Best Books for Babies 2020

Way back during the wintry days of January and February, a group of local librarians and child development experts sorted through titles published in 2019 to identify the ten Best Books for Babies. Obviously, the announcement of these top titles was significantly delayed–but we still believe this list is relevant and important and we’re thrilled to be sharing it with you all.

We hope that promoting these selections will encourage parents and other caregivers to begin reading to babies beginning at birth. We also want to recognize the publishers who create excellent books for the very youngest listeners.

The books selected, including sturdy board books, books with fun movable features, stories about young families, and familiar songs and rhymes will delight and engage babies age birth through 18 months and the adults who care for them.

Please pick one (or two!) up soon–or choose books from previous Best Books for Babies lists–and share them with a baby in your life. In addition to spending some cozy time together you’ll be preparing baby’s brain to learn and grow.

Baby Day

Illustrations and easy-to-read text celebrate a baby’s first birthday and all of the different babies who attend the party, whether friendly, sleepy, or wriggly. 



Beep Beep / Piip Piip

Shaped pages, bright colors, and childlike pictures make this sturdy board book about a visit to grandma’s house fun.


I Love All of Me

Rhyming text and colorful illustrations remind young readers to love everything about themselves, from the tops of their heads to the tips of their toes.



Jump!

Leaping animals seem to jump off the pages of this board book.



Shapes

Cutout shapes make the pictures of different animals, shapes, and settings fun to feel.


Sleeping Bunnies

A companion title also selected for this year’s Best Books for Babies list  is The Wheels on the Bus. Colorful pictures of a group of babies playing together illustrate these two songs.