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Finding the Best Books for Babies in 2023

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Last Updated: 21 March 2023
board book

When is the right time to start reading to your little wee? The earlier, the better! Scientists state that if you read to your baby from the early infancy, he/she will have better language skills. Reading is an important building block in emotional and cognitive development; through reading a child learns the world around. But not only that! When you hold your baby in your hands and read to him/her in a soft and quiet tone, it creates a strong bond between you both. It’s an experience of love and really magical moments. So, you can start reading even during pregnancy!

But how to choose the right book? Where to start? What are the best baby 1st-yearbooks? All answers are in this post! Here you’ll find a list of the best books for babies 2023 and the Buyer’s Guide so that you can make an educated pick.

TOP 9 Best Books for Babies: Comparison Chart

Pinkfong Baby Shark
If Animals Kissed Good
Where is Baby's Belly Button?
Lamaze Peekaboo Forest
I Love You To The Moon And Back
Pinkfong Baby Shark Sing-Alongs Sound Book (Old)
If Animals Kissed Good Night
Where Is Baby's Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book
LAMAZE Peek-A-Boo Forest, Fun Interactive Baby Book with Inspiring Rhymes and Stories, Multi, one Size (L27901B)
I Love You to the Moon and Back
$23.47
$4.44
$4.98
$14.99
$4.28
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Recommended age
36 months - 4 years
3 - 6 years
1 - 4 years
6 - 18 months
2 - 5 years
Batteries
2 AAA batteries required. (included)
No
No
No
No
Features
Safety Lock
34 pages
14 pages
Six colorful pages
28 pages
Pinkfong Baby Shark
Pinkfong Baby Shark Sing-Alongs Sound Book (Old)
$23.47
-
-
Recommended age
36 months - 4 years
Batteries
2 AAA batteries required. (included)
Features
Safety Lock
If Animals Kissed Good
If Animals Kissed Good Night
$4.44
-
-
Recommended age
3 - 6 years
Batteries
No
Features
34 pages
Where is Baby's Belly Button?
Where Is Baby's Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book
$4.98
-
-
Recommended age
1 - 4 years
Batteries
No
Features
14 pages
Lamaze Peekaboo Forest
LAMAZE Peek-A-Boo Forest, Fun Interactive Baby Book with Inspiring Rhymes and Stories, Multi, one Size (L27901B)
$14.99
-
-
Recommended age
6 - 18 months
Batteries
No
Features
Six colorful pages
I Love You To The Moon And Back
I Love You to the Moon and Back
$4.28
-
-
Recommended age
2 - 5 years
Batteries
No
Features
28 pages
Baby Touch And Feel Animals
Premium Soft Baby Book, Peekaboo
Welcome Little One
This Is a Baby
My First Books Set of 4 Board Books
Baby Touch and Feel: Animals
Soft Baby Book for Infants- Cloth Book with Crinkly Sounds - Fun Interactive Toy for Babies & Infants - Fabric Book for Babies & Infants 1 Year Old (Boy, Girl) - Cute, Touch and Feel Activity (Blue)
Welcome Little One: Shower Your Little One with Love with this Special Board Book for Newborns (elephant books, baby gifts to send new parents) (Welcome Little One Baby Gift Collection)
This Is Baby
Fisher-Price
$5.67
$14.97
$4.98
$10.55
$12.95
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Recommended age
2 years
5 year and up
5 years and up
1 - 3 years
-
Batteries
No
No
No
No
No
Features
14 pages
Machine washable
24 pages
40 pages
12 pages
Baby Touch And Feel Animals
Baby Touch and Feel: Animals
$5.67
-
-
Recommended age
2 years
Batteries
No
Features
14 pages
Premium Soft Baby Book, Peekaboo
Soft Baby Book for Infants- Cloth Book with Crinkly Sounds - Fun Interactive Toy for Babies & Infants - Fabric Book for Babies & Infants 1 Year Old (Boy, Girl) - Cute, Touch and Feel Activity (Blue)
$14.97
-
-
Recommended age
5 year and up
Batteries
No
Features
Machine washable
Welcome Little One
Welcome Little One: Shower Your Little One with Love with this Special Board Book for Newborns (elephant books, baby gifts to send new parents) (Welcome Little One Baby Gift Collection)
$4.98
-
-
Recommended age
5 years and up
Batteries
No
Features
24 pages
This Is a Baby
This Is Baby
$10.55
-
-
Recommended age
1 - 3 years
Batteries
No
Features
40 pages
My First Books Set of 4 Board Books
Fisher-Price
$12.95
-
-
Recommended age
-
Batteries
No
Features
12 pages
Best Overall - Pinkfong Baby Shark Review

This music book for a baby will enchant your little one with 10 rhymes and melodies. All 10 songs are full-length, so it takes about 20-30 min to listen to them all. Some customers have reported that tots like these melodies so much that they stay busy with it to the very last song! Could you just imagine that you are free for the entire 20min?! Furthermore, the pictures are beautiful and bright, children like to eye them. There are soft buttons to switch songs, kids learn to press them fast.

