Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The 10 best books to add to your nursery shelf

Jennifer Passmore
By

When you have a baby on the way and you are planning out their nursery, you have their crib and their rattles and baby toys. But one spot not to neglect is their bookshelf. Reading to your baby has proven benefits and will help them in the long run. With so many options out there on the market, how do you find the best books for your baby? We have compiled a list of some of the best baby books to add to your baby’s bookshelf for when your little one makes their grand debut!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

This is one of the most beloved books to read to babies. Its repetitive words help reinforce baby’s speech. This fun book has lift-the-flap portions of the book, so when the baby gets a little bit older, they can have even more fun with the book. It’s no wonder that it’s been a popular book for babies and young ones for over 50 years! It focuses on colors and animals, so it is a great first book to put on their nursery shelf!

Recommended Videos

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

“When A told B, and B told C, to meet them at the top of the coconut tree,” a lot of fun happened! This book leans much on rhyme and will have your little one clapping along to its catchy sayings! The bright colors will catch their eye and keep their attention as you read throughout the book.

Related

Jane Foster’s Black and White

Black-and-white images help to give a boost to your little one’s eye development. That is what makes this book such a good idea to keep in their nursery! Weaving in lovely illustrations in black-and-white images, this book will keep your baby enthralled and excited as you read to them.

Moo, Baa, La La La!

Sandra Boynton is known for her quirky illustrations and funny books, making this a natural that baby should have this book! It is a funny and silly book that you can read with baby, and it is sure to elicit a smile or a giggle when you make the funny animal sounds that accompany the illustrations in this book!

Where is Baby’s Belly Button?

Little ones will have a blast on this lift-the-flap adventure! This interactive book allows your baby to learn where certain parts of their body are, all while written in rhyme. It is definitely a classic to keep on the shelf.

The Pout-Pout Fish

Poor little pout-pout fish seems pretty gloomy and glum, and despite his friend’s best efforts, he is still pretty pouty. That is until one special friend turns his frown upside down! Your baby will love the colors and fun illustrations throughout the book, and the best thing about it is it’s a book that can grow with them. For example, when they are ready to learn to read, this is a great book for them to start with!

Look at You!

Did you know that it is a proven fact that by 5 months of age, babies can recognize other baby’s faces? This book is full of baby’s faces that your little one will love to look at! It even features a mirror on the last page so that baby will be able to look at their own reflection at the very end of the book!

First 100 Words

This book is great to start reading to your baby early on! With 100 words, accompanied by bright and stimulating pictures, this book will help to develop your child’s vocabulary in a fun and imaginative way!

TouchThinkLearn: ABC

With its beautiful clean lines and modern look, this is not your average learn-your-ABCs-book. There are die-cuts and fun things to touch and feel for baby to learn all about the alphabet.

Goodnight Moon

An absolute beloved classic, this book features simple sayings and is illustrated so beautifully. It is the perfect book to read to your baby when they are all fed, bathed, and ready for their bedtime.

All of these books would make a great addition to your baby’s burgeoning library. Some are classics and some are new, but all of them are the best of the best.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jennifer Passmore
Jennifer Passmore
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jennifer has written two books on how to deal with living with chronic illness using the power of positivity. She has written…
These books will teach your toddler to talk about their feelings
Toddler having a grumpy day? Sit down and read all about it
Girl with glasses holding book

It's hard enough for grown-ups to talk about their feelings. Asking a toddler to understand and cohesively express complicated emotions is a bit of a lofty request. At times, it can feel like a completely futile one. Happiness, sadness, excitement, and nervousness are more than just vocabulary words for a little one to learn. These are emotions that have real mental and physical manifestations in kids and adults. They can make our hearts race, our palms sweat, and our tears fall. It's not easy for toddlers to wrap their little brains around how feelings impact their bodies and minds. It's confusing, to say the least. Adults are still trying to fully understand their emotions.
One way to help your little one process their feelings and find the right words to use when expressing them is through reading. Nothing puts things into perspective like a little parent-child story-time session. So, curl up together on the couch, cuddle in, and calmly flip through a few sweet, silly, and meaningful books that seek to define and describe how our feelings affect everything we do.
Not sure what children's books make for a great read on the subject of feelings? We've rounded up 10 toddler books about feelings to help you teach your child to channel and express their emotions in a productive way. Whether your tyke is going through a difficult behavioral stage, exploring new friendships, or struggling with change, these feeling books for toddlers can help your kiddos identify and navigate all those confounding emotions and hard-to-articulate thoughts going through their heads.

Best feeling books for toddlers
Reading to kids is a great way to spend quality time and help them down the road to becoming a lifelong reader. It's also a perfect pick for teaching toddlers about their feelings. Add these feeling books to your library for bedtime or anytime reads.
Lots of Feelings, by Shelly Rotner
A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when you're trying to explain a difficult concept to a child. This is one of our favorite books about emotions for toddlers. It offers real-life photographs of children to show the facial expressions that accompany common feelings. It's a great way to give kiddos visual cues to help them express their feelings and decode those of the people around them.

Read more
10 vital questions to ask baby’s first pediatrician before your child is born
How to choose your child's first pediatrician: 10 questions to ask before your baby is born
A doctor with a baby in a hospital bassinet

When you’re expecting a baby, it’s easy to get focused on building a registry and designing a nursery. These pre-baby tasks can be fun, creative outlets while you await the arrival of your little one.
However, one of the most crucial decisions to make before the baby comes is their pediatrician. Your child’s pediatrician or the practice you choose may be a part of your baby’s life until they reach adulthood.
Asking the right questions can help ensure your child’s first pediatrician is the right one. Don’t forget to put these questions on your interview list.

Logistical questions to ask your child’s pediatrician
Doctors’ appointments are a necessary but added task and expense. Asking a few logistical questions ahead of time can reduce stress and costs.

Read more
Every crib needs a great baby mobile: Here are 7 reasons why
A baby mobile is one thing you shouldn't skip for your little one's nursery
A mother looking at her baby in the crib with a baby mobile.

Parents-to-be love decorating the nursery. From the wall colors to the bedding, everything has a scheme and theme that comes together with every item. Some items you could probably leave on the store shelf, like the crib bumpers. But one item you might think about skipping - but shouldn't - is the baby mobile.

Whether you want to stay as neutral as possible or go all out, the baby mobile could create a fun pop of personality in your precious one's room. With the inclusion of the appropriate baby mobile, theming is made much simpler. Let's explore a few other reasons why you should invest in a quality baby mobile for your child’s crib.

Read more