Hellobee

We’ve been talking a lot about reading to our little ones, so I thought it would be fun if I put together some lists of my favorite books broken down by age/category.

First up, board books!

As you can imagine, I have a LOT of favorite books (I know, the word favorite  means the exact opposite a LOT, but you know…), so here is a sample of some the board books I love, geared mostly toward the infant set:

1. There are several in this That’s Not My… series and they all offer lots of different textures as the mouse looks for his puppy (or penguin or monkey or what have you). The words also describe the texture which is great way to expose your little one to different vocabulary even at this early age!

2. Where is the Green Sheep? is one of my favorite, favorite children’s books. Typically, I’m not a huge fan of board books that were originally published as hardcover/softcover. The text is usually meant for a slightly older audience; being turned into a board book often condenses the pictures and makes them overly busy, and the intricacies of the picture becomes lost. For example, I adore Jan Brett’s books, but I’m not a fan of them turned into board books because the shrunken and condensed pictures make it hard to appreciate the tiny details she puts into each page and border. Anyway, Where is the Green Sheep?  by another favorite author, Mem Fox, has delightfully playful language and adorable pictures that are appropriate for infants. The story is simple and easy to understand and it also teaches some opposites. This book is still one of Lil’ CB’s favorites and he can “read” a lot of it on his own. He has loved it since the first time I read it to him and his understanding of and interaction with the book grows each time.

3. I love board books with real photographs. These Peekaboo books from DK publishing have clear, close-up photographs on plain white backgrounds. The photos are easy for babies to focus on, and the peekaboo flaps are easy-to-lift. Plus, the peekaboo photos also have different textures — so many kinds of fun!

4. Peek-A-Who is such a fun book and I have yet to meet a baby that doesn’t love it! The fun surprise (a mirror!) at the end makes it extra special, and an almost guarantee for giggles!

5. This little finger puppet book *cracked* Lil’ CB up. The puppy is so cute and the finger puppet feature is fun for little ones to touch and interact with. There are several other animals in the series, too!

6. Again, I find that real photographs are so interesting for babies (and their grown-ups!) to look at. These books from the Parenting magazine publishers are fantastic and educational, too. Lil’ CB loved the Patterns and Colors books and sometimes still likes to look through them, naming the different animals and colors and patterns. Sadly, these books don’t seem to be in print anymore, but you can sometimes find them at bookstores.

7. The collages in I Like Fruit are not only beautiful, but they are also full of interesting textures. Lots of fun for little ones to touch and feel and interact with!

8. Where is Baby’s Belly Button? – Karen Katz writes some beautiful board books. Her illustrations are bright and colorful, but not overly busy. I love (almost) all of her board books! (Her potty training one leaves a little to be desired…) Katz has some great lift-the-flap books like this one with sturdy and easy-to-lift flaps that are perfect for little hands. Plus, what baby doesn’t love find her belly button?

In a nutshell, I love board books that have relatively simple and clear illustrations or photographs that are easy for infants to focus on. I also like them to have simple text that isn’t too wordy. While infants won’t be able to fully comprehend the text, simple storylines or repeated phrases can be helpful in building vocabulary while keeping the reading fun and moving and not drawn out. Interactive components, such as flaps to lift or textures to feel, are added bonuses!

What are some of your or your LO’s favorite board books?