# 8 Good First Books for Babies - Published: 2022-06-21 (updated 2022-06-24) - Author: [smartbooks](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/author/smartbooks.md) - Topics: [Best](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/category/best.md), [Children's](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/category/childrens.md) - Source: https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/8-good-first-books-for-babies/ - Publication: Smart Books for Smart Kids - Publisher: Connectively (Terkel, Inc.) - Editorial policy: https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/editorial-policy/ ## What is your best “first book” recommendation for babies? To help you identify the best “first books” for babies, we asked publishers and experienced mothers this question for their best picks. From *Look, Look!* by Peter Linenthal to *Peek a Who* by Nina Laden, there are several books that are selected as the best first books for babies. ### **Here are the eight best first books for babies:** - **Look, Look! by Peter Linenthal** - **An Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems** - **Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown** - **Baby Be Kind by Jane Cowen-Fletcher** - **Moo Baa La La La! by Sandra Boynton** - **I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy** - **The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle** - **Peek a Who by Nina Laden** ### **Look, Look! by Peter Linenthal** > For their first few months of life, infants can only see in black and white. There are many books on the market called High Contrast books that contain large, easy-to-view images for parents and toddlers as their eyes develop. Most of these are in black and white. There are a few popular books that take it “to the next level” and add touches red. This is because the next level of color that an infant can comprehend is red. As a parent of a 3-month-old, I don’t know exactly when my little one will start to interpret reds along with black and white. I figure, if my child’s vision develops early, why restrict his abilities with just black and white books when he could be picking up on other colors? Therefore, I started my child in the red. My go-to book is “[Look Look!](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Look_Look/F9o5DAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0)” By Peter Linenthal. With each page turn and discovery of new shapes and characters, my child’s eye light up, making each moment everything to me. [Will Gill](https://djwillgill.com/eventemcee/), Event Host and Entertainer ### **An Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems** The main characters are two best friends who enjoy doing everything together. From eating ice cream to riding in the car, Piggie’s antics provide abundant amusement for Elephants and vice versa. Both enjoy dancing, playing games and most of all eating! These are great books to build your child’s beginning reading skills – they have few characters, great messages, simple wording, and are just fun to read! Magdalena Sadowska, [PhotoAiD](https://photoaid.com) ### **Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown** “[Goodnight Moon](https://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Moon-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0694003611/ref=sr_1_1?crid=BCL64OT6AMZ4&keywords=Goodnight+Moon+by+Margaret+Wise+Brown&qid=1655919287&s=books&sprefix=goodnight+moon+by+margaret+wise+brown%2Cstripbooks%2C143&sr=1-1)” by Margaret Wise Brown has been around for decades, but it’s still the best option out there. It’s short, sweet, and simple—perfect for babies. It also has a nice rhythm that makes it easy for babies to fall asleep. It’s one of those rare books that can be read over and over again without getting boring or repetitive. It teaches children about bedtime rituals and also introduces them to language in a way that’s both playful and engaging. Shaun Connell, [Connell Media](https://shaunconnell.com) ### **Baby Be Kind by Jane Cowen-Fletcher** “[Baby Be Kind](https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Be-Kind-Jane-Cowen-Fletcher/dp/076365647X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EA7K800NJRXF&keywords=Baby+Be+Kind+by+Jane+Cowen-Fletcher&qid=1655919255&s=books&sprefix=baby+be+kind+by+jane+cowen-fletcher%2Cstripbooks%2C141&sr=1-1)” by Jane Cowen-Fletcher is the best book for little readers. These simple acts illustrate that being nice feels good, from taking turns to saying sorry, from trying not to be angry to delivering a big embrace. It will entice even the tiniest of children to try it. The illustrations are charming, and the book provides an excellent lesson for both children and adults on how to be a good friend. Ayman Zaidi, [GreatPeopleSearch](https://www.greatpeoplesearch.com) ### **Moo Baa La La La! by Sandra Boynton** “[Moo Baa La La La!](https://www.amazon.com/Moo-Baa-Lap-Sandra-Boynton/dp/0689870272/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CUM2F9DEWQOB&keywords=moo+baa+lalala%21+by+sandra+boynton&qid=1655919223&s=books&sprefix=moo+baa+la+la+la+by+sandra+boynton%2Cstripbooks%2C124&sr=1-1)” by Sandra Boynton is an excellent book for babies that are less than 12 months old. A child less than 12 months has just started learning their proto-words, including making vowels. This book is a picture book of animals that mimics some animals’ sounds, of which most are vowels. They help kids with being able to form well-sounding vowel sounds while at the same time they can get to know their animals. Gisera Mantada, [WeLoans](https://weloans.com) ### **I Kissed The Baby by Mary Murphy** “[I Kissed The Baby](https://www.amazon.com/I-Kissed-Baby-Mary-Murphy/dp/0763624438/ref=sr_1_1?crid=I2ZBSDX7AW6W&keywords=I+Kissed+The+Baby+by+Mary+Murphy&qid=1655919189&s=books&sprefix=i+kissed+the+baby+by+mary+murphy%2Cstripbooks%2C151&sr=1-1)” by Mary Murphy is a good book to introduce babies to reading and literature. This is good because all the sentences in the book are things the baby can relate to. Being kissed and shown affection by their parents, loved ones and even strangers. The book helps the baby to start developing their understanding of what they know before progressing to books talking about new things. Ivy Bosibori, [USBadCreditLoans](https://usbadcreditloans.com) ### **The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle** > “[The Very Hungry Caterpillar](https://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399226907/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JKY317940ZQP&keywords=the+very+hungry+caterpillar&qid=1655919151&s=books&sprefix=the+very+hungry+caterpilla%2Cstripbooks%2C156&sr=1-1)” by Eric Carle. All three of my kids loved all of Carle’s books when they were babies, but they put the most mileage on “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” The edges on that board book are frayed and the binding is falling apart after years of use. We’ll never get rid of it, though, because it represents so many good memories of bedtime reading. My kids were fascinated by the bright colors in the illustrations, as well as the holes carved out in everything eaten by the caterpillar. They had so much fun while they learned about different foods, days of the week and caterpillars changing into butterflies. The book’s an interactive science lesson without coming across as one–something my wife and I appreciated. Alex Carroll, [Caliber Games](http://calibergames.com) ### **Peek a Who by Nina Laden** This book is fun and has cleverly hidden animals. This colorful book teaches the little ones about the animals and the sounds they make. The book starts with an animal and turns to the next page to find the answer. Babies do not always understand what is being said to them, but they will kneel and observe things in life through color and rhyming words. This bedtime is engaging, and the kids will enjoy making funny sounds. “[Peek a who](https://www.amazon.com/Peek-Who-Nina-Laden/dp/0811826023)” book includes repetitive phrases that offer your baby the opportunity to participate in the reading. The colorful illustration will keep your baby guessing and chuckling. Shivanshi Srivastava, [PaydayLoansUK](https://paydayloansuk.com) ## Related - [6 Best Children’s Books of All Time Chosen By Readers](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/best-childrens-books-all-time.md) - [5 Best Books About the Death of a Pet](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/5-best-books-about-the-death-of-a-pet.md) - [What are the best superhero books for kids?](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/best-superhero-books-for-kids.md) - [What are books for kids who like Harry Potter?](https://smartbooksforsmartkids.com/books-for-kids-who-like-harry-potter.md)