Books for Babies

Early experiences with books and language lay the foundation for success in learning to read. You can help build reading readiness. Talk, sing, read, write and play with your child - all of these activities help to develop language and literacy skills. Use this list of recommended stories to celebrate the joy of reading with your child.

Updated March 28, 2024
W
Winnipeg Public Library
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Bed! Bed! Bed!
Florian, Douglas
Paper Book
Lead kids through their wind-down routine as they get ready for Bed! Bed! Bed!, the latest board book in the popular series for toddlers! Sweet dreams fill your head! head! head! In your cozy bed! bed! bed! Bright smiles and enthusiastic kids...
Remember
Harjo, Joy
Paper Book
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER * AN AMERICAN INDIAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HONOR BOOK * A BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK HONOR AWARD * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library Journal * Publishers Weekly * The Horn Book * NPR * The Bulletin *...
My Little Ogichidaa : An Indigenous Lullaby
Poll, Willie/ Pichette, Hawlii (ILT)
Paper Book
My Little Ogichidaa is inspired by Indigenous motherhood. It invites readers to explore the compelling dreams and hopes of an Indigenous parent for her soon-to-be-born warrior. The word Ogichidaa itself means warrior in Anishinaabemowin, and this beautifully illustrated book is a tribute to...
Hello, hands!
Khalil, Aya
Paper Book
Books made for the very youngest of readers! Hello, waving hands! From saying hello to playing peekaboo, from gripping toys to blowing kisses, join baby in discovering what tiny hands can do. High-contrast designs and photographs engage infants...
You are new
Knisley, Lucy
Paper Book
A sweet look at the first year of a baby's life from bestselling author Lucy Knisley--now in board book format! A world of being new is waiting for little ones and the grown-ups who love them in this warm and funny book. From napping to crying to cuddling to playing...
Hello, baby : say hello in 15 languages!
Stilwell, Stephani
Paper Book
This adorable, photo-filled board book will teach toddlers how to say "hello" in fifteen of the world's most spoken languages. Selected as a 2024 Best Books for Babies by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh! Hola! Ni Hao! Marhaba! Bonjour! Say hello in...
Leo at the park
McQuinn, Anna
Paper Book
Leo, Lola's little brother, is back with a fun-filled day with Mom at the park! A perfect everyday read-aloud for little ones, this playful spin-off of the best-selling Lola Reads series is sure to delight. Leo is hot hot hot! So he and Mommy head to the park to cool...
The nose, toes, and tummy book
Nicholls, Sally
Paper Book
What happens when you press my nose? Can you tell a stinky foot from a sweet one? Join in and play silly games as families name the different parts of the body. "Humorous play throughout ends with the featured child being told 'Good Night!' Good...
I already love you
Perlman, Willa
Paper Book
From wiggly toes to sweet, sparkling eyes, this heartfelt board book radiates with the love a parent feels for every part of their child. I already love your fingers. They will curl around mine to say, "hello, I'm here." This board...
Nibi is water = Nibi aawon nbiish
Robertson, Joanne
Paper Book
A first conversation about the importance of Nibi, which means water in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), and our role to thank, respect, love, and protect it. Babies and toddlers can follow Nibi as it rains and snows, splashes or rows, drips and sips. Written from an Anishinaabe water protector's...
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 Classic Board Book about a wild ride on a tuk tuk taxi in India! In this international twist to the beloved nursery rhyme, "The Wheels on the Bus," anything can happen...
Rock-a-bye romp
Ashman, Linda
Paper Book
Turning a beloved lullaby on its head, this wonderful read-aloud pairs playful text and enchanting paintings to create a rollicking escapade with a clever premise and a cozy conclusion. 'Rock-a-bye, Baby, in the treetop. How did you ever get so high up?' That's a good...
Babymoon
Barrett, Hayley
Paper Book
In a perfect gift for new and expectant parents (and siblings), a gentle story pays tribute to the wonder and emotion of a family's first quiet days with a newborn. The house is hushed. The lights are low. We're basking in a newborn glow. Inside...
Love you head to toe
Barron, Ashley
Paper Book
Pairing creative rhyming similes with cut-paper collage art, Love You Head to Toeis an adorable book that compares newborn babies to baby animals on every page. Bright, playful illustrations show a different baby and a different species of animal, both engaged in similar behavior: babies...
Canadian author.
King Baby
Beaton, Kate
Paper Book
A laugh-out-loud picture book with royal appeal! All hail King Baby! He greets his adoring public with giggles and wiggles and coos, posing for photos and allowing hugs and kisses. But this royal ruler also has many demands, and when his subjects can't quite keep up, King Baby takes...
Canadian author.
Sugar pie lullaby : the soul of Motown in a song of love
Weatherford, Carole Boston
Paper Book
Celebrate family love with this heartwarming and soulful bedtime book perfect for toddlers 1-3 from the 2025-2026 Young People's Poet Laureate! Shoo-be-do-wop along with your little one as you introduce them to the legendary music of the Motown era. Heartfelt text and whimsical...
Shhh! The baby's asleep
Brown-Wood, JaNay
Paper Book
Celebrate the silliness that comes with a big family in this playful read aloud about a big brother, a sleeping baby, and a very noisy family. Baby is finally asleep. But everyone is much too loud! Can Mom, Daddy, Grammy, Pop Pop, Shae, Dante, Rover the dog, and even the...
Love
de la Pen?a, Matt
Paper Book
#1NEW YORK TIMESBESTSELLER " A poetic reckoning of the importance of love in a child's life . . . eloquent and moving."-People "Everything that can be called love -- from shared joy to comfort in the darkness -- is gathered in the pages of this...
Here we are : notes for living on planet Earth
Jeffers, Oliver
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestseller A TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year A NPR Best Book of 2017 A Boston Globe Best Book of 2017 "Moments of human intimacy jostle with scenes that inspire cosmic awe, and the broad diversity of...
Nous sommes là : notes concernant la vie sur la planète Terre
Jeffers, Oliver
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestseller A TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year A NPR Best Book of 2017 A Boston Globe Best Book of 2017 "Moments of human intimacy jostle with scenes that inspire cosmic awe, and the broad diversity of...
That's me loving you
Rosenthal, Amy Krouse
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Uni the Unicorn comes a tender, emotional picture book promising a love that will never end. The perfect way to show your love to your little one this Valentine's Day.   Wherever you are, ...
Hush, little rocket
O'Hara, Mo
Paper Book
Bedtime goes out of this world with Hush, Little Rocket, a new picture book by New York Times-bestselling author Mo O'Hara! Hush, Little Rocket, don't make a bleep. We're heading home now, it's time to sleep. At the end of a very...

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