Choosing the Best Books for Young Babies

Teachers and parents often state that it is never too early to begin reading to your child, but the selection of books targetted to very young babies can be limiting. Whether you have a one-month-old who is just beginning to look at the world around him, or you have a six-month-old who is interested in books but can't pay attention for long, this guide can help you select story books that suit your baby's needs and developmental stage.

Black-and-White Books for Young Babies

A baby's ability to see colors and soft lines won't fully develop until he is around six months old, so he is likely to have trouble focusing on illustrations and photographs. Because your young baby's sense of object recognition is probably also lacking at this point, the ability to see shapes and forms is far more important than the ability to see recognizable objects or comedic illustrations.

Check out your local library for suggestions for on with clear, sharp, high-contrast images that are designed to capture baby's attention and imagination. Peter Linenthal's books, particularly the increasingly popular "Look, Look!", are a great start. Black-and-white books are perfect first books for children up to six months of age.

High-Contrast Cloth Books for Young Babies

The only thing better than cuddling with your child? Cuddling with your child AND a good book! Cloth books are perfect choices for reading to your baby as you rock her to sleep at night, and their fun texture can make them enjoyable toys as your baby grows older. The flexibility of a cloth picture book is perfect for stowing in a diaper bag or purse.

Cloth picture books made just for babies have bold, large-print shapes and pictures, and are designed with the principles of high-contrast imagery in mind. The Touch and Feel cloth books by Roger Priddy, including favorites like Snowy Bear and Friends and Fuzzy Bee and Friends, are all great additions to a nursery library.

Books for Bonding with Young Babies

Although a newborn baby can not yet understand the words in books or the concept of bonding, the parent can benefit from reading books that get baby's attention with clear illustrations, while also providing meaningful text for Mom (or Dad) to enjoy. A few books have been specifically tailored to have text that is enjoyable for parents, with pictures that are enjoyable for young babies.

On the Day you were Born by Debra Frasier is one classic and loveable book. Although many parents might assume that the illustrations in this lyical book are far too abstract for a young baby to enjoy, some infants as young as three months will clearly examine the crispness of the shapes. Welcome Precious by Nikki Grimes is anothe example of this type of children's literature, and flows with lyrical text.

As your baby gets older, he will begin to appreciate seeing books with photographs and realistic illustrations, and these can help to expand his ever-developing vocabulary. However, in the first six months, the important part of reading to your baby is getting him used to this important habit and emphasizing positive feelings regarding the activity. Simple books with compelling art are often the best jump-start you can give to your baby's illustration.