Books for Babies

How To Choose The Best Picture Books For Babies

From Birth to 18 Months

There are hundreds of picture books for little ones in print but I discovered when my sons were small that many are poorly written and/or just not very interesting, either for the babies themselves or for the adults who read them.

So how do you choose the best books for your baby?

I've also put together this list of the Top 10 Very Best Books for Babies.

These books are a great place to begin if you're just starting to read to your baby. They're guaranteed to delight you both and to encourage your little one to love reading.

If you read them regularly and in the right way you'll be laying the foundations for your child to learn to read easily, naturally and probably at an earlier age than you'd expect.

My 4 Top Tips For Choosing Books For Babies

When he's very little, a few well-chosen books are probably enough but keep a look out for new books when you're out and about so that you can add to your baby's library as he grows.

1. the most important thing to remember is the three Rs - rhyme, rhythmic language and repetition.

   Babies of all ages (even newborns) love books that feature this kind of language and it's actually really important that they hear it as it helps them develop phonological awareness, an important skill for learning to read.

   This is why nursery rhymes and poems are great for to share with babies and why so many books for small children - like the gorgeous Hairy MacLary books - are written in rhyme.

   Same goes for the Dr Seuss books. Those silly rhymes are not an accident. They actually help children develop an understanding of how language works.

2. for babies past the newborn stage, look for books which also feature simple, brightly-coloured pictures of animals (try, The Very Hungry Caterpillar), children or the things children see every day - toys, cars, people and so on


3. books which come in a board book edition are also great because they'll stand up to lots of handling and chewing!


4. books that have something for your baby to do – textures to stroke, a flap to lift and so on - are fun as your baby grows

• picture books about animals
• Australian-themed picture books
• 1-2-3 books
• board books
• bedtime stories about going to bed
• nursery rhymes

My sister with my son Oliver when he was 15 months old

Where To Find Books For Babies

• your local library - usually a great range and it's free!


• department stores and variety stores - convenient and the books are often cheap but the range is often limited and the staff may not be very knowledgeable.


• independent bookshops or specialist children's bookshops - the staff are knowledgeable and helpful but the books can be expensive.


• online book stores - you have to wait a few days for your books but they usually have a wide range at cheap prices and shopping online is, of course, very convenient. Plus The Book Depository offers free postage anywhere in the world!


• op shops and charity shops - for only a few dollars you can pick up a stack of books and feel good about doing it - after all, you're making a donation to charity and you're recycling.

  The books may be a bit the worse for wear but who cares? - certainly your baby won't and you don't have to worry if he or she rips a page of chews off a corner of the book!





---


Return from Books for Babies to Best Books for Kids home



Copyright © 2010-2012 Best-Books-for-Kids.com - disclaimer - privacy policy