The list is of favorite books that make for the perfect gift for baby showers! This is not an age-specific & topical book list, but one with a variety that will help to build a baby's library. The book recommendations include contemporary books, as well as classic children's books. Everyone is sure to find something that will pique their interest, as well as make a nice gift to the expecting mother.
1. Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
A classic board book that will help teach the months. Through cute and simple rhyme and illustration, this talks about how the character loves his chicken soup with rice each month of the year.
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2. Mrs. Peanuckle's Fruit Alphabet by Mrs. Peanuckle
Filled with colorful and eye-catching illustrations. Perfect for babies to start becoming familiar with their letters and introduce them to healthy fruits!
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3. I Love You to the Moon and Back by Amelia Hepworth
An adorable book that reads about a parent's love for their child. A beautiful story and a great book for bedtime for any baby.
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4. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
Bright illustrations and so much fun! This book is sure to be loved by any mom for their baby. Simple, but colorful art paired with rhymes for learning the alphabet, it is a great book that's highly engaging.
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5. Bright Baby Baby Animals by Roger Priddy
A touch and feel board book that is a great starter book for a baby's library! The book has precious photos of baby animals, as well as different sensory items for the baby to touch.
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6. I Love You Like No Otter by Rose Rossner
This book pairs puns with adorable animal illustrations. Each different animal explains their love for the baby through these puns. Super cute and a perfect read-aloud that never gets boring.
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7. My First Padded Board Books of Nursery Rhymes by Wonder House Books
All babies should have a classic book like this. A soft board book of nursery rhymes, it includes fun illustrations for each rhyme.
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8. Woodland Dance! by Sandra Boynton
This board picture book has cartoonish animals as characters. Written in simple rhyme, a fox calls all the animals to come dance under the moon. A fun book that is a quick read-aloud.
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9. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Like anything illustrated by Eric Carle, its beautiful picture book had boldly colored collage animals that are sure to interest babies. With repetition and simple wording, it is a perfect first book and a favorite!
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10. Baby Animals by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes
A black-and-white book that is perfect for newborns. Infants have not fully developed their eyesight, so these high-contract images of black and white animals will pique their interest as they are visually stimulating.
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11. More Than Balloons by Lorna Crozier
Follow along with the rhymes of love. The author explains in different ways how wonderful love is! Pastel-colored illustrations are precious and calming as you read along.
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12. Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
An adorable picture book about Little Oink and his family. Little Oink is a clean pig, but his parents want him to be a proper pig and make some mess! A lovely, yet silly board book that makes a good gift for baby's first books.
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13. The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin
A beautiful book that encourages children to be anything they want! A wonderfully encouraging story for babies that tells them they will receive love no matter their choices.
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14. The Nice Book by David Ezra Stein
A book that is themed around being nice! A cute way to start teaching about being kind is through the use of cheery illustrations of animals using their good manners.
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15. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
The crayons are upset about how they are being used and decide to quit, but Drew wants to draw! A cute book that teaches children about differences through a relatable topic. With colorful illustrations and lots of silliness, the book makes for a nice read-aloud.
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16. Mad, Mad Bear! by Kimberly Gee
This is a lovely book to teach about feelings. Young children need to begin understanding that they will feel different ways that will not always be positive. The book uses an adorable bear who is just soooo mad! Nothing is seeming to go right!
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17. Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper
A somewhat sad, but needed book, that all children should have in their library. Using a cat friendship, it teaches about the circle of life through love and friendship.
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18. Goodnight Already! by Jory John
A fun book for both littles and parents. Grumpy Bear just wants to sleep, but the very energetic Duck just wants to be by Bear's side. Bear gets angry with Duck but then feels bad after because Duck just wants to be close to Bear. A sweet story that reminds us of others' good intentions.
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19. Jane Foster's ABC by Jane Foster
This charming book for babies is a great starter book for learning the alphabet. With bold illustrations, it introduces each letter alongside an animal - E for elephant, Z for zebra!
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20. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
Another great book for teaching about emotions. A story of a miserable fish that needs to try to "turn his frown, upside down". A relatable topic that many children struggle with, this story brings the topic to life in a fun way and had stunning illustrations.
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21. What a Wonderful World by Bob Thiele
An awesome book for any music-loving family! The book is based on Louis Armstrong's song of the same title and inspires and gives hope about the beauty and possibilities of this world.
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22. How Do You Say I Love You? by Hannah Eliot
Love is universal and this board book edition tells the ways that others around the world say "I love you". A nice read for exposing children to different cultures, while also helping them realize we also have many commonalities.
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23. Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
A hilarious book about a pea who doesn't want to eat his dinner..which, funny enough, is sweets! A nice read for children with food issues and picky eating habits.
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24. You're Here for a Reason by Nancy Tillman
A beautiful read that is written in verse. It celebrates "you" and that you have a purpose in this world. It helps build self-esteem, even when you will make mistakes, you are still a great part of this world and have meaning.
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25. Follow Your Dreams, Little One Vashti Harrison
This is just one of the many great books by Harrison that are perfect for a child's library. He writes and illustrates books that inspire our young ones. With friendly illustrations and important topics like, "black men in history", "visionary women, and "dreamers", these non-fiction books make for a lovely baby shower gift.
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