If you don’t want your little one to stick to your iPhone listening to melodies, then this best book for babies is a perfect solution.

Best Features:

  • 10 favorite songs
  • Bright illustrations
  • Comfy grip for little hands

Why We Like It

  • The sound is not too loud, safe for kids
  • Safety lock on the back cover for easy on/off
  • Rounded edges for a safe and comfy grip
Sale
Runner-Up - If Animals Kissed Good Review

This is the best baby sleep book on our list! It is exceptionally cute and will make you cuddle and kiss your little one. If he/she is older, you both can make up a fun game, trying to imagine the way animals kiss their babies. The story is nicely rhymed. The pictures are amazing with bright colors and sweet animals; illustrations are not as overwhelming as in some other writings. Top it off, your baby will memorize all the animals from this book.

It’s the sweetest goodnight baby book!

Best features:

  • Cute, adorable and a hundred more such synonyms!
  • It will make you and your baby kiss and cuddle each other
  • Talks about dads too

Why We Like It

  • It will soothe and comfort your baby
  • It’s filled with love and tenderness
  • Made of durable cardboard
Sale
Best Lift-The-Flap Book - Where is Baby's Belly Button Review

We do think that this baby book is a must-have for every child’s library! Why? Because your little one will memorize body parts fast and easily thanks to cute rhymes and easy-to-lift flaps. Children adore learning with this interactive book. What about playing peekaboo together? So much fun! Bright illustrations will keep the baby’s attention. Even though the flaps are made of thin cardboard, they are big and comfy for little hands. Just remember that this book is not for rough plays, but for fun reading and learning.

If you need a baby shower gift, consider this book, it’ll be a big hit!

Best features:

  • Perfect for learning body parts
  • Funny
  • Great illustrations

Why We Like It

  • Durable cover
  • Easy and memorable rhymes
  • Affordable
Sale
Best Soft Book - Lamaze Peekaboo Forest Review

Lamaze Peekaboo Forest is the best baby touch and feel book. It is suitable for kids from 6 months, and they can play, learn even chewing it! The book is durable and can withstand rough plays. Teach your little wee animals, he/she will memorize them easily thanks to great, inspiring rhymes and vivid pictures; each page is for a new storytime. This soft book for a baby has peekaboo flaps, which help to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

This baby book is pleasant to touch, fun to play with, and good for learning.

Pros

  • 6 colorful pages
  • Cute characters
  • The book if durable
  • Available in different formats

Cons

  • Made of polyester
Sale
The Sweetest Story - I Love You To The Moon And Back Review

I Love You To The Moon And Back is one of the best classic baby books; entire generations love it! This book is perfect for bedtime snuggles. A wonderfully tender and quiet story about mama polar bear and her little baby. The book is ideal for discovering how to express love to each other. Even the youngest children will like and understand the storyline. Illustrations are bright and cute but not overwhelming. This baby bedtime storybook will give you and your little wee magical moments of fondness.

We do think that the book is wonderful from start to finish.

Pros

  • Good size
  • Made of durable cardboard
  • Rounded corners so a baby won’t get hurt

Cons

  • Not exactly a drawback, but some customers complain that the phrase from the title isn’t used in the text
Sale
Best For Learning Animals - Baby Touch And Feel Animals Review

This baby touch and feel book stimulates the developing of motor skills and early building of vocabulary. On the book pages, a little one will meet lots of wild and domestic animals. The images are real-life photos, they feature touch-and-feel textures. It keeps babies entertained while they are learning and developing. This animal baby book is comfortable for little hands to grip, its size is perfect. The padded cover is sturdy and the pages are made of thick cardboard so that a book can withstand throwing, biting and much more.

There are so many cute, adorable animals in this baby board book, your baby’s going to adore it!

Pros

  • Good practice of animal recognition
  • Safe, durable book
  • Great pictures

Cons

  • The textures are pretty much the same
Best Touch-and-Feel - Premium Soft Baby Book, Peekaboo Review

If you are on the side of the baby’s early development, this baby book for girls and boys will be the right solution for you. It is created by experts to stimulate motor skills and language development. There is a peekaboo flap, sounds, mirror, various touch-and-feels, add here bright colors - we won’t be surprised if a baby will stay busy and entertained with this item for hours. Top it off, the book is safe, durable and machine-washable.

Spend a great time with your little one reading stories and rhymes from this book.

Pros

  • Comes in a box, perfect gift
  • Comes with a comfy handle
  • Made in the USA

Cons

  • Pricy
Sale
Best Shower Gift - Welcome Little One Review

This hard cover baby book was written by Sandra Magsamen; she is a well-known and bestselling author for over 30 years. Sandra’s books are touching and meaningful, both kids and parents love her writings. Welcome Little One was created with newborns in mind. For parents, the arrival of a new baby is an event that promises never-ending love, and this book will keep the sweetest memories forever. It is filled with lively, cute illustrations and moving rhyming text, be ready to cry every time you read these writings. There are several pages that you can fill in with information about your baby.

