Key takeaways:
- Book buying for kids can be overwhelming.
- These recommendations from a grandma and teacher surface the most treasured titles.
- Head to that baby shower, confident of your choices.
The request is simple enough. And it’s tacked on as if it’s a small thing to ask.
But when you don’t know any children, let alone what children read, let alone what parents like their children to read, this suggestion on a baby shower invitation can be anxiety-raising. You could spend more time working on this sidecar gift than you would selecting the main gift from the baby registry.
“Instead of a card, we’re asking guests to bring a book to start the new baby’s library.”
Relax, we have you covered in the form of recommendations from a five-time grandmother and art teacher and artist. These recommendations will win those approving nods that we still so desperately seek from mothers.
Baby – 1
My First I See You
$7.99
$4.65
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12/17/2025 03:06 am GMT
This is an interactive book with rhyming text, colorful pictures and mirrors. The kids are captivated seeing themselves in the mirrors, and the sturdy board format is perfect for their little hands to grip.
Baby – 2
Peek-a-Who?
$6.95
$4.78
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12/17/2025 03:05 am GMT
Peek through the cutouts on each page to guess who the peek-a-boo is. It’s both clever and effective in teaching toddlers about animals and sounds. Such fun when they lift the flip to reveal who’s hiding behind it.
1-3 years
Where's Spot?
$7.99
$4.50
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12/17/2025 03:04 am GMT
Spot’s mom searches for Spot the puppy all through the house. Lift-the-flap surprises on each page. It’s a classic first published in 2003—some of today’s parents may have had this book read to them.
This is a fun story asking a zoo to send an animal to their house. Lift-the-flap surprises on each page. The text is predictable, which encourages toddlers to read along and anticipate the next word or animal.
The title says it all: Practice counting to 10 with this fun counting and barking book.
2-5 years
This is an alphabet learning book. Every page has a letter cutout, which enables the child to trace the shape of the letter. Lift the flaps also add to the interactivity.
An interactive book using real ribbons to form a rainbow on each page. It is magical!
The book that has no words. Instead, a girl follows an interesting changing line.
Arlo is a dog who needs glasses—like the young reader might? Clever interactive pages bring this story to life and makes the child feel comfortable about they might be ahead for them.
It’s never too early to have a favorite author—even when the books he writes have no words! This is one in a series that kids love. Each page is filled with illustrations of people, places and things.