen Katz

This is a cute way to introduce babies to the many beautiful colors people come in around the world while entertaining them with the classic children’s song ‘Wheels on the Bus.’

Preview:

The babies on the bus sing, “La, la, la. La, la, la. La, la, la.” The babies on the bus sing, “La, la, la.” All through the town. The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round…

 

16.)
ABC Baby Me! by Susan B. Katz

This little board book isn’t the least bit boring with its gentle rhythm and sweet artwork that also introduces little ones to the alphabet!

Preview:

Adore me. Bathe me. Cuddle me, too. Diaper me. Encourage me. Fix my boo-boo…

 

17.)
Peek-a-boo Forest by Lamaze Books

What baby doesn’t love peek-a-boo? This adorable cloth book combines a baby’s love for peek-a-boo with cute little rhythms and rhymes…win-win!

Preview:

Who is sleeping deep down there? Peek-a-boo! It’s the bear!

 

18.)
Kitten Tails by Jellycat

This is a brilliant cloth book for little bookworms who enjoy munching on books as much as they enjoy you reading them!

Preview:

Wrinkly tail, Smooth tail, Furry tail, Skinny tail…

 

 

 

19.)
Haiku Baby by Betsy E. Snyder

This small book with its simple illustrations of birds and animals, sunshine and snowflakes, will capture your little ones’ interest as you read them one delightful haiku after another.

Preview:

In tickley-toe grass,
a buttercup offers up
yellow nose kisses

 

20.)
Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger? by Betsy E. Snyder

This adorable little interactive board book invites little ones to touch and poke and tickle their way through a jungle of cute animals and silly rhymes.

Preview:

Have you ever fluffed an ostrich? Say “coochie-coo” when you tickle her wing-it’s a fluffy, puffy, feathery thing…

 

21.)
Dancing with Degas by Julie Merberg

Lovely in form and flowing with poetry that honors the spirit of Degas, this small book moves with the cadence of the dancers as they plie and pirouette through painting after painting.

Preview:

Stretching legs and pointing toes, practice makes perfect for each pretty pose. The teacher counts 1, 2, 3, 4, and dancers spin across the floor…

 

22.)
In the Garden with Van Gogh by Julie Merberg

In poetic form that is a little dreamy, a little staccato, just like Van Gogh’s distinctive painting style, this little board book captures the essence of this eclectic and earthy artist beautifully.

Preview:

Plant and pick, sow and reap, all things that grow need time for sleep, in the quiet light of a starry night…

 

23.)
On an Island with Gauguin by Julie Merberg

I absolutely love this introduction to the art of Gauguin with its rhythmic pacing and lyrical poetry that weaves the spirit of Gauguin’s paintings into words. So, so beautiful!

Preview:

On an island in the warm South Seas, there a village nestled among the trees. Down a bright green path from a small brown hut, a man chops wood while peacocks strut…

 

24.)
Alice in Wonderland: A Babylit Board Book by Jennifer Adams

Vintage-looking artwork honors the era of this classic Lewis Carroll novel while introducing little ones to the timeless characters, making quirky references to classic scenes, and sharing some color fun along the way.

Preview:

White rabbit (Don’t be late!). Black shoes (Down the rabbit hole!). Purple bottle (Drink me!). Blue caterpillar (Who are you?)…

 

25.)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

In this popular story, a little caterpillar gets bigger and bigger and bigger as he eats his way through the days of the week, introducing numbers, foods, and the life-cycle of a butterfly along the way!

Preview:

In the light of the moon, a little egg lay on a leaf. One Sunday morning the warm sun came up and ‘Pop!’ out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar.  He started to look for some food. On Monday, he ate through one apple. But he was still hungry…

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don’t forget to check out 25 Must-Have Books for Toddler Bookworms and 25 Must-Have Books for Preschool Bookworms!

Here are my two youngest playing with bookworms they made from super long ‘rocket’ balloons. ♥

If you’re looking for baby shower ideas or new arrival gifts, how about a gift basket with a set of starter library books! Click on the pictures below to check out some links with more awesome ideas:

 

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If you give a toddler a book

He’ll climb into your lap

While he’s in your lap

He might lay his head on your chest

When he lays his head on your chest

He’ll hear your heartbeat

When he hears your heartbeat

He’ll probably ask if you can hear… If You Give A Toddler A Book…

Award-winnning author, L.R.Knost, is the founder and director of the children's rights advocacy and family consulting group, Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources, and Editor-in-Chief of Holistic Parenting Magazine. Books by L.R.Knost include Whispers Through Time: Communication Through the Ages and Stages of Childhood ; Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages ; The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline ; and Jesus, the Gentle Parent: Gentle Christian Parenting the first four books in the Little Hearts Handbook gentle parenting series, and children’s picture books Petey’s Listening Ears and the soon-to-be-released Grumpykins series.