24 Best Books for Baby Shower Gifts

Baby showers are a wonderful way to celebrate the addition to a family! And as a librarian, I will always gift books for the family. In my honest opinion, you can never have too many books and you spend a lot of time snuggling a baby in their first few months (they don’t do much else!).

A fairly new trend is for families to request a board book in place of giving a card. It’s a great idea, but, it can be difficult to select the books you want to gift, especially because you know everyone is going to choose Goodnight Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. So how do you find something that is perfect for a new baby and the family, and that won’t end up being on the gifting table half a dozen times?

Check out this list below of some of my favorite board books and picture books to gift to a brand-new little one. The first thing to remember? It honestly doesn’t matter what you read to a baby! The point of reading at a very young age is to spend time together snuggling and eventually to understand that reading together is love. Choose board books for littles – they’re made of sturdy cardboard pages and are smaller for tiny hands. Plus, they’ll hold up to chewing, throwing, and all the exploration a little one does. You can also shoot for books that have HIGH contrast images (think black and white) for tiny eyes that are still learning to see. And finally, don’t forget to have fun! Select books that make you smile, remind you of the family you’re gifting them too, or are just too good to pass up. You’ll be sure to select the right books when you follow these simple rules!

And if you’re looking for even more great suggestions, check out this list I created a few years ago – older titles, but still amazing read alouds!

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24 Best Books for Baby Shower Gifts

All Aboard! National Parks: A Wildlife Primer by Haily Meyers and Kevin Meyers

Travel with your munchkin through the National Parks with this Wildlife Primer children’s book! Explore the nation’s marvelous national parks from Acadia to Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon to the Grand Tetons in this baby book.

Anne of Green Gables: A Places Primer by Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Alison Oliver

Introduce little ones to beloved redheaded orphan Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: A BabyLit® Places Primer. as they explore Prince Edward Island and the places that Anne loves. Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver, with their words and bright illustrations, introduce toddlers to Anne’s home and her favorite pond, wood, field, garden, and the avenue to Avonlea

Indestructibles: Baby Faces by Kate Merritt

Are you feeling happy? Hurray!
Are you feeling sad? Boo-hoo!
Are you feeling hungry? Yum-yum!

Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

When Baby and Mama go to market, baby is so adorable that the banana seller gives him six bananas. Baby eats one and puts five in the basket, but Mama doesn’t notice. As Mama and Baby wind their way through the market stalls, cheeky Baby collects five juicy oranges, four sugary chin-chin biscuits, three roasted sweetcorn, two pieces of coconut … until Mama notices that her basket is getting very heavy. Poor Baby, she thinks – he must be very hungry by now!

Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses by Jen Arena, illustrated by Blanca Gómez

Everyone has kisses for Baby, from Mami and Papi to perro and gato. Using simple Spanish words, this charming read-aloud proves that love is the same in every language! Parents won’t be able to resist giving baby muchos besos as they share this bilingual read aloud, filled with bold, graphic illustrations, with their little bébé!

Black & White by Tana Hoban

Before they are able to clearly see colors, babies respond to the strong contrast between black and white, which makes this the perfect first book for young, developing brains. Experiencing bold black-and-white contrast helps stimulate development in the retina and the optic nerve.

A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

When the sky grows dark
and the moon glows bright,
everyone goes to sleep . . .
except for the watchful owl!

With a spare, soothing text and beautifully rich and textured illustrations of a starry night, this is the perfect “book of sleep.” Join the owl on his moonlit journey as he watches all the other animals settle in for the night: some sleep standing up, while some sleep on the move! Some sleep peacefully alone, while others sleep all together, huddled close.

Hello, Bugs! by Smriti Prasadam, illustrated by Emily Bolam

Babies and toddlers will love to meet the adorable bugs in this engaging book! Little hands can turn the sturdy board pages to meet a host of cute characters, including a ladybug, a caterpillar, a bee, a grasshopper, a dragonfly, a snail, and more. Simple text introduces readers to a handful of first words, while the bold artwork features each bug in its natural environment. Rounded corners, high-contrast black-and-white illustrations, and a glittering burst of colored foil on every page make this an ideal choice for the youngest learners.

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers

Insightfully sweet, with a gentle humor and poignancy, here is Oliver Jeffers’ user’s guide to life on Earth. He created it specially for his son, yet with a universality that embraces all children and their parents. Be it a complex view of our planet’s terrain (bumpy, sharp, wet), a deep look at our place in space (it’s big), or a guide to all of humanity (don’t be fooled, we are all people), Oliver’s signature wit and humor combine with a value system of kindness and tolerance to create a must-have book for parents.

Honey for You, Honey for Me: A Frist Book of Nursery Rhymes by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Chris Riddell

Honey for breakfast,
Honey for tea.
Honey for YOU,
Honey for ME.

Welcome to the vibrant world of nursery rhymes—from beloved playground sayings to forgotten gems. Collected by preeminent children’s author Michael Rosen, these lilting poems, more than thirty in all, are brought to life in playful illustrations by award-winning artist Chris Riddell

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

From the incomparable team of author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrator Tom Lichtenheld, this exuberant, inspirational book for kids holds more than a single wish or even three wishes—it is filled with endless good wishes. Wishes for curiosity and wonder, for friendship and strength, laughter and peace.

