Best Baby Book Reviews 2023

Most parents want to encourage their children to start reading as soon as possible, but it can be daunting to find baby books that are appropriate, educational, and fun. We understand that most parents honestly just don’t have time to search for the right reading material for their little one, so we’ve put together a list of five top baby books from authors and publishers that you can trust.
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Overview
PROS
CONS
SPECS
Theme
Type
Cover
Age Range
Pages
Our Top Choice
Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle has been a prolific author of dozens of children’s picture books for over 50 years. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has clever cut-out pages that will thrill your little one.
Nicely illustrated. Sturdy. Interactive. Educational. Entertaining.
Small size. Not very colorful.
Animals
Classic picture book
Paperback/hardback/board book
1–3 years
26 pages
Best Value
DK Publishing Baby Touch and Feel Books
DK’s aim of informing and entertaining readers of all ages is realized in its book, Baby Touch and Feel: Animals, a board book with padded covers and thick, sturdy pages.
Padded covering. Not heavy. Thick pages.
Small size. Small textured areas.
Animals
Touch and Feel
Board book
1–3 years
14 pages
Scholastic Baby Puppet Finger Book
Scholastic Inc.’s commitment to encouraging intellectual growth in children led to its creation of the Old Macdonald Board Book with hand puppets to engage your child.
Interactive puppets. Easy handling for young children. Colorful.
Song isn’t completely written out. Limited number of words. Puppets can’t be washed as they are attached to the book.
Animals
Touch and Feel
Board book
0–2 years
6 pages
Melody Carlson Baby Prayer Book
Melody Carlson is an accomplished Christian author, and her book “Baby's First Book of Prayers” with a padded covering contains short, rhyming prayers for your child.
Simple prayers. Hardback. Pictures illustrating the prayers.
Small size. Price is printed on the cover.
Prayers
Flip book
Hard cover
2–5 years
96 pages
Margaret Wise Brown Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown was an American writer of children’s books with many books to her credit, and this work “Goodnight Moon,” is a short poem of goodnight wishes.
Plenty pictures. Short simple sentences.
Paper pages. Small size.
Bedtime
Classic picture book
Paperback/hardback/audio book
1–4 years
30 pages

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What is the Best Baby Book?

Your child’s age and personality are key factors to consider when going through this review. We hope you’ll find at least one new baby book to engage and stimulate your child.
Our Top Choice
The Eric Carle brand has been trusted by generations of parents for their children. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is an innovatively designed board book. “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See??” for pre-school children is a popular book by the same author and you may want to check that out too.

Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Available in 4 Styles


Features
Born in Syracuse, New York in 1929, and raised in Germany, Eric Carle has written and illustrated over seventy picture books. With a background in graphic design, he employs a technique that has been replicated and enjoyed by many children both at home and in their classrooms: the collage technique. His illustrations are collages made with his own hand-painted tissue papers resulting in brilliantly designed books that have both educated and entertained children over the years.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar was published in 1969 and has been translated into more than twenty-five languages and sold over twelve million copies. This twenty-six paged book is a celebrated classic and has been proven to be a fun way to introduce your little one to the dynamics of nature. Here are some of its other features:
  • Age range: 1-3 years
  • Published by Philomel Books
  • Available in English and over twenty languages
  • Weighs less than 9.6 ounces, so your child can carry it
The Very Hungry Caterpillar may eat its ways to your child’s heart.
Best Value
DK has a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products, and its Baby Touch and Feel: Animals with lots of fuzzy animal pages surely meets that standard. This publisher also has the First Words BABY TOUCH & FEEL Board book with pictures and touch texture areas.

DK Publishing Baby Touch and Feel: Animals


Features
Established in London in 1974, DK is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. It publishes highly visual, photographic non-fiction for adults and children.  DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York and Toronto. Its aim is to inform, enrich and entertain readers of all ages, and everything it publishes embodies the unique DK design approach. With a reputation for innovation, this brand brings simplicity to a wide range of topics with a unique word-picture combination.

