Pittsburgh, PA  –  Wednesday, May 7, 2025  – 

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) today released its 26^th annual Best Books for Babies list, a nationally recognized guide of books for birth to 18 months. Thoughtfully curated by librarians and child development experts, Best Books for Babies is the only list in the country distributed through a library system and updated on a yearly basis — featuring the top books published in the previous year. This acclaimed list helps parents, teachers and caregivers choose high-quality books for babies evaluated against 25 criteria.

“At its heart, Best Books for Babies is all about connection and support. Our goal is to provide families and caregivers with the resources they need to create joyful, meaningful moments with their babies,” said Erin Zambataro, Library Administrator, Children’s & Teen Services, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “Learning begins at birth, so getting babies engaged with the very best book selections from the start can help inspire a lifelong love of reading — while creating a special bonding experience with the adults who care for them, too.”

The selection committee for the 2025 list was comprised of local librarians, an early intervention specialist, a Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education (P.R.I.D.E.) professional from the Office of Child Development at the University of Pittsburgh and a pediatrician. This year’s list of 15 books has its share of interactive flaps, sliders and wild wonders, as well as titles available in English and Spanish. Among the comprehensive selection guidelines:

• Age-appropriate content
• Illustrations that are clear and uncluttered; use of color and contrast
• Tactile experiences and easy physical manipulation
• Rhythm and rhyme
• Pattern and repetition, both in text and illustration
• Diverse and authentic representation of race, gender, ability, culture and family structure

Best Books for Babies 2025

1. ¿Puedes Cavar Como Un Excavadora?/Can You Dig Like a Digger?
2. ¿Puedes Hacer Chú Chú a Como Un Tren?/Can You Choo Choo Like a Train?
3. ¿Puedes Ladrar Como Un Perro?/Can You Bark Like a Dog?
   Illustrations by Abi Hall and Cocoretto (Child’s Play International)
   Simple questions and colorful pictures of vehicles and animals invite interaction between baby and reader. In Spanish and English.

 

4. Black & White in Color
   by Tana Hoban (Greenwillow Books)
   Appealing photographs of babies and high-contrast graphics ensure that this sturdy book will grab baby’s attention during tummy time and beyond.

 

5. Cinco Enormes Dinosaurios/Five Enormous Dinosaurs
6. En La Estación/Down by the Station
7. ¡Salta Un Poquito!/Hop a Little!
   by Annie Kubler and Sarah Dellow (Child’s Play International)
   Celebrate a dinosaur countdown, a busy morning, music and movement. In Spanish and English, featuring babies with diverse abilities and identities.

 

8. A Flock of Gulls, A Chorus of Frogs
   by Roy Henry Vickers and Lucky Budd (Harbour Publishing)
   Groups of familiar and unfamiliar animals of the West Coast appear on embossed pages. Vickers, an Indigenous artist, provides high-contrast beauty and subtle textures while expanding vocabulary.

 

9. Hello, Face!
   by Aya Khalil (Barefoot Books)
   Laugh, sneeze, yawn and listen along to this inclusive homage to facial features.

 

10. Hello Hello Colors
    by Brendan Wenzel (Chronicle Kids)
    A parade of animals and insects offers the opportunity to expand vocabulary while enjoying quirky, colorful illustrations. What starts as simple point-and-say illustrations will be a book baby grows with.

 

11. Little Chick
    by Petr Horáček (Candlewick Press)
    Peek-through pages encourage babies to grab on and explore while repetitive text provides a rhythm for a little chick’s day on the farm.

 

12. My First Book of Baby Signs
    by Lane Rebelo, illustrations by Cait Brennan (Callisto Publishing)
    Graphic illustrations, accompanied by instructions, feature babies and caregivers and show how to make each sign.

 

13. Peekaboo Lion
    by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P. Arrhenius (Nosy Crow)
    Sturdy sliders reveal animals in bold colors and promote the fine motor skills that emerge around the end of baby’s first year. A mirror at the end will bring a smile to baby’s face.

 

14. Tummy Time: Farm
15. Tummy Time: Savanna
    by Louise Lockhart (Candlewick Press)
    Fold-out pages share a “say hello” scene on one side, and up-close depictions of animals on the other to delight babies during tummy time and beyond.

For publishers, CLP has created an exclusive Best Books for Babies seal that can be placed on the cover of their award-winning publications. Seals are available in sticker form and can also be directly printed to the cover of the selected book. Publishers can contact CLP to learn more.

How to read to baby

For over 25 years, an integral part of releasing the Best Books for Babies list also includes guidance on how caregivers can read to their babies to help benefit their overall development.

“Research is always evolving, but what has remained constant is the first three years of brain development are especially critical,” said Zambataro. “Reading to babies helps develop and stimulate the speech and language parts of babies’ brains.”

Among the tips for caregivers:

• Start with black and white: For the first six months, simple black and white pictures are easiest for babies to see. They are also drawn to patterns.
• Hello, baby! Babies love to see photographs of other babies and people. This allows them to get familiar with facial features.
• Explore through touch: Books that offer different textures and sensations help babies explore the world around them — which explains why they’re also exploring a lot with their mouths!
• Repeat, but give it a rest when you need it: Babies, like many children and adults too, learn through repetition. You may find yourself reading the same books over and over, but it’s important to allow yourself permission to give books a rest sometimes. That way, the reading experience can still be a positive one for both you and baby.
• Let go of judgment: Babies may only allow for a page or two at a time to be read before they move on to other activities — and that’s still valuable. Even if you don’t complete a full book, reading throughout the day can help reinforce that books are part of everyday life.
• Make it engaging: While reading, point to pictures you see on the page, and make connections you see in real life, too.

More information about Best Books for Babies, including an archive of previous selections, can be found  at bestbooksforbabies.org.

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