Our Favorite Baby Board Books
When I was pregnant, I started stocking up on all of the typical board books and all of the ones on the recommended Amazon pages, the ones you see in other family’s homes and the titles that we’ve all known from our own childhoods. But Vaila was so generously gifted a bunch of books (WE LOVE BOOKS!!!) from friends and family and some of them have become my favorites to read to her.
Whether you’re expecting or you’re looking for a great, chewable, sturdy and thoughtful gift, I want to share our favorite baby board books with all of you!
01. Little Feminist Board Book Set, Lydia Ortiz (Illustrator) and Emily Kleinman (Author)
Indira Gandhi led a nation and showed that girls are powerful.
This set is great because the books are small and the pages are thick (there’s only about 4 pages per book). The set covers Little Feminist pioneers, artists, leaders and activists. They were super easy for Vaila to hold really early on, she loves chewing on them and it’s just early exposure to written words and fun illustrated role models! Even at 10 months we often can’t read a book for more than 3-4 pages so we can cover a whole one of these before my VERY active gal wants to move on to something else. I also keep one in our diaper bag as an on-the-go distraction!
02. You’re My Little Bookworm, Nicola Edwards (Author) and Natalie Marshall (Illustrator)
You’re my gold star baby, yes you are off the chart. Oh you, my sweet, make me complete. You are my beating heart.
Oh I just love this book and I recently learned that it is a series. I just grabbed “You’re My Little Firecracker” and “You’re My Little Sunshine” to add to our collection. It’s so sweet and each page is a sweet confidence boosting rhyme for your baby - boosting their self esteem, reminding them how talented and hard working they are and how much they are loved.
03. Love in the Wild, Katy Tanis (author-illustrator)
On snowy peaks or underground, love is love wherever it’s found.
This one is my hands down favorite. From the BOLD, bright and beautiful illustrations to the message of inclusion and diversity portrayed through the vast animal kingdom, i just loooooove this book. The visuals of it always keep Vaila interested longer than other books and I actually ended up following the author on social media and finding her other illustrating work because I love her style so much.
04. I’ve Loved You Since Forever, Hoda Kotb (Author) and Suzie Mason (Illustrator)
Before otters swam together and rivers reached the sea. There was you and there was me. Waiting for the day our stars would cross and you and I turned into we.
I still have a hard time reading the last lines of this book without tearing up. Even before we struggled to have a baby I always thought my first child would be a daughter (a little mini me - for good and for bad) and there’s something about our journey of waiting for Vaila that makes reading this book to her even sweeter and more meaningful. Hoda’s words about how long her daughters were longed for, wanted and dreamed about make this book just a sweet, quick and special read.
05. Good Night, Little Monsters, Kara Lareau (Author) and Brian Won (Illustrator)
Good night gleeful goblins, let’s settle your bones. Know how much we love you, you’re never alone.
Adorable little Frankenbaby, Lochnessie, Wolf Boy and more make this Halloween themed book perfect for all year round. The message is precious, the rhyming is fun and the illustrations are so good. I think this one will be even better when Vaila is a bit older and can recognize her bedtime routine when she reads about the goblins and mummies brushing their teeth, getting tucked in and resting up for more fun tomorrow.
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