Baby Touch and Feel: Animals is easy to hold with easy pictures to look at and a good sensory aspect. This fourteen-page board book may be just what you need to engage, educate and entertain your little ones. Some other features of this book include:
  • Shipping weight of 6.4 ounces
  • Each page has large word labels
  • Each page has foil or glitter
  • Padded covers and thick sturdy pages
  • Available in English
It has vibrant interior pages with bold, engaging images.
Scholastic Inc. strives to encourage literary appreciation among young people at all levels of learning, and the Old Macdonald: A Hand-Puppet Board Book is one way it does that. If you still want to consider more options, the AlphaTales Box Set with a set of 26 irresistible animal storybooks is another book by this company.

Scholastic Old Macdonald: A Hand-Puppet Board Book (Little Scholastic)


Features
Scholastic Inc. is located at 557 Broadway New York and was founded by Maurice Robinson in 1920. Over the years, it has produced educational materials that assist and inspire students to cultivate their minds to utmost capacity, become familiar with their cultural heritage and strive for excellence in creative expression in all fields of learning. It also encourages young minds to seek effective ways to live a satisfying life. It believes in cooperation and understanding among all the people of the world.

The “Old Macdonald: A Hand-Puppet Board Book” was written by Jill Ackerman and Michelle Berg, both of whom have many literary works to their names. This board book is an innovative and interactive hand-puppet board book for babies, toddlers and their parents as all can quack, moo, woof and squeal away while the children get to learn new things. This book has interactive components, high color contrast and promises great fun. Below are more features:
  • Has six pages
  • For pre-kindergarten and kindergarten kids
  • Light weight - weighs 4.8 ounces
  • Written in English
  • Rhyming, repetitive and predictable text
  • Simple concepts
Each puppet is different and reflects the animals in the "Old MacDonald" song.
Melody Carlson has authored many popular books; her book “Baby's First Book of Prayers” is an illustrative prayer book focused on being thankful for all things in life. “Her First Bible”, a compilation of God’s word in hardcover, is another book by this author that you might want for your little girl. There is also a version for boys.

Melody Carlson Baby's First Book of Prayers


Features
As an accomplished Christian author for children, pre-teens, youth and adults, Melody Carlson has written books with sales totaling more than two million. The author of the popular “Dairy of a Teenage Girl” series considers herself a storyteller. She's won a number of awards (including Romantic Time's Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two grown sons and a yellow labrador.

The Baby's First Book of Prayers in hardcover is a foil-stamped and embossed edition of My First Book of Prayers. The prayers contained in this book are short and they rhyme. It has a place for you to put the "to,” “from,” and “date" inside the book. Some of its other features are listed below:
  • For preschool and kindergarten level kids
  • Ninety-six pages
  • In English language
  • Very light weight - weighs 2.4 ounces
  • Bright illustrations
This book has a large variety of prayers for all occasions
Margaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her lifetime, and the Goodnight Moon board book combines poetic words with lulling illustrations. My World: A Companion to Goodnight Moon is a classic picture book and also another board book from this author.

Margaret Wise Brown Goodnight Moon – Available in 5 Styles


Features
Margaret Wise Brown, whose demise has not stopped the impressive sale of her books for over four decades, was a lover of animals. She authored hundreds of books and stories while she lived, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. People who knew her say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. She saw herself as something else: a writer of songs and nonsense.

The Goodnight Moon Board Book comes with easy-to-memorize lines and might be just what you need to end your child’s day. There is a cadence to the story that is like a meditation mantra, quietly and gently calming you and your child down. This board book also features:
  • Thirty pages of rhymed goodnights
  • Text and illustrations are matched in a way that it is natural to point out the words and pictures to your child
  • Light weight
  • Written in English
This book has a number of combinations: simple black and white images; bright color combinations; simple phrases; repetition.

How Do I Choose the Best Baby Book?

Kian Hammer made headlines when he scored 162 on his IQ test at just eleven years old. Anything over 140 is considered to be genius level, and Kian’s score was even higher than Einstein’s! While there is controversy regarding whether intelligence is taught or innate, it’s confirmed that reading stories with our children as early as possible can improve literacy and have other lasting value.

