My baby is now over 1 year old and she looooves books – cause for much celebration in my house!

Below I’ve listed her favourite books – and ours – and what age she liked them.

1. That’s Not My… series by Fiona Watt, illustrated by Rachel Wells

Babies love these books! From just a few weeks old, we could hold Zoe in our arms and she would run her hands over the different textured patches on each page.

She was mesmerised then, and she still loves these books, at a year and a half.

We can’t get enough of these books – I think we have seven. I’ve just taken a photo of a few of the ones we have.

They were also great for teething!

2. Where’s Mrs Ladybird? by Ingela P Arrhenius

When your baby starts getting more coordinated, you can try them on this classic, where your kid pulls down a fabric flap (rock, flower, etc.) to reveal a character per page (Mr Ant, etc.).

From 1 month and up, Zoe liked this one – and has only recently lost interest at 1 and a half. (Because it’s no longer a mystery, and it’s no longer a physical accomplishment to pull the flap down – she knows she can do it easily.)

My favourite part about this book was the fact that Zoe could “read” by herself, turning the heavy board book pages on her own and flipping the fabric flaps on her own.

Available in lots of different languages!

Best of all? It’s one of the only non-sexist kid’s books I’ve found. Equal representation for males and females. No non-gendered characters, though.

3. Noah’s Noisy Zoo by Thomas Nelson

Babies loooove you making the animal noises for them, but this book also has excellent vocabulary to help them learn different sounds.

A favourite for Christian parents who speak English. Available at Koorong.

Zoe liked this one from her first weeks.

4. The Noisy Farm Book

Sick of books that make you make stupid animal noises? This one makes the noises for you!

Note: The button was too hard for Zoe to push, so it wasn’t one she could “read” on her own, which made her VERY frustrated. But she loved reading it together.

5. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury

Travel the world with your baby, all while giving them sensory learning by touching fingers, toes, nose – and lots of cuddles! This book is visually adorable and it promotes racial tolerance! Amazing!!!

Zoe enjoyed this book from about 3 months on, about the time she started enjoying things like rhyme time at the library, which involves tickling and singing and things.

6. The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

It’s a classic for a reason. Kids love how physical this book is, with numbered foods so they can turn the pages with their teeny, tiny little fingers.

The story also doesn’t make parents want to die after reading it for the hundredth time, which is definitely a plus.

I can’t remember Zoe not liking this one, but don’t remember when we got it…

7. God Made You Special by the Vegetales

It’s got rhymes, bright colours, and it’s good for gnawing on.

Zoe liked this book from about three months old onwards.

Highly recommended for Christian parents.

(C) TJ Withers-Ryan, 2020.