The Best Books for Babies Committee has been meeting annually since 2000 to select and celebrate excellent books for the very youngest listeners.

We’ve learned a lot about early literacy over the years. And most of the research suggests that our goal of encouraging parents and other caregivers to read to babies right from the start is right on target. That’s because learning begins at birth.

We have also worked to recognize the authors, illustrators and publishers who focus on creating quality materials for babies ages birth to 18 months. Children’s books go out of print quickly, but demand can sometimes prolong the shelf life (pun intended) of a title.

Our committee members are librarians, child development specialists, educators, and others with an interest in promoting literacy and learning. They represent child-centered organizations across our area and bring their considerable expertise and experience to our process.

Some have participated since the beginning. Others joined for the first time this year. Whatever their tenure on the committee, all committee members have valuable insights and opinions. (And they aren’t shy about sharing them, which can make the final voting pretty exciting.)

Our list of ten best books this year actually numbers 15  this year with three sets of books included. There’s tummy time titles with photographs and illustrations, six titles in Spanish and English, one title introducing baby signs, gorgeous art and more.

We believe that these and the other books on the list will delight and engage babies age birth through 18 months and the adults who care for them.

So, stop by your local library to pick up one (or a bundle!) of these titles soon and share them with a baby in your life. Read them again and again—repetition is a wonderful way to learn and the committee has done their best to find books that grownups will enjoy too. While you are cuddling together, you’ll also be doing the important work of preparing your baby’s brain to learn and grow.

Continue scrolling to see the 2025 list or download a printable version here

You can sign up for a free library card here. If you are new to our eResources, check out these tutorial videos on how to get started.

Looking for a good book, album, movie or TV show? We’re happy to recommend them to you! Use this Personalized Recommendations form to send us some information about what you like and we’ll curate a list just for you.

If you have any additional questions, you can contact a librarian through Facebook or Instagram. You can also call us at 412.622.3114 or email us at info@carnegielibrary.org.