Reading in the first year of your child’s life will help you child with speech, vocabulary, and general learning. This is the list of my favorite 47 books to read to a child under the age of 1.
A Baby born in this world is welcomed all around.
While I tend to be pretty anti-Disney in our books and toys, All Ears is fun because you get to adjust Thumper’s ears.
It’s never too soon to stand up for injustice. Let’s raise our voice with the AntiRacisit Baby!
A golden books classic, every young child loves listening to and naming the Baby Farm Animals.
Grab a partner and join in for the Barnyard Dance.
Red hat, blue hat, green hat, oops! Will turkey ever figure out how to get dressed properly?
Spend the extra money to get the board book with the sliding panels for this Brown Bear book. The little details gives your child something to play with while reading and I think makes the book last longer.
Consent is an incredibly important topic, and one that we probably don’t cover often enough. C is for Consent helps you talk about (and can serve as a reminder) the importance of bodily autonomy.
Follow the alphabet as they all try to fit into the coconut tree. Oh no, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!
Follow along, Counting Kisses in the book and on your baby!
Join Triceritops and T-Rex in a Dinosaurumpus! It gives a sizzle and a zing. Number 2 recommendation by Rainbow Sprinkle.
Got a kiddo who likes to say No? Encourage them to tell the Pigeon “No” over and over again.
I love all the First Words books, but for this age in particular I encourage the little ones. One picture per page, maybe 6 pages total. Keep it short and simple.
The Freight Train is pulling cars of all different colors. Review the colors together before following it through cities and into tunnels.
Join the zookeeper as he first says Goodnight Gorilla and then to all the other animals in the zoo. This classic has so much to see in each of the simple illustrations, don’t be surprised if your child reads it well into their older years.
My favorite going to bed book, Goodnight Moon offers simple pictures, simple phrases, and a soothing end to your day.
Little Nutbrown Hare wants Big Nutbrowm Hare to know how much he loves him. Follow him as he stretches further and longer to express his love.
Hairy MacLary is a book I got from my New Zealand friend. It came highly recommended. I reach it and it’s fun, rhyming, and simple.
I love this book because it has just this one line. It’s all about looking at the pictures and finding the duckling on each page.
Practice naming body parts and singing along with Head and Shoulders. A sing along book gives you fun pictures to look at while singing along to early favorites.
Simple, beautiful illustrations fill up each page of Hello, Hello. Every animal in the book is either endangered or extinct. The illustrations are stunning.
I love this book because it is for both parent and child. This book talks about the love of a child and in the margins has notes for parents around learning through play and brain development.
I Wish You More is a book that I absolutely love. I’m not even sure how appropriate it is for the first year. It’s such a great, sweet book that I had to include it. I’ll probably include it at every age level I love it so much.
One of my personal favorites, If I Could Keep You Little acknowledges the love and pain of watching your child grow up. Careful if you are feeling extra emotional currently. This one could make you cry!
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands, wag your tails, and roll back and forth.
Mary’s Little Lamb didn’t follow her to school. Instead he goes to explore the farm and makes a mess of himself.
Learn and practice some basic Mindfulness skills. It’s never too early to start taking deep breaths. Highly recommended by Monster.
Let me admit, in case I haven’t already, that I simply love Sandra Boynton and pretty much all of their books. Moo, Baa, La La La is my all time favorite though. It’s silly and perfect for learning animals.
For all the Dads in the world. I adore books that talk about the love of a parent for their child.
We don’t want to raise children who always say yes. No! is a word they should use and be proud of. It is their first form of protest.
While this book is rather long, I love it so much that it’s still in the first year books. Read On the Night before bed and during nursing stretches.
One Lucky Duck lost his quack and he wants it back. Count through the barnyard animals until duck can find the quack again.
I love songs that are also books, and Row Your Boat is an example of this. Sing and read at the same time. Row down the stream, past the tiger’s den, and up and down the creek. I love how this book expands on the original nursery rhyme.
Make up your own tune and sing along with Snuggle Puppy. This fun book tells your child “Ooooooo, I love you!”
Some Things Go Together, just like you and me.
The That’s Not My series is so much fun and there are so many options. I specifically love the animals, but there are vehicles and mythical creatures as well. Each page has something to touch and feel for your child as well.
Welcome to the world little human. Let us promise our love to you.
This Dr. Seuss adaptation offers some of the earliest rhymes in a touchable, Pet focused way. And if you know anything about Dr. Seuss, you know I don’t mean cats and dogs.
Where’s the Witch is just one of a whole series. These durable, felt flaps offer little surprises under each one. They are short and simple books, perfect for your youngest children.
Woke Baby isn’t going to stand for injustices. Join them in challenging the world. Also, number 1 recommendation from Rainbow Sprinkle.
Sing along to You Are My Sunshine and flip through the pages to see the pictures.
