Never Too Young: Books for Babies

Mother Goose

• Animal Crackers: A Delectable Collection of Pictures, Poems and Lullabies for the Very Young by Jane Dyer. Little, Brown, 1996.
  (j808.81 ANIM)
  The title says it all. Also available two board books taken from the larger collection.
• Mother Goose by Will Moses. Philomel, 2002.
  (j398.8 MOSE)
  Stylized folk art paintings illustrate more than sixty three nursery rhymes and riddles.
• My Very First Mother Goose edited by Iona Opie. Illustrated by Rosemary Wells. Candlewick, 1996.
  (j398.8 MY)
  An exuberant and freshly illustrated collection of sixty-eight favorite nursery rhymes.
  Also: Here Comes Mother Goose
• ¡Pío Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes selected by Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy. English adaptations by Alice Schertle. Illustrated by Vivi Escriviá. HarperCollins, 2006.
  (j398.8 PIO)
  Twenty-nine best known Spanish rhymes and English versions that capture their essence are cozily illustrated in this bilingual book with accompanying music CD.
• The Real Mother Goose Board Book illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright. Cartwheel, 1998.
  (jBOARD)
  Fifteen beloved nursery rhymes with old fashioned illustrations from the original, The Real Mother Goose j398.8 MOTH.
• Tomie’s Mother Goose Flies Again by Tomie DePaola. Putnam, 2005.
  (jBOARD)
  Favorite nursery rhymes from the award-winning illustrator’s handsome compilation, Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose.
  Also in board format: Tomie’s Little Mother Goose.

Beginning with Board Books

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• All Fall Down; Clap Hands; Say Goodnight; Tickle, Tickle by Helen Oxenbury. Aladdin, 1987.
  (jBOARD)
  Rhyming text and action-filled drawings show babies playing together in day care. (Also available in Spanish.)
• Baby Faces by Margaret Miller. Little Simon, 1998.
  (jBOARD)
  Playful close-up colorful photographs capture facial expressions of babies. Part of the Look Baby! Books series.
• Baby’s Busy World DK, 2005.
  (jBOARD)
  A first word-and-picture book for parents and babies to share in a large sized board book.
• The Big Book of Beautiful Babies by David Ellwand. Dutton, 2001.
  (jBOARD & jPS ELLW)
  Expressive black and white photos of babies plus a closing mirror so babies can see themselves!
• Diddle, Diddle Dumpling by Tracey Campbell Pearson. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2005.
  (jBOARD)
  Guess who finds the missing shoe in this illustrated nursery rhyme.
  Also: Little Miss Muffet.
• Hey, Diddle Diddle! by Salley Mavor. Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
  (jBOARD)
  Popular nursery rhyme with charming stitch work illustrations.
  Also: Mary Had a Little Lamb.
• Look! Look! by Peter Linenthal. Dutton, 1998.
  (jBOARD)
  The simple contrast of black and white art is stimulating for infant’s eyes.
  Also: Look at the Animals.
• Teaching Your Baby to Sign by Lora Heller. Sterling, 2004.
  (jBOARD)
  Learn twenty-one everyday words using American Sign Language to help communicate with your baby. Part of Baby Fingers series.
• White on Black by Tana Hoban. Greenwillow, 1993.
  (jBOARD)
  White silhouettes on shiny black pages depict ten objects familiar to a baby. Also: Black on White; What Is That?; Who Are They?.

