Books for Babies and Toddlers

Reading to babies and young toddlers is a great way to kickstart their early literacy and early learning. At this stage, pick books that engage babies and toddler with interactive elements, bright colours and simple language. Pick books with things to touch and feel, things to lift and turn, bright colours with lots of contrast, simple rhymes and fewer words. This list has a variety of books to capture the attention of babies and toddler.

Updated May 29, 2025
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Never Touch a Porcupine
Greening, Rosie.
Paper Book
You must never touch a porcupine . . . unless it's in this book! This adorable touch-and-feel board book is great for children of all ages and fits perfectly into tiny hands. Kids will love reading the silly rhymes that warn the dangers of touching the woodland animals--and then ignoring the...
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?
Martin, Bill
Paper Book
With more than two million copies sold, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? has opened up a world of learning to a generation of children. For this edition, created for the twenty-fifth anniversay in 1992, Bill Martin, Jr., restored his text to its original wording. And Eric Carle...
Your nose! : a wild little love song
Boynton, Sandra.
Paper Book
You can tell everybody I told you so. It's the greatest little nose I know. Starring a little fox child and a big fox parent, here's a loving ode to terrific noses of all kinds. Your Nose! is a year-round valentine in the tradition...
Plant the tiny seed
Matheson, Christie.
Paper Book
Just as she did in Tap the Magic Tree and Touch the Brightest Star, Christie Matheson combines the wonder of the natural world with the interactivity of reading. Children engage with the book as they wiggle their fingers to water the seeds, clap to make the sun shine after rain, and...
Dear zoo : a lift-the-flap book
Campbell, Rod
Paper Book
Rod Campbell's classic lift-the-flap book Dear Zoo has been a firm favorite with toddlers and parents alike ever since it was first published in 1982. Young readers love lifting the flaps to discover the animals the zoo has sent--a monkey, a lion, and even an elephant! But...
Learning with Llama Llama : colors
Morrow, J. T.
Paper Book
Anna Dewdney's New York Times bestselling series continues with a new Llama Llama concept board book about understanding colors through food! Llama Llama wants to paint but all he has is his lunch! Join the fun as he gets creative with his meal and makes a portrait of our...
Peck, peck, peck
Cousins, Lucy.
Paper Book
Comical and original, this vivacious picture book from the creator of Maisy features a lovable new character -- and a novelty element that's a hole lot of fun. Today my daddy said to me, "It's time you learned to peck a tree." Little woodpecker has just...
Group hug!
Aggett, Sophie.
Paper Book
Join the snuggling pandas, lemurs, and llamas to celebrate the power of group hugs. Features shaped, peek-through pages to bring the animals together in this adorable rhyming book. Join a snuggly cast of animals from around the world as they share group hugs! Turn the pages to...
A day full of feelings : a book of emotions and opposites
Slater, Nicola.
Paper Book
New in the Beginning Baby board book series: Join an adorable group of animal friends for a day at school that's full of feelings! Whether they are sad or glad, shy or excited, the friends know it's important to express their many emotions. Welcome to Beginning Baby...
I love you like yellow
Beaty, Andrea
Paper Book
I love you like yellow. I love you like green. Like flowery orchid and sweet tangerine . . . Love comes in many forms. It can feel tart as lemonade, or sweet as sugar cookies. Slow as a lazy morning, or fast as a relay race. Love is there...
That's not my tractor-- : its engine is too bumpy
Watt, Fiona.
Paper Book
Babies and toddlers will love turning the pages to discover different tractors chugging around the farm in this revamped edition from the best-selling touchy-feely That's not my... series. As well as new tactile textures, there's the familiar little white mouse to spot on every page!
Little Blue Truck's springtime
Schertle, Alice.
Paper Book
Celebrate the beauty of springtime with the #1 New York Times best-selling Little Blue Truck! Beep! Beep! Little Blue Truck is out for a ride with his good friend Toad. The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming--it's a beautiful spring day! Who will they see along the way? ...
Too many carrots
Paper Book
The bestselling picture book that Publisher's Weekly calls "simultaneously sassy and sweet." Rabbit loves carrots and that's a big problem! In this phenomenal bestseller, Rabbit loves carrots a little too much. In fact, his carrots are crowding him out of his cozy burrow. When his friends offer to...
The thank you book
Smith, Danna.
Paper Book
This joyous board book celebrates the different ways we can say thank you to those around us--from hugging a friend to thanking a teacher, to showing gratitude in even bigger ways! Thanking is easy. Thanking is fun. It shows you are grateful when kind things are...
Cranky pug
Blabey, Aaron.
Paper Book
Pig the Pug is back in a silly, simple feelings-themed board book -- with mylar mirror! Perfect for sharing all year long, this board book introduces the littlest Pig the Pug fans to feelings and emotions. Is Pig cranky, happy, or sleepy? Plus, babies and toddlers will love the mylar...
You are light
Becker, Aaron
Paper Book
With a wondrously simple die-cut book, the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of the Journey trilogy brings his talents further into the light. This is the light that brings the day. Open this beautiful book to find a graphic yellow sun surrounded by a halo of...
Big red barn
Brown, Margaret Wise
Paper Book
Margaret Wise Brown's simple, rhythmic text about the cycle of a day on a farm, where a family of animals peacefully plays and sleeps, has charmed generations of children. As in her classic Goodnight Moon, Brown engages children and helps settle them down for sleep as they follow along...
Duck & Goose, how are you feeling?
Hills, Tad.
Paper Book
Duck and Goose help toddlers learn about their feelings in this fun and playful board book! Now an animated series, available to stream on Apple TV+! Duck and Goose are back in their third board book appearance. All the favorite characters, including Bluebird and Thistle,...
Puddle song
Salas, Laura Purdie.
Paper Book
This poetic board book takes a puddle's point of view, calling children to delight in their senses.There is something about the smooth surface of a puddle that beckons to children to disturb it--they want to see how the water splashes upward, to feel the droplets on their skin. This poetic,...
We sang you home
Van Camp, Richard.
Paper Book
A celebration of the bond between parent and child, this is the perfect song to share with your little ones. In this sweet and lyrical picture book from the creators of the bestselling Little You, gentle rhythmic text captures the wonder new parents feel as they welcome baby into the...
That's not my fire engine...
Watt, Fiona.
Paper Book
Turn the pages to discover the fire trucks with their bumpy doors, squashy wheels and sparkly lights as they speed through the pages of this sturdy board book. Babies and toddlers will delight in the bold illustrations and touching the fuzzy, furry, smooth and soft fabric...
Music
McDonald, Jill
Paper Book
Learn from home and explore the world with these fun and easy board books! Every young child loves to listen to music, bang on drums, and pound the keys of a piano. Now here's a Hello, World! board book that can teach babies and toddlers all about musical instruments and the...

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