10 Must Have Story Books for Baby’s First Library

10 Must Have Books for Baby’s First Library

Creating a library for your baby is a great way to introduce your little one to the magical world of reading. Reading out loud to your baby—beginning at day one—creates a foundation for early language development, enhances vocabulary, promotes essential communication skills, and increases the parent-child bond. Here are ten of our favorite books for encouraging your kiddo to embrace the wonder of reading.

Jellycat Tails Activity Books

Jellycat Tails Books

Jellycat’s whimsical tail soft books make reading interactive with tons of squishies, textures, and crinkles. The pages contain bright colors, and are easy for little hands to hold.

First 100 Words Book

First 100 Words

A Montessori library staple, this book features 100 essential words for your baby and corresponding photography. The bright and realistic depictions of everyday objects and animals are ideal for babies who are just beginning to learn.

Look at the Animals Book

Look, Look! by Peter Linenthal

Written and illustrated by an elementary school art teacher, Look, Look! has pages full of striking black and white images to capture your infant’s interest, and a simple red typeface (the first primary color babies see).

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 

This iconic board book has been a cherished classic for over fifty years, and introduces your baby to colors, shapes, and simple words. Your little one will delight in its striking illustrations that depict a caterpillar gobbling up all sorts of food in preparation of becoming a butterfly.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Book

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom introduces your baby to the alphabet in a book full of bold and lively art. Fair warning: The rhyming chant contained in these pages is quite the earworm.

The Snowy Day Book

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

This Caldecott-Medal-winning picture book shows the wonder of a child experiencing his first snow. The story is sweet, charming, and perfectly captures the joy and innocence of childhood.

Guess How Much I Love You Book

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

This modern classic follows Little Nutbrown Hare and his Dad as they traipse through a meadow and realize how impossible it is to measure something as enormous as the love a parent has for their child. 

Pat the Bunny Book

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

A classic baby book and perennial bestseller, Pat the Bunny offers tons of touch-and-feel sensory experiences for your little one. Full of sweet pictures, it’s a perfect cuddle up book for you and your peanut.

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night Book

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? by Brianna Caplan Sayres

A great book for any truck obsessed toddler, this board book walks through the bedtime routine of diggers, dump trucks, and more. The cute rhymes and illustrations are a perfect addition to your kiddo’s bedtime rituals.

Goodnight Moon Book

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Reading Goodnight Moon to your child is almost a parenting right of passage. This beloved classic combines poetic words and lulling illustrations that will help your little one quietly drift off to dreamland.

Finding What’s Right for You

Albee Baby is the oldest family-owned specialty baby shop in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best assortment of baby products anywhere, at fair prices, always. We’re committed to being an inclusive resource for parents, and hope you’re feeling empowered to find the right car seat for your family. Still have questions? Feel free to contact our baby gear experts at 877.692.5233 or by email at [email protected].