Baby’s World

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• The Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O’Connell. Illus. by Ken Wilson-Max. Roaring Brook, 2003.
  (jPS OCON)
  With energetic cadence, a baby experiences the sights and sounds of a busy day.
• Baby Talk: A Book of First Words and Phrases by Judy Hindley. Illustrated by Brita Granström. Candlewick, 2006.
  (jPS HIND)
  A baby’s busy day is full of words and play.
• Bruno Munari’s ABC by Bruno Munari. Seuil, 1960.
  (jPS MUNA)
  This alphabet story begins with "an ant on an apple" and ends with "a fly going zzzzz."
• Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers. Harcourt, 2001, 2004.
  (jPS MEYE & jBOARD)
  Celebrate the growth and activities of babies during the first year of life.
• I Like it When… by Mary Murphy. Harcourt, 1997.
  (jPS MURP & jBOARD)
  A baby penguin enjoys sharing everyday activities with an affectionate parent.
• I Love Animals by Flora McDonnell. Candlewick, 1994.
  (jPS McDO & jBOARD)
  A small girl names eleven lively farm animals that she loves. (Also available in Spanish)
• I Went Walking by Sue Williams. Illustrated by Julie Vivas. Harcourt, 1990.
  (jPS WILL & jBOARD)
  In a question and response story, a young child identifies familiar animals and colors. (Also available in Spanish)
  Also: Let’s Go Visiting.
• Little Gorilla by Ruth Bornstein. Clarion, 1976.
  (jPS BORN & jBOARD)
  Everyone in the forest loves Little Gorilla, even after he grows big. (also available in Spanish)
• Machines at Work by Byron Barton. HarperFestival, 1997.
  (jPS BART & jBOARD)
  Boldly outlined art helps present a construction site through the course of a day’s work.
• Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora. Putnam, 2002.
  (jPS ISAD)
  A captivating African-American tot playing peekaboo with family members, a friend and the reader.

Baby’s Bedtime

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• Arrorro, Mi Nino: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games edited by Lulu Delacre. Lee & Low, 2004.
  (j398.8089 ARRO)
  An illustrated collection of 15 lullabies, nursery rhymes and finger-games in English and Spanish.
• Counting Kisses by Karen Katz. Little Simon, 2001.
  (jPS KATZ & jBOARD)
  The entire family helps baby get ready for bed with a countdown fill of kisses.
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. Illustrated by Clement Hurd. HarperCollins, 1947.
  (jPS BROW & jBOARD)
  The classic story of a little rabbit who says "goodnight" to each object in his room. (Also available in Spanish.)
• Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long. Chronicle, 2002.
  (jPS LONG & jBOARD)
  A mother rabbit sings a new rendition of the traditional lullaby to her dreamy bunny.
• Mommy Hugs by Anne Gutman. Illustrated by Georg Hallensleben. Chronicle, 2003.
  (jBOARD)
  Snuggly animal parents and their offspring show their love through lots of hugs and kisses.
  Also: Daddy Kisses.
• Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang. Greenwillow, 1983.
  (jPS BANG & jBOARD)
  A father counts down from ten toes to one sleepy daughter ready for bed. (Also available in Spanish.)
• Time for Bed by Mem Fox. Illustrated by Jane Dyer. Harcourt, 1993.
  (jPS FOX & jBOARD)
  Animal parents use tried and true ways to urge their babies to sleep.

Rhymes and Songs to Share

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• The Baby Chicks are Singing (Los Pollitos Dicen) by Ashely Wolff. Little, Brown, 2006.
  (jBOARD)
  Join the baby chicks in singing a familiar song. In English and Spanish.
  Also: Me Baby, You Baby.
• Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont. Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas. Dial, 2004.
  (jPS BEAU)
  A wide-awake baby jigs, polkas and cha-chas in this rhyming story.
• The Baby’s Playtime Book by Kay Chorao. Dutton, 2006.
  (j398.8 CHOR)
  Thirty-seven rhythmic poems and songs to share with baby.
  Also: The Baby’s Lap Book and The Baby’s Bedtime Book.
• Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton. Workman, 1993.
  (jBOARD)
  Jovial farm animals join together for barnyard fun and play. One of many board books by this author.
• Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker. Harcourt, 1994.
  (jPS BAKE & jBOARD)
  Well-known counting rhyme with bold illustrations
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes by Annie Kubler. Child’s Play, 2001.
  (jBOARD)
  An interactive song in board book format. (Also available in many languages.)
• The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Rosemary Wells. Scholastic, 1998.
  (jBOARD)
  A favorite childhood song brought to life with art by a popular illustrator.
  Also: Bingo, Old MacDonald and The Bear Went Over the Mountain.
• This Little Piggy by Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. Musical arrangements by Adam Stemple. Candlewick, 2006.
  (j398.8 THIS)
  More than sixty lap songs, finger plays, clapping games and pantomime rhymes with instructions to parent for sharing with babies. Accompanied by a music CD.

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