Did you know that today is World Read Aloud Day? I did not (thank you SJP!) but, to honor such an important topic, I thought I’d share some of my favorite books to read aloud to babies. Studies have shown that reading to kids, especially young kids, is key for their development, and it’s something we do a lot of in our house. Both of my parents are librarians and I’m lucky that they instilled a love of reading in us at an early age. I hope that I can do the same for my kids! I’ve had a half-written post drafted for months now about my favorite baby books and once I saw that today is World Read Aloud Day, I figured I may as well get it up! I’m all for any effort to raise awareness of and encourage reading to kids. The books I’m mentioning here are ones I read with Jackson on repeat when he was a baby, and I’m now using them with Emmy too. 

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (by Mem Fox): My cousin Jean, who taught little kids for many years, sent this to us when Jackson was born. She said it was always one of her favorites, and I can see why. It emphasizes differences by showing babies from all walks of life around the world, and the pictures could not be more adorable. And it rhymes. Who doesn’t love a good rhyme?

Dear Zoo (by Rod Campbell): It’s no wonder that this book remains so popular today. It’s simple and fun! Babies love to lift the flaps (or watch you lift the flaps) to reveal the animals beneath. I like that it’s a nice early introduction to different animals.

Peek-A-Boo Farm (by Joyce Wan): This is similar to Dear Zoo in that it’s about animals and has flaps, but stylistically it’s quite different. This book is focused on farm animals and the illustrations are unique, bright, and fun. It’s very cute. We love it!

Your Baby’s First Word Will Be DADA (by Jimmy Fallon): I have to be honest. The first time I read through this book I thought it was dumb. Really dumb. My initial reaction was, I just spent money on this?! But Jimmy Fallon must be on to something because Jackson LOVED it! He thought it was hysterical and got such a kick out of the funny animals sounds and repetition of “dada” throughout. We wound up reading it every night for months because he enjoyed it so much, so I had to include it here.

Brown Bear Brown Bear (by Bill Martin Jr. / Eric Carle): An oldie but a goodie! I think everyone is familiar with this one so I’ll just leave it at that.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo (by Kevin Lewis): This tells the story of a freight train’s day, from sunup to sundown, using delightful rhyming and engaging illustrations. It’s a great one to read before bed!

On the Night You Were Born (by Nancy Tillman): Oh Nancy Tillman, you get me every time. I think I like her books more than the kids do! They seriously tug at your heart strings. If you’ve read any of her books then you know what I mean! I like this one in particular because it highlights the value of being unique and how much parents love their babies. I’m also a fan of Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You, but I can’t trust myself to read it without tearing up!

What are your favorite baby books? I’d love to know!

*Note: I may get a small commission for purchases made through affiliate links in this post, but all recommendations are 100% my own.