Concept books
Since your baby’s vision is still developing, high-contrast images are easiest to see. Look for the simplest of books, with one clear photograph or graphic drawing per page, on a plain background, for babies under 18 months old. You can use these books to introduce your child to letters, numbers, shapes, colors, animals and more. Many babies love seeing other tiny tots, so books that use baby faces to show emotions or simple activities (eating, bathing, playing) are often a hit.
Board books
You’ll find concept books (along with classic tales and the newest storybooks) available in a sturdy board-book format. These books let your baby really experiment: What is this thing? What does it taste like? How do the pages work? Can I hold it all by myself? All this exploration is how babies learn, so don’t worry about gnawed corners or how many times a book gets pitched out of the stroller. It’s all part of raising a young reader.
Wordless books
Books without words let you flex your storytelling technique to match whatever you and your baby need that day. A silly story? A short one? A boring, go-to-sleep version? Although you should feel free to adjust and adapt all the children’s books you read, wordless versions are especially helpful in prompting freewheeling chats with your child—even though they don’t respond with their own words…yet!
Leave a Reply