Books for Babies & Toddlers

A selection of books with content and imagery intended to appeal to your young one and help development. For more guidelines, view our printable pamphlet.

Updated November 7, 2024
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1

Bunnies on the bus
Ardagh, Philip
Paper Book
A romping, riotous read-aloud from best-selling author Philip Ardagh and award-winning illustrator Ben Mantle Bunnies on the bus! Bunnies on the bus! No wonder there's a fuss about the bunnies on the bus! There are...

2

B is for baby
Atinuke
Paper Book
Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank, creators of the award-winning Baby Goes to Market, pair up again for a bright and beautiful first book of words. B is for Baby. B is for Brother. B is for going to see Baba! One morning after breakfast, Baby...

3

Baby goes to market
Atinuke
Paper Book
Join Baby and his doting mama at a bustling southwest Nigerian marketplace for a bright, bouncy read-aloud offering a gentle introduction to numbers. Market is very crowded. Mama is very busy. Baby is very curious. When Baby and Mama...

4

The very busy spider
Carle, Eric.
Paper Book
A VERY classic from Eric Carle, creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Early one morning a little spider spins her web on a fence post. One by one, the animals of the nearby farm try to distract her, yet the busy little spider keeps diligently at her work. When she is done...

5

Señor Pancho had a rancho
Colato Laínez, René.
Paper Book
When it comes to having fun, everyone speaks the same language! "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" goes multicultural in this rollicking Spanish-English rendition. An abundance of onomatopoeia and tongue-twisters encourages children to laugh and sing along. The colorful...

6

Stick
Dickson, Irene
Paper Book
A boy and his dog set off to play together one sunny day, taking nothing with them but a good stick. There are so many things you can do with a stick, especially if you use your imagination. You can throw it, balance with it, float it down a stream, and draw pictures in the sand. It might even help...

7

Hello, baby! :
Fox, Mem
Paper Book
After meeting a bevy of baby animals-- including a clever monkey, a sleepy leopard, and a dusty lion cub--the baby in this story discovers the most precious creature of all . . . itself, of course! With an exuberant rhyming text by bestselling author Mem Fox and adorable cut-paper illustrations by...

8

Mine, mine, mine, yours!
Gee, Kimberly
Paper Book
The best playdates include sharing! Clever opposites narrate a busy toddler playdate full of playing, taking turns, sharing and more, in this charming companion to Up, Up, Up, Down! From the moment his friends arrive, this energetic boy and his dad are ready for a day full...

9

Red house, brown mouse
Godwin, Jane
Paper Book
*A Children's Book Committee Best Board Book of the Year* A bit Each Peach Pear Plum, a bit All the World, this acclaimed read-aloud celebrates colors, counting, and more. Deceptively simple yet packed with delights and now perfectly sized for babies and toddlers, it's...

10

I hear a pickle : (and smell, see, touch, and taste it, too!)
Isadora, Rachel
Paper Book
* "Isadora's book about the five senses is aimed perfectly at another sense-kids' sense of humor."-The Horn Book, starred review Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora's sweet and simple introduction to the five senses is perfect for the youngest children, who will...

11

Peekaboo morning
Isadora, Rachel.
Paper Book
A toddler plays a game of peekaboo, and you're invited to play too. First there's Mommy to find, with Daddy not far behind. Then Puppy comes peeking around the corner, and a favorite toy train brings the toddler to Grandma and Grandpa. Isadora's brilliant, joyful pastel illustrations capture the...

12

Move!
Jenkins, Steve
Paper Book
Animals move! Follow them as they swing, dance, float, leap, and slide from page to page, then learn why these animals move the way they do, from the jumping spider who dances to impress and then floats away on a thread of silk, to the roadrunner who flies, but not too far, and would rather run to...

13

Up cat, down cat
Light, Steve
Paper Book
From the creator of the celebrated Black Bird Yellow Sun comes another bold and beautiful concept book, this time playing with opposites and reversals. Black cat. White cat. One is long, stretching out, and the other is short, crouching. When both...

14

Lola gets a cat
McQuinn, Anna
Paper Book
In this Lola Reads picture book, Lola learns about caring for a pet in this simple and sweet story about welcoming a new kitty. Lola wants a cat, but Mommy says taking care of a pet is a lot of work. So Lola does her homework. At the library she finds books about cats and pet...

15

Everywhere babies
Meyers, Susan.
Paper Book
With an irresistible rhyming text and delightfully endearing illustrations, here is an exuberant celebration of playing, sleeping, crawling, and of course, very noisy babies doing all the wonderful things babies do best. Every day, everywhere, babies are born. They're kissed and dressed...

16

The opposite zoo
Na, Il Sung
Paper Book
From the creator of A Book of Sleep and A Book of Babies comes a beautiful new book of animals--and opposites!   The sky is dark and the Opposite Zoo is CLOSED. But the monkey's cage is OPEN! Time to explore. . .   Follow the monkey as he visits...

17

A book of sleep
Na, Il Sung.
Paper Book
When the sky grows dark and the moon glows bright, everyone goes to sleep . . . except for the watchful owl! With a spare, soothing text and beautifully rich and textured illustrations of a starry night, this is the perfect “book of sleep.” Join the...

18

Puppy truck
Pinkney, J. Brian
Paper Book
A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019! Find out what happens when a boy who wants a puppy gets a truck instead in this simple and sweet picture book from Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkney. Vroom...beep...bark! Carter...

19

All the world
Scanlon, Elizabeth Garton.
Paper Book
All the world is here. It is there. It is everywhere. All the world is right where you are. Now. Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till night, this book affirms the importance of all...

20

The wheels on the tuk tuk
Sehgal, Kabir
Paper Book
From the mother-son duo behind the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings comes a zany picture book about a wild ride on a tuk tuk taxi in India! This picture book brings an international twist to the beloved nursery rhyme, The Wheels on the Bus, by...

21

Sheep in a jeep
Shaw, Nancy
Paper Book
"A rollicking, simple story that never loses its bounce" --Boston Globe Here they come, a flock of rollicking sheep in their sturdy red jeep. Will their outing be a success? Jeep goes splash! Jeep goes thud! Jeep goes deep in gooey mud! Here is a lively, funny tale,...

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