It is one of the best books for baby girls and boys to celebrate and cherish a bond between kids and parents.

Pros

  • Personalized book
  • Sturdy
  • Great rhymes and colors

Cons

  • If you are buying this book as a gift, you should know that the packaging is poor
Sale
Best To Learn Body Parts - This Is a Baby Review

This Is a Baby was written by Jimmy Fallon, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning entertainer. The book is suitable for kids aged 1-3 and teaches the world of body parts in a very fun way. The story is cute and basic enough even for very little guys. You can make up lots of games with this book. For example, children get really excited due to various noises and motions you can make while reading. It’s the type of baby books for girls and boys that you’ll read again, again, and again; no chances it’ll get boring.

The writing and illustrations are absolutely adorable! The book deserves the place on your kid’s bookshelf!

Pros

  • Sturdy hard cover
  • Written by the bestselling author
  • Easy to memorize material

Cons

  • Paper pages won’t last long
Best Book Set - My First Books Set of 4 Board Books Review

This set was created by Fisher-Price, a trusted manufacturer of children’s products. Creators believe that fun, captivating books are the most effective way to inspire the love of reading in infants and tots. The set includes 4 little books: My Counting Book, My Opposites Book, My Colors Book, My Alphabet Book. These learning books will help to build vocabulary and develop speech in your baby. The design is bright and eye-catching with a good size for little hands. You can make up lots of games due to this set; it’ll inspire your and your child’s creativity.

This baby book set definately serves the purpose of early development.

Pros

  • Great for infants and toddlers
  • Adorable characters
  • Wonderful illustrations

Cons

  • Not very durable

Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About the Best Books for Babies

When should you start reading books to baby

When Should You Start Reading Books To Baby?

The earlier, the better! It’s a good idea to start reading to your little one when he/she is in your belly. Such an approach ensures proper language development and cognitive thinking.

Why Is It Important To Read To Baby?

The best baby books for boys and girls inspire their imagination, help to understand better themselves and peeps around, teach them good human values. Moreover, books have educational value: reading develops speech and thinking. A child acquires information better if a book is interesting and relevant to his/her age.

When Do Babies Start To Read?

Most kids learn to read by 6 or 7 years. However, if they can talk well, they may start reading by 4-5.

soft books for baby

How To Choose The Best Books For Babies

Age Range

When you are choosing story books for baby, do consider the kid’s age. The best books for 5-year-olds won’t do for infants, they’ll be too overwhelming. Also, do not read the infant’s books to an older toddler, it’ll be too boring for him/her.

Story Length

The younger the baby is, the shorter the story should be. For infants, it’s better to buy a book with more illustrations and less text per page.

Bright Colors

Avoid buying books with no pictures. Even if the story is super interesting, the lack of colors and pictures will make it boring. Choose books with bright colors and lots of illustrations.

Durability

Baby books should be durable, as well as the best books for toddlers because kids are often tough to them, you know. So, a book must withstand throwing, tearing, chewing, etc.

cloth book

Best Books For Babies Types

Cloth Book

Cloth books are preferable for infants because they chew everything that happens to be in their little hands. Plus, this type can withstand rough plays better.

Sound Book

All kids adore baby books with sound, they like pressing buttons and listen to favorite melodies.

Board Book

Board books are the most popular and affordable type. They are quite sturdy and suitable for infants and tots. Just make sure that the corners are rounded.

Touch And Feel Book

This type is great for developing motor skills and senses. Such books have a lot of materials to touch; kids love it and can stay entertained for a long time.

Verdict and Our Recommendation for 2023

Reading plays a crucial role in the baby’s development, it stimulates speech, cognitive thinking, and imagination. A child learns lots of skills and values from good stories and rhymes. But what book is the best for your little one? We, at parenthoodroutine.com, recommend Pinkfong Baby Shark as the best book for babies 2023. This music book will enchant your little one with 10 rhymes and melodies; sounds are not too loud, they are safe for kids. The pictures are beautiful and bright, children like to eye them. To sum up, if you don’t want your little one to stick to the iPhone listening to music, then this best book for babies is exactly what you need.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Well, when a baby is young, the quantity doesn’t matter but the quality does! Babies like when parents read favorite books to them multiple times. So, you don’t need many books for little guys. Buy just several in different types.

Read the best books for a baby storytime quietly and gently especially before sleep. But if it’s fun rhymes or story, read with proper intonation, facial expression and make proper noises.

Babies can turn pages when they are about 9-12 months. However, they might not have enough patience to sit still and listen.

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PRODUCTS TESTED BY Parenthoodroutine.com
How We Tested

We are a friendly team of parents with multiple kids. So, before writing this post, we read all these baby books to our children and watch their reactions. We went further and asked other people with kids to test the books and give their feedback. Finally, we put together all the information and came up with our list of the best books for babies.

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