Top 5 recommendations for books for babies

[stereo]

Hi all, if you were to invest in (i.e. buy rather than borrow)five baby books, what would be your top recommnedations? Thanks!

[CupcakesHay]

I've just bought 3 ..... gina ford contented baby (quite like, but a bit of a harsh routine to follow - has a bit of bad press, but interesting reading)

Also - what to expect in your first year - which is great and has loads of tips and things in it - i'm a first time mum-to-be.

And your baby week by week - again a great book - which does what's in the title.

Shoudl tell you haven't actually given birth (38wks!) - but these were recommended by people on MN and friends, and i've pretty much read cover to cover as been sleeping badly - and all give good advice. Like always, take it all with pinch of salt - but seem very helpful.

[CupcakesHay]

Oh - bugger - did you mean baby books - like books to read to a baby - have a horrid feeling you might have meant that. if so - sorry!!!!

[stewmaker]

do you mean for baby or for you?

[stewmaker]

that's not my ........ Usborne books
a whole range and my ds has loved them

I just picked up loads of board books from charity shops for little money so got loads of different ones. I would recommend doing this as you don't know what they will like

[stereo]

Sorry guys! I meant books to read to a baby! Should have been more specific. :)

[mylifewithstrangers]

Dear Zoo
The Baby's Catalogue (Ahlbergs)
Each Peach Pear Plum (ditto)
Peepo (ditto)
Owl babies

Also Hairy Maclairy, Mog and Kipper books

[drivingmisscrazy]

rosie's walk - a classic and lovely to look at

[moaningminniewhingesagain]

I second the all of mylifewithstrangers list except I am not mad on Hairy Maclairy.

Also Meg and Mog books.

Book People often have sets of baby/toddler books very cheaply.

Thats not my... books - the ones aimed at boys are much better than the girly ones, much better variety of textures!

And library - we borrow them then buy the ones I we love.

[mylifewithstrangers]

Believe me moaning neither am I all that mad keen on Hairy Maclairy, but my kids seem to be

The Ahlbergs books are the best by a mile though

[Chocaholica]

Agree with Each Peach Pear Plum and Dear Zoo.

And my 9 month old loves the That's Not My books. I would say they have a shorter shelf life than Each Peach Pear Plum which my 3 year old still likes.

DD2 also (9 mths) has loved the Peekaboo Pets/Jungle/Park etc since she was tiny.

The biggest baby book hit in our house though has been a book called Little Witch, which is now out of print, but which both girls have adored as babies.

[mamadiva]

The Grudallo
Dear Saanta
Dear Zoo
The Hungry Caterpillar
That's not my ... books are fab for interaction.

[mamadiva]

Lol that'll be Grufallo rather

[Chocaholica]

Mmm, The Very Hungry Caterpillar works well for teeny babies too, you're right.

Both of mine have liked a book called Ten Little Fish too, wherein the ten fish gradually dwindle to one, who falls in love with another fish, and then they have babies and produce another ten little fish...

[NannyState]

I second the 'That's not my...' series. Babies/toddlers find them very funny, especially when read in a silly voice (ime ).

The Gruffalo I'd say is for slightly older children.

[CupcakesHay]

Is the "thats not my...." like big monster? if so i didnt realise they had a series - ooooh - i'll have to hunt them down!

[stewmaker]

we've got 'that's not my......'
Monster
Truck
Snowman
Teddy
Monkey
Fairy
Digger (?)

ds likes to find the mouse/airplane/bird/rabbit in each of the pictures

He also likes 'my first words' type books, and anything with press buttons/flaps/noises - interactive board books

[dikkertjedap]

Poppy and Sam books with flaps and touchy feely poppy and sam books.

Other touchy feely books like Fairies, Bob the Builder, Miffy.

DD also loved the teletubby and In the nightgarden books.

When a little older then Thomas the Tank Engine.

[gaelicsheep]

Dear Zoo
Hungry Caterpillar
We had a touchy feely book with real photos of baby animals which was a big hit

Erm, struggling now for under one's. Nothing from the Bookstart/Bookbug stuff - they must have been on clearance.

[ensure]

Oh yes chocaholica! Peekaboo Park, Pets etc. were definitely the biggest hits here when DD was small.

Also we liked one called "Go to sleep little baby", that was nice for very young ones and the interest lasted for a while.

What about Apple Pear Orange Bear?

[scarlet5tyger]

I'm a foster carer so have a large number of books for a variety of ages. My current placement has a teeny weeny attention span and hated sitting with me to look at any very young baby books (ie those with hardly any writing). I tried him on The Gruffalo because I love it and he sat and listened to the whole thing! (He's 4 months).

He also likes Fidgety Fish and Smiley Shark.

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

each peach pear plum
room on the broom
peepo
the gruffalo
very hungry caterpillar

i know the gruffalo and room on the broom are aimed at slightly older ones, but i have found quite young babies love the rhyme and repetition.

[Bella2010star]

Anything by Julia Donaldson my daughter loves! the pictures are so great. Definately worth investing in and Waterstones are doing a buy one get one free on all picture books at the moment. I was in my element!

[NickiAndAlex]

My daughter's favourites include:

The Gruffalo
Room on the Broom
Where's Spot
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Dear Zoo

The Gruffalo is a little longer than you'd usually pick for a baby, but they just love the rhythm of it.

[Blatherskite]

I was reading "Rainbow Rob" to my last baby yesterday and getting all upset at the thought that in a few years, no-one will want to read it with me again It's such a lovely, bright book with lovely textures that teaches colours to teenies and has a lovely message about it being OK to be yourself for toddlers and the last pages fold out to make a huge, 4 page spread. It's great and i know it off by heart.

There's another one called Millie Moo by the same people tht's almost as good.

I buy "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" for any new babies in the family because it's so good.

"Dear Zoo" definitely. We got "Dear Santa" at Christmas too.

"Guess How Much I Love You" for slightly tearful bedtime cuddles

and

lots of the "That's Not My...." books. Our favourite is "That's Not My Baby" as DD loves admiring herself in the mirror at the end :)

[DilysPrice]

For very young babies you can't beat the Amazing Baby board books - they're specially designed to be full of stuff that the 4-6 months ones love. DD adored the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star one. Once they're a teeny bit older then I'd second practically all the other suggestions above.