Littles and How They Grow by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by AG Ford

In this unforgettable, squeal-filled, tear-inducing love song to babies and how quickly they grow up, author Kelly DiPucchio’s heart-tugging rhyme meets the gorgeous, dimple-cheeked, multicultural babies of illustrator AG Ford. With adorable scenes from the busy life of a “little”—peekaboo, feedings, tantrums, giggles—and a final scene that reminds us how they become big kids all too soon, this is the ideal gift for any new parent and their child.

Little Poems for Tiny Ears by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

For babies and toddlers, each moment is full of wonder and discovery. This delightful collection of original poems celebrates the everyday things that enthrall little ones, such as playing peekaboo, banging pots and pans, splashing at bath time, and cuddling at bedtime. Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sound of poetry, and beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola’s engaging children are the perfect match for Lin Oliver’s lighthearted poems. Together they’ve created a book to be treasured that captures the magic and fun of being new in the world.

Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions

Find the happy baby! Find the sad baby! Find the angry baby! Find the silly baby! Explore expressions in this interactive, photographic board book from the creators of Baby Loves and Baby Up, Baby Down.

Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions is a bold, beautiful board book that introduces five essential expressions: happy, sad, angry, surprised, and silly. Each expression is paired with a large image of a baby’s face. Children are asked to mimic the face, then pick it out from a group of other babies. At the end, readers are invited to make all the faces introduced in a unique and exciting way—with a mirror right on the last page!

Little ones will learn as they play and will delight in mimicking expressions—especially the “surprised” face. Yes, it’s different from the scared face!

Once I Was a Pollywog by Douglas Florian, illustrated by Barbara Bakos

In this fun, rhyming story by award-winning author Douglas Florian, meet different baby animals and discover what they become when they grow up! The baby/adult pairs include: pollywog/frog; piglet/hog; cub/bear; leveret/hare; gosling/goose; calf/moose. And at the end, meet a little boy who will always be his mama’s bundle of joy!

Paris: A Book of Shapes by Ashley Evanson

Paris is a treasure trove of fascinating shapes: there are triangles at the Louvre Museum, rectangles at Notre-Dame Cathedral, arches at the Arc de Triomphe, and stars in a beautiful Parisian night sky. Explore shapes all over Paris in this gorgeous board book!

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. The collage-and-watercolor art evokes the bright simplicity of Lois Ehlert and Eric Carle and the interactive concept will delight fans of Pat the Bunny. Combining a playful spirit and a sense of wonder about nature, Christie Matheson has created a new modern classic that is a winner in every season—and every story time!

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

This is a gorgeously simple picture book for very young children, and once you finish the rhythmic, rhyming text, all you’ll want to do is go back to the beginning . . . and read it again! This padded board book is perfect for the little ones.

The luminous watercolor illustrations of these roly-poly little ones from a variety of backgrounds are adorable, quirky, and true to life, right down to the wrinkles, dimples, and pudges in their completely squishable arms, legs, and tummies.

As everyone knows, nothing is sweeter than stubby baby fingers and chubby baby toes. This is a counting book for little ones and the grown-ups around them to share and chant along to.

This Little Explorer: A Pioneer Primer by Joan Holub, illustrated by Daniel Roode

Learn all about the most influential explorers who searched the world far and wide in this engaging and colorful board book perfect for pioneers-in-training!

We All Play by Julie Fett

Animals and kids love to play! This wonderful book celebrates playtime and the connection between children and the natural world. Beautiful illustrations show:

birds who chase and chirp!
bears who wiggle and wobble!
whales who swim and squirt!
owls who peek and peep!
and a diverse group of kids who love to do the same, shouting:
We play too! / kimêtawânaw mîna

At the end of the book, animals and children gently fall asleep after a fun day of playing outside, making this book a great bedtime story.

Whose Toes Are Those? by Jabari Asim, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Who do you suppose has such fine toes?So brown and sweet. Who could have such darling feet?
Snuggle with a child on your lap with this cheerful rhyme inspired by the classic giggle-inspiring game of This Little Piggy. 

Woodland Dance by Sandra Boynton

The moose plays the cello. The deer, violin. And it’s ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three, time to begin!

Destined to be a read-aloud favorite, Woodland Dance is a mystical, waltzing story from beloved author and illustrator Sandra Boynton, and a magical book to share with a magical child. Woodland animals heed the call of the fox’s bugle to join the woodland dance in a moonlit glade, dancing all night to the music of the Woodland Dance Trio. As the animals wander off to bed, the Trio plays one last piece to welcome the sun. A lovely, lyrical way to end, or start, the day.

You Are Light by Aaron Becker

Open this beautiful book to find a graphic yellow sun surrounded by a halo of bright die-cut circles. Now hold the page up to the light and enjoy the transformation as the colors in those circles glow. In an elegant, sparely narrated ode to the phenomenon of light, Aaron Becker follows as light reflects off the earth to warm our faces, draws up the sea to make the rain, feeds all the things that grow, and helps to create all the brilliant wonders of the world, including ourselves.

You Are New by Lucy Knisley

A world of being new is waiting for little ones and the grown-ups who love them in this warm and funny book. From napping to crying to cuddling to playing, this book introduces the world to newborns (and new parents) with humor, honesty, and unmitigated sweetness.