Research has shown that reading to your child, even during infancy, helps them get used to the rhythm of language. You don’t have to wait for your little one to stop using diapers before you can introduce them to books. Curling up on the couch with your kid and a book is both fun and comforting. Just like and Hide and Seek and other outdoor play, reading is a great way to bond with your child. You can incorporate reading into their daily routine – bedtime is a good starting point.

Depending on the stage of development they’re in, your child is likely to be interested in different types of books. For example, the best baby book for a toddler is one with color, fold-out pages, and maybe some noises, too! For an infant, you may opt for a book that’s interesting to look at and even touch. Has your child just begun attending pre-school? Then you might want to fill their shelf with books that have more elaborate rhymes and interesting stories. All in all, reading with your baby can introduce them to new concepts in a safe space so they can better understand our world.
Price
We all know that educating your child doesn’t come cheap, especially once it’s time for them to go college. That being said, baby books are actually quite affordable and generally range between $4 and $15. As mentioned earlier, baby books vary depending on your child’s age. Books with impressions or pop-up figures may cost you a little more, but the excitement they spark is worth it.

There are, of course, cheap baby books, but those are usually old paperbacks with outdated information. We advise against purchasing these books to make sure your baby has access to up-to-date, relevant concepts.
Features
There’s a wide array of baby books out there; some with better features than others. Here’s what to look out for on your next trip to the bookstore:
  • Theme – The theme of the book determines what new concepts or morals will be introduced in the story. Themes might involve kindness, learning, adventure, or prayer.
  • Type –The type of book you get your child greatly depends on their age. For example, toddlers are fascinated by books they can touch, while preschoolers may prefer a more ‘mature’ book with an interesting story.
  • Cover – As we’re sure you’re aware, kids can be quite destructive towards their things. Books with strong covers are much more likely to last.
  • Pages – Babies have a short attention span that increases as they grow older. The number of pages in the book should be the adequate amount to keep them interested before their attention dwindles.
  • Age range – Make sure the book is appropriate for your child’s current stage in early development.
Construction and Design
Baby books are designed with all manner of colors, shapes, and media. Capturing a child’s attention may seem simple, but sustaining it is often much harder. For this reason, baby books come in interesting shapes or with captivating features like noises and pop-out illustrations. Books for infants are usually colorful and encourage your child to touch and interact with the book. Babies over two years-old have developed enough to grasp ideas and are ready to engage with coherent storylines.

Most baby books are made with glossy paper that feels nice and has a bit of extra durability. You may find some that are made of soft fabric and make sounds when pressed. Don’t you just love when your infant giggles after their book goes ‘moo’ or ‘quack’? Some books even come with puppets your baby can play with as you dramatically enact the story. Baby book designs are countless, but they all strive to help your child fall in love with reading at a young age.
Performance and Ease of Use
Simple concepts are generally the easiest for babies to understand. Look for books that guide your child through new ideas that they are able to grasp. Books should have enough pages to keep your child interested without overwhelming them. For toddlers, books should have more pictures than words or should at least have illustrations they can look at while you read to them.

Your child’s books are likely to be left lying randomly throughout the house, so you may also want to invest in a small bookcase just for them. Discourage your child from scribbling on the pages, unless the book is intended to be drawn in. With time, your child may learn to value their books and even put them away after reading. It may not be an easy task to get your child to start reading, but once they find their favorite story they’ll likely ask you to read it with them before bed every night.

Get the Best Baby Book of 2023!

Now that you have finished reading our review, we hope you’re ready to purchase the best baby book for your little Einstein. Just so you know, each of these baby book distributors has more options to choose from if you’d like a bit more variety.

Our Top Choice
Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Best Value
DK Publishing Baby Touch and Feel Books
Scholastic Baby Puppet Finger Book
Melody Carlson Baby Prayer Book
Margaret Wise Brown Goodnight Moon