Best baby books for newborns and toddlers

We might not remember our first books – read aloud by parents who really, really hoped they'd send us off to sleep – but they definitely had a big impact on our development. Here's our pick of the best baby books for little ones, full of gorgeous illustrations and sensory fun.

1. The Baby's Catalogue by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

A classic, sturdy board book from the famous Janet and Allan Ahlberg, The Baby's Catalogue is full of vibrant scenes for your baby to enjoy. Open the book at any page and make up your own story about what could be happening.

Price: £5.94

Related: The best changing bags for all your baby gear

2. Busy Town by Rebecca Finn

An interactive baby book, the tabs on each page can be pushed, turned and pulled to bring the 'Busy Town' to life. Ride the bus, feed the ducks and pop to the shops with rhyming text and bright illustrations.

Price: £4.99

3. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd

Another classic bedtime book for babies, Goodnight Moon is a gentle, rhythmic story perfect for lulling your little one to sleep (or for trying to, at least).

Price: £5.94

4. Poppy and Sam's Animal Hide and Seek by Jenny Tyler and Stephen Cartwright

Great if you're looking for an interactive baby book, Apple Tree Farm has flaps to lift and textures to feel on each page. It'll help your child learn to count, too.

Price: £7.69

5. Oh Dear! by Rod Campbell

Created by the author of Dear Zoo, Rod Campbell, Oh Dear! is another popular sensory book. Lift the flap as you turn the pages and follow main character Buster all around the farm.

Price: £4

6. Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins

Rosie the hen is walking around the farm – little does she know, she's followed by a fox. Unfortunately for the clumsy fox, he encounters calamity after calamity. Read it with your baby for shrieks of laughter.

Price: £5.94

7. Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan and Janet Ahlberg

Perfect for inquisitive readers, there's a poem on each page of this classic baby book, hinting about what's hiding in the picture. Familiar nursery rhyme characters like the Three Bears, Tom Thumb, and Baby Bunting make an appearance.

Price: £4.49

8. In The Night Garden series

Most of us are familiar with the slightly surreal TV show, but who knew there were brightly coloured baby books to accompany it? If your child can't get enough of Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy, these sturdy books will go down a treat.

Price: £8.99

9. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

Great fun to read aloud, venture into the deep, dark wood and find out what happens when a little mouse meets an owl, a snake, and – of course – a hungry Gruffalo. Here, the classic story is reworked into a board book for the littlest of readers.

Price: £5

10. That's Not My Monkey by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells

Another touch-and-feel picture book, your baby can explore different textures with every page, as well as trying to spot the little white mouse.

Price: £5.90

11. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Everyone's heard of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (and probably eaten a few hundred Caterpillar cakes too), and for good reason. Vivid and colourful, the pages' holes make for a fun, sensory reading experience.

Price: £5

12. Miffy The Artist by Dick Bruna

It's hard not to have a soft spot for Miffy the bunny. In this colourful lift-the-flap book, Miffy takes inspiration from an art gallery and decides to become her very own Picasso.

Price: £3.79

13. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson

A gentle bedtime story, Owl Babies features three owls who wonder when their Mummy will come home (which she does, of course). You'll return again and again for the timeless illustrations.

Price: £5.55

14. Shoe Baby by Joyce Dunbar

'There once was a baby who lived in a shoe, who had learned how to say “How do you do?”' A solid favourite among parents, Shoe Baby is charming and (ever so slightly) off the wall.

Price: £6.16

15. Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood

If learning to count is on the cards, this undersea adventure will help. The rhyming text will help readers go from one to 10 and back again, accompanied by vivid, beautifully illustrated pages.

Price: £5.66

Why you should trust us

In order to find the best products out there (be that baby books, car seats or breast pumps), we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums for what parents really rate.

We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.

Prices correct at time of publication.