Books for a new baby

[Hallelujah2020]

I’d like to get a friend some books for her new baby. Any suggestions much appreciated.

Ten little fingers ten little toes,
on the night you were born,
wherever you are my love will find you,
all super sweet books to read to a newborn;
for when shes olden any julia donaldson theyre so easy to read
congratulations, she will honestly love the first 3 they are so sweet

Orange Pear Apple Bear or Monkey and Me by the same author.

'The dinosaur that pooped' series to make the parent smile (Unless they're easily offended types...)

Go the fuck to sleep - Adam Mansbach

If they have a sense of humour

Guess How Much I Love You is a more child-appropriate winner

Board book versions of books are much better. Felt flap books are the best of the flap options for young babies.

Each Peach Pear Plum
Mr Brown Can Moo

Babies love the rhythms and sound of your voice. Doesn’t really matter what you read them.

Welcome by Mo Willems, I’ve bought it for every new baby I’ve ever known. It’s so lovely, I’ve read it to all mine as newborns and it makes me proper sob every time!

Emma Dodd's animal series - especially the otter one. Gorgeous.

I'd say something sweet, traditional and along the lines of Janet and Allan Ahlberg's 'Peepo' for the baby, and something more humorous for the parents, like Aliens and Dinosaurs Love Underpants.

Anything in cloth with black and white pictures- these are the best ones for young babies.
Or a bath book - someone gave my DD one and she read it every bath time for years!

Wonderful Earth by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen. Beautiful book about our world and our place in it, given to my children and much loved, especially for the brilliantly written list of all the animals you've never heard of!

We received 3 (!!) copies of Guess How Much I Love You, so I’d stay away from that. If it’s a long awaited baby then We Waited For You is beautiful. Peepo is a great one for little babies. I read No Matter What to my daughter every night since pregnancy, it’s my personal favourite. Tiny Tantrum is a funny one as they start to grow. The Lion Who Wanted to Love is absolutely beautiful and full of bright colours for sensory stimulation. Giraffes Can’t Dance is another beautiful one, would be lovely to give alongside The Lion Who Wanted To Love.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

I love I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen. It’s really funny and well illustrated. the deadpan bear cracks me up.

Also a big Chris Haughton fan. Fun stories and bright beautiful pictures. Shh We Have a Plan and Don’t Worry Little Crab are favourites here.

Nature Trail by Benjamin Zephaniah is stunning and the poem reads really well. Benjamin Zephaniah also visited my primary school so I love that personal connection too so not sure you have something like that.

And we were also given a personalised Wonderbly ‘Bedtime for DS Name’ book which we use as his bedtime book. I’m sure it was pricey for the people who gave it to us but it’s very sweet.

One thing I love when people give DS a book is if they write a message in it. I keep his ‘special books’ out of his general book stash and I hope he grows up seeing the messages and the love people had when they gave him the books.

Goodnight Moon

“Goodnight babies” and “Sometimes babies”’by Charlotte Trounce

I second "Each Peach Pear Plum" by Janet and Allan Alhberg.
Do the parents have a pet or favourite animal?
You could get a "That's Not My...." book with the favourite animal.

Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers - lovely book.

The touch and feel board books are good for babies

Ohhh yes I agree with this too, also beautiful ❤️
Adding You Are Stardust and Wild Ideas to the suggestions list, both visually gorgeous and lovely to read aloud.

I loved reading these to mine when they were tiny

Rhyming books are always lovely to read when you are sleep deprived and tired.