Looking for the best board books for newborns? Below you’ll find a list of board books that are just right for babies and infants. You’ll also find a brief discussion of what to look for in a baby book. You can also get a closer look at our own board book for babies, translated by Dr. Robert Carpenter and illustrated by Ally Frame. This review was prepared by Dr. Robert Carpenter, an experienced humanities teacher who holds a Ph.D. in Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
What Are Board Books?
Board books are a durable, long-lasting choice for newborns and babies. They have thick, chunky pages made out of heavy cardboard. These are easy for babies to grab, and gives them a chance to learn how to turn pages on their own. Babies can be rough on their books, so having something sturdy is a must. Board books are great for toddlers, too. Toddlers don’t know their own strength, and can tear through ordinary paper without meaning to. Board books are a great way to avoid the heartbreak of finding your favorite baby book in a pile of confetti!
Board Book for Newborn Closeup
Board nooks for newborns should be durable with high-contrast illustrations!
Board Books for Newborns: What to Look For
Reading to your newborn is a way to nurture your bond while also giving your baby every advantage in terms of language development. That means the most important quality in any book is that you’ll enjoy reading it over and over again. Story time should be fun for parents, too!
Pay attention to these qualities in board books for newborns:
High contrast images: babies eyes are still developing, and they focus best on stark contrast and heavy patterns. Read this article from Michigan State University about the science behind babies’ eyes!
Durability: Not all board books are created equal! Babies love to explore new things by putting them in their mouths, so make sure you buy quality books.
Nursery reading: Remember that you’ll often read these books at bedtime in a dark room! Books with a lot of dark text on a dark background will be frustrating at bedtime.
The Mountains Are Sleeping: A High-Contrast Bedtime Book
High-contrast board book for newborns, babies, and infants. Introduce your smallest readers to big ideas with this new take on traditional black-and-white high-contrast baby books.
The Children’s Book Review calls this high-contrast board book, “a quietly extraordinary board book that doubles as a piece of art and a gentle introduction to the humanities.” Read the full review of The Mountains Are Sleeping from The Children’s Book Review.
Journey through an ancient dreamscape! This new translation of an ancient poem will guide you and your baby through the nighttime world of archaic Greece. Over two-thousand years old, this poem was originally written by the lyric poet Alcman. The high-contrast images, inspired by red-figure vases, are ideal for catching the attention and imagination of newborns and infants. Translated by Robert Carpenter and illustrated by Ally Frame.
16-page baby board book featuring an ancient poem about the world at rest and illustrations inspired by ancient Greek pottery.
High-contrast illustrations engage newborn’s minds, attract their attention, and help develop their vision
Manufactured entirely in the USA without AI
Translated by Dr. Robert Carpenter and illustrated by Ally Frame
Want the best board book for newborns with all of these qualities? Our baby board book The Mountains Are Sleeping: A High-Contrast Bedtime Book from The Classical Workshop brings the nighttime world of the ancient Mediterranean to your baby’s bedtime. What do we think makes this book so special?
High-Contrast illustrations inspired by ancient Greed red-figure pottery mix-up the usual black-and-white baby book illustrations.
Features a new translation of an ancient Greek poem about the world at rest
Illustrations by Ally Frame-never AI!
Manufactured for entirely in the United States by Pint Size Productions, the only manufacturer of board books in the United States!
Our Favorite Board Books for Newborns
There is a whole world of board books just right for newborns and babies. One of our favorites is the Hello series by duopress, an imprint of Sourcebooks. Printed in China, these are still quality books that hold up well overtime. Our own children loved them! Their favorites were Hello, Garden Bugs! and Hello, Baby Animals!
High-contrast isn’t the only option for babies and newborns. Sandra Boynton’s beloved Pookie series is right for readers of any age, and will probably remind you a bit of Little Critter (which you can look forward to reading soon!). Around the holidays, Spooky Pookie is a favorite. So is Merry Christmas, Little Pooky!
Board books can also help babies, newborns, and infants develop socially and emotionally. Check out DK Book’s Baby Faces!
What about building vocabulary? Board books do that too! It’s best to start early with books like this Baby’s First 100 Words by Priddy Books. This book had a lot to do with my own child’s early success in reading!
Baby Books for Boys and Girls: Is There a Difference?
Not at all! Reading any book with your baby is a good thing. They can only learn words by hearing you say them, so you want to say as many words and read as many books as possible!
Board Book Alternatives
We have to mention Indestructible Books, which really are just as good as their name says. They claim to be chew-proof, and we can verify from experience that they really are. You can read more about Indestructibles on their website!
Need rainy day activities for older kids?
Our collection of free Greek Mythology Coloring Pages is fun for kids of all ages! Color them in and then submit them to submissions@theclassicalworkshop.com and we’ll feature them on our website and social media. Check out an Ancient Greece Word Search, and make sure you follow our blog to keep up with our new products, freebies, and sales.
Why should you care what we think?
This review was prepared by Dr. Robert Carpenter, an experienced humanities teacher and father of two. He holds a Ph.D. in Ancient Mediterranean Studies and hopes to bring the joy of classics to children everywhere. We care what you think, too! If you have comments about products, coloring pages, or anything else, let us know by commenting or emailing us at support@theclassicalworkshop.com! Until next time, valete-be well!
