Babies and Toddlers

Even before they can speak and read, babies and toddlers collect words. Reading stories helps build their language skills. Illustrations in books help babies to recognize simple objects in their world. Here’s some things to look for in books for babies and toddlers:

Books with repetition of sounds and words, books that are designed for small hands, books of nursery rhymes, lullabies, and songs, sturdy books that will stand up to being chewed, smashed, or covered in mushed banana, books with simple, uncluttered illustrations of familiar shapes, books that have interactive elements like holes for fingers, opening doors, and peek holes.


Updated April 29, 2026
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Baby loves the five senses. Taste!
Spiro, Ruth
Paper Book
Big, brainy science for the littlest listeners. Accurate enough for experts, yet simple enough for baby, this clever board book explores the science of taste. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby's sense of wonder....
Bathtime mathtime
Mckellar, Danica
Paper Book
Learn at home with help from The Wonder Years/Hallmark actress, math whiz, and New York Times bestselling author Danica McKellar using her acclaimed McKellar Math books! Bathtime will be squeaky clean and sneaky smart fun in this original board book that gives your toddler a head...
Where do steam trains sleep at night?
Sayres, Brianna Caplan
Paper Book
Take the train to dreamland with this board book version of the chugging bedtime tale, the perfect companion to Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? and Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night? Have you ever wondered what little trains do when it's time for bed? Same things...
Baby loves the five senses. Touch!
Spiro, Ruth
Paper Book
Big, brainy science for the littlest listeners. Accurate enough for experts, yet simple enough for baby, this clever board book explores the science of touch. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby's sense of wonder....
Baby loves the five senses. Smell!
Spiro, Ruth
Paper Book
From the duo behind the wildly popular Baby Loves Science series comes a spinoff perfect for little scientists discovering their own amazing powers- Baby Loves the Five Senses! Accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for baby, this book explores the world of smell...
1234 cake!
Wright, Caroline
Paper Book
Counting to ten and learning to bake is a piece of cake with this cake-themed counting book that features a kid-friendly recipe! Practicing our numbers, starting with one, makes baking a cake even more fun! Little bakers everywhere will love counting all the...
Our favorite apples
Lin, Grace
Paper Book
A perfect apple picking adventure from Caldecott Honor winner Grace Lin sure to delight prereaders and preschoolers alike. This fall-ready favorite celebrates autumn fun and that math is for every kid introducing the concept of sorting by color after a day at the orchard. ...
Baby loves the five senses : hearing!
Spiro, Ruth
Paper Book
From the duo behind the Baby Loves Science series comes a STEM first concepts spinoff perfect for little scientists discovering their own amazing powers! Accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for baby, this book explores the world of sound-what it is, how...
After it rains : a counting book
Schwartz, Joanne
Paper Book
A bright, collage-style board book about all of the wonderful things you can do after a rainfall, from the author of Town is By the Sea & illustrator of Atlantic Animal ABC. Once the rain stops, what is there to do but go outside and explore your newly wet and...
Baby loves the five senses Sight!
Spiro, Ruth
Paper Book
Big, brainy science for the littlest listeners. Baby loves the five senses! Accurate enough for experts, yet simple enough for baby, this clever board book explores the science of vision, light, and color. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate...
Maisy explores : a first words book
Cousins, Lucy
Paper Book
Learning is more fun with Maisy! The themed pages in this bright tabbed board book include key words to help introduce little ones to the world of science. Come along as Maisy explores the world around her! Each spread is themed around a different early science concept: weather,...
Ten little trains : a counting storybook
Sobotka, Amanda
Paper Book
Count along with Ten Little Train Engines and watch as they disappear! Ten little trains on the railroad line, one chugged away and then there were...nine! Learning to count has never been more fun. This unique board book counts from ten little trains all the way down...
From seed to pumpkin
McDonald, Jill
Paper Book
Kids can learn all about how pumpkins grow in this cheerful and informative board book-with colours, shapes, sizes, and super-simple facts. ("Prize-winning pumpkins can weigh as much as a rhinoceros!") Told in easy-to-understand terms alongside bright illustrations of seeds, sprouts,...
Dozer, excavator, mixer & more!
Holub, Joan
Paper Book
From the author of the bestselling This Little series comes the second board book about the science behind everyday things--this one about big vehicles at the construction site! Join the construction crew and learn how big vehicles work and about the inventors behind them through...

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