The best baby books are some of the most beautiful, heart-warming, and affectionate stories to ever be put down on a page. Here are the very best baby first favorites.
Baby books encourage your child to develop social development skills by encouraging them to read, speak, point, and touch the illustrations and stories on the page. As such, the books that parents choose can be some of the most formative experiences of a child’s life. Below, we’ve collected some of the most visually stunning, and cutest, baby books, from stories of hungry animals to warm stories of affection and love.
Grug – Ted Prior
Born from a burrawang tree, Grug just might be the coolest little thing to come out of Regional NSW. Grug delights in the world around him and tackles any problem solving with great creativity and presence. Grug Learns to Read has also been translated in Karrawa, the indigenous language of Nothern Western Australia.
TED PRIOR
GRUG
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? – Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle
A colourful collage of crowd-favourite animals, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is a tailormade baby book that helps children recognise colours and associate those colours with objects. Similar to babyfirst logo, in terms of color stimulation recognition.
BILL MARTIN AND ERIC CARLE
BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE?
Dear Zoo – Rod Campbell
Dear Zoo is a classic, lift-the-flap children’s book that allows readers to actively engage with the brightly illustrated pictures on the page. As children are encouraged to open the intriguing flaps, they’re exposed to a wonderful variety of animals that “the zoo” has sent them.
ROD CAMPBELL
DEAR ZOO
Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd
An adorable bedtime story, Goodnight Moon follows the story of a little bunny as he winds down for bed and gets ready to say goodnight to all the familiar things, one by one, in his gigantic, green bedroom.
MARGARET WISE BROWN AND CLEMENT HURD
GOODNIGHT MOON
Ceremony: Welcome to Our Country – Adam Goodes and David Hardy
Engaging, informative, joyful, and fun, Ceremony celebrates the rich traditions of dance, family, community, and caring for the Country from the world’s oldest continuous culture.
ADAM GOODES AND DAVID HARDY
CEREMONY
Guess How Much I Love You? – Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram
Reviewed by The Guardian as “a book which both parents and children adore and will be a book any adult will happily read over and over again at bedtime,” Guess How Much I Love You is a gorgeous baby book that follows the affectionate and loving relationship between Big Nutbrown Hare and the Little Nutbrown Hare.
SAM MCBRATNEY AND ANITA JERAM
GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
Kissed by the Moon – Alison Lester
Part poem, part lullaby, and written by Australian Children’s Laureate Alison Lester, Kissed by the Moon is a gorgeous baby book that celebrates the wondrous magic of our natural world.
ALISON LESTER
KISSED BY THE MOON
Possum Magic – Mem Fox
Published in 1983, Possum Magic is one of the best, and most iconic, Australian baby books. Written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas, it follows the story of Hush, a young female possum, who becomes invisible and embarks on a series of exciting adventures.
MEM FOX AND JULIE VIVAS
POSSUM MAGIC
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle
One of the best-selling baby books of all time, The Very Hungry Caterpillar follows the story of a hilariously voracious caterpillar who eats his way through a range of colourfully illustrated foods, until he finally morphs into a beautiful butterfly.
ERIC CARLE
THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
We Love You, Magoo – Briony Stewart
Following the story of the mischievous dog, Magoo, We Love You, Magoo has been described by the publisher as a “classic in the making – joyous and playful, this [book] will be read again and again. Pitched perfectly at the preschooler, just learning the rules who loves being the boss. Gorgeous illustrations and a rhyming text that’s a delight to read out loud.”
BRIONY STEWART
WE LOVE YOU MAGOO
Wombat Stew – Marcia Vaughan
Another classic Australian picture book, Wombat Stew has raised generations of Australian children with its catchy refrain, themes of friendship, and introduction to the gorgeous wildlife of the outback.
MARCIA VAUGHAN AND PAMELA LOFTS
WOMBAT STEW
Star Child – Claire A. Nivola
Using spacious, artful text and illustrations, Claire A. Nivola beautifully celebrates the cycle of life. Star Child, is a tiny flame of vapor, invisible and timeless, who watches the Earth from far, far away. He marvels at the blue swirls of the ocean and the green land, a bright spot turning through the darkness of space. He wants to go to this wondrous place, but he ponders: What will that life be like? “You will be plunged into Earth’s river of time,” his elders tell the Star Child. “There will be so much for you to learn and so much for you to feel—pleasure and fear, joy and disappointment, sadness and wonder.”
CLAIRE A. NIVOLA
STAR CHILD
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Aussie Baby Animals A high-contrast board book: Black and White for Babies: Book 1 – Julia Murray
Your baby loves black and white, with this babyfirst black and whiteboard book, is perfect for engaging with your baby. Encouraging eyesight development and strengthening their cognitive abilities. Bond with your baby as you introduce them to the world of adorable Australian baby animals!
