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Books for Babies are Sure to
Delight
By Holly E. Newton
Baby books are always on the minds
of new parents — and grandparents. Following is a listing of some
outstanding books that will intrigue, engage and teach those precious
little ones:
Scholastic has a new series called
“Little Scholastic” that has brilliant colors and helps young
ones with sensory experiences. Star is shaped like
a star and has a rattle located in the center of the book, and Circle
has a mirror on the last page. Baby Days: A Collection of
9 Board Books, designed by Pamela Natarantonio, is an over-large
book that also has a mirror along with nine tiny board books with
themes baby will relate to as they grow.
Babies make attempts to vocalize their
needs, but until they learn to talk, they may end up whining or
crying in order to be heard. But if you teach them simple sign
language as soon as they are able to grasp simple concepts such
as hunger or thirst, their communication becomes much better and
their frustration levels decline. My Very First Signs,
by Heather J. Rosas, and Wow Feelings are two outstanding
books to help them learn signing.
Click to Buy
 Baby
Einstein is always on the cutting edge of educating young children
in the most effective ways. The photography, colors and format
of My First Book of Colors are bold, beautiful and
inviting to youngsters. The imagery and explosion of colors seem
to jump off the pages!
Scholastic has also developed a unique
and new way for tabs to be displayed. Let’s Find Out: Yummy
Colors and Fun Shapes, both
books designed by Pamela Natarantonio, and published by Scholastic,
are long, thin and full of fun learning with tabs that pull upwards
the shape or color being taught. This publisher also has little
board books in the shape of vehicles. I am a Fire Truck and
I am a Dump Truck, both by Josephine
Page, have board pages that open and are in the shape
of the truck and even has the back of the book in the shape of the
other side of the truck. Another inventive display that young kids
will enjoy is Old MacDonald Had a Farm: A Round-and-Round
Storybook, by Michelle Swan. There is a wheel
on the side of the book that kids can turn. The tractor’s wheels
turn as you travel throughout the farm displaying the many different
animals.
Click to Buy
 If
you’re looking for books that teach different concepts, here are
a few. Eric Hill’s Spots, Colors, Shapes and Numbers is
an oversized board book that is filled with bright
pictures and simple large text! Who’s Hiding?,
by Satoru Onishi, has a format with 18 simple, bright animals.
On each page, youngsters can discover the differences between the
animals. Maisy’s Amazing Big Book of Words, by Lucy
Cousins, is filled with her typical bright illustrations, easy concepts
and clever flaps.
Click to Buy
 Every
family should have this next book on their shelf, as it’s become
a classic favorite! The Very Hungry Caterpillar,
by Eric Carle, has been recently revamped into a board book
with the author reading from a CD that’s also included. Carle also
has two other favorite books geared for young children. My
Very First Book of Animal Homes has pages that are split
so that the child can guess which home goes with which animal.
Opposites has pages that open to twice the size, showing
the exact opposite of the concept being taught.
The next four books are small in size,
but big on appeal! Peek-a-Baby, by
Karen Katz, is a darling lift-the-flap book that youngsters will
love as they attempt to peek under each flap in order to discover
where the baby is hiding.
Click to Buy
Black & White, by Tana Hoban, is
cleverly packaged as you learn about these two colors. Open the
bold white or black pages and see how they fold completely out.
A Mama Bug’s Love, by Janet Lawler, and illustrated
by Rick Peterson, pops out with sturdy pictures for tiny hands.
The Escape of Marvin the Ape, by Caralyn
and Mark Buehner, is hilarious and great fun to read about Marvin
the Ape, who has just escaped from the zoo, but seems to blend into
the city without anyone even taking notice!
Look At You! A Baby Body Book
by Kathy Henderson, and illustrated by Paul Howard, is a
delightful celebration of babies in a rhyming scheme. And, for
a book to help you purchase the kind of merchandise that will be
helpful, not hurtful, for your child, I highly recommend Buy,
Buy Baby: How Consumer Culture Manipulates Parents and Harms Young
Minds, by Susan Gregory Thomas.
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Meridian Magazine.
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