If you’re looking to fill your child’s first bookshelf at home, and you’re wondering where to start with your collection, you’re in the right place! If you’re looking for gift ideas, I applaud you. Stories are such a gift. Not every category may be applicable to you, and that’s okay. I’ve included categories that are important to me, and this is just a start! Down the line, I’d love to add more of our favorites on specific topics. Note that these recommendations are for the early years, primarily 0-3 years old.
I developed a love of reading at a young age. The children’s book I remembered most throughout my childhood years was Corduroy. Either I loved personified animals that much or it was repeatedly read to me enough in school that I remembered it. My immigrant parents were not fluent in English at the time, and they were working day and night, so I didn’t have anyone reading books to me at home. Once my literacy skills developed enough so I could read independently, I was hooked. Hooked on the stories. The worlds that stretched my imagination to live a life outside my own temporarily, as I walked in the footsteps of the main character. And wouldn’t you know, research shows that reading fiction builds emotional intelligence and empathy as readers experience different perspectives and emotions through characters.
Of course, my love of reading meant that I started early and often with my firstborn. We started and ended the day with books on books. I read so many of the same bedtime rhymes repeatedly that he could recite them by the time he turned 2. I especially love rhyming books because they’re rhythmic, and there’s anticipation of the word that comes next. So, of course, we begin there:
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Bedtime Rhymes
I Love You to the Moon and Back is a very sweet, short, and simple rhyming book with beautiful illustrations of a mama bear and baby bear. A fun way to express your love. This is the first book my son was able to recite.
If Animals Kissed Good Night is so creative with illustrations of different animals that captivate the littles. There’s a little bit of repetition in the book so that the child also anticipates and can delight in what comes next.
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. My boys loved trucks at an early age, so this was so fitting for us. Such a engaging rhyme with lively illustrations.
Play-based
A child’s love language is PLAY. And when there’s an opportunity to integrate learning (like literacy) and play, we take it! I’ve selected our favorites that I believe are engaging, interactive, and even hands-on.
See, Touch, Feel — it’s in the name. It’s literally hands-on, and my babies love the vibrant, sensory-based illustrations.
The Monster at the End of this Book is so silly, interactive, and speaks directly to the reader. Young children love this book for the fun and suspense (if you’re reading it for the first time).
Teddy in Trouble at the Campsite brings so much laughter with its hilarious illustrations and the character’s mischievous actions. The story leaves room for anticipation and conversation with the reader. When they see Teddy’s name, they yell out “Teddyyyyyy!” and actively take part in “reading” the story.
Bilingual Chinese
I’m ABC, American-born-Chinese, and I’m trying to preserve our culture and language for my kids. It’s extremely challenging, as I hardly speak Chinese anymore myself. But here’s to trying! My family is Cantonese-speaking, so that’s what I grew up speaking and hearing. But I went to Chinese school on the weekends to pick up Mandarin. It was hardly successful. But I’m optimistic that bilingual literacy will help as my kids grow up with dual-language immersion school. I didn’t have that opportunity. While at home, we reinforce their Mandarin learning with books such as these:
Bao Bao Learns Chinese is such a great one for the littles! It sings the songs as they/you follow the pages with the songs written out in Chinese characters.
I Love Boba! Yup, my kids already love boba, so they reach for this book excitedly when they’re particularly excited or thinking about boba, hah! It comes with pinyin, which is super helpful for me as I read to them. My kids love pointing out what they like in the book (i.e. their favorite topping on the page about different toppings).
The Great Race captures Chinese language and the Chinese zodiac fables all in one. It’s fun, it’s a little mysterious (to me, as fables usually are, haha), and it comes with pinyin.
Christian Faith-based
Our faith is deeply significant to us, so we integrate it into every aspect of our lives, including the books we read.
The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross shares the important truth of why Jesus died and rose again, with its story starting from the Garden of Eden to the Cross. It fosters curiosity and gospel conversations with your kids, and the illustrations are captivating. This is geared toward 3-6yo kids, but it’s one I recommend for a faith-based library!
When I Pray for You is such a highlight of a book for me. I can’t recommend it enough. This book was gifted to us from our church when we had our baby dedication. It has me choking up and holding back tears each time I read it. It takes you through the prayers you might pray from when they’re a newborn to when they’re teenagers in a garage-band phase. Oh, how it tugs at my Type 2 (enneagram) heart.
God Bless You & Good Night is a sweet rhyme of blessing and another one of our favorite bedtime books for our child’s first year.
Social Emotional Learning
The Smart Cookie is such a creative story that helps kids build confidence when they’re feeling behind. Geared toward a little older audience of 4-8 year olds, but it’s never too early to add it to the library.
Be Kind — Let’s be honest. We could all use this book and this message over and over again. If there’s one character trait I want to emphasize over and over with my children, it’s kindness. This story teaches children how to build each other up with acts of kindness and how to actively help a friend. We could all use more of that.
Be Brave Little One I think this one is an especially good one to gift, whether for encouragement to the family during hard times or to celebrate a milestone. It’s one of those books. This book shows that bravery looks different to each person and in different circumstances.
Inspirational
Sometimes, we choose our children’s books for ourselves. It’s the message that our inner child needs to hear and that our present selves need to be reminded of. These are the books for me, and I love reading them to my own children.
The Wonderful Things You Will Be is a wonderful milestone rhyming book. I’ve used it as inspiration for a first birthday theme of “the one-derful things you will be,” and the book conveys aspiration, hope, and potential as you wonder what the future holds for this sweet child.
Change Sings is an empowering rhyme and anthem to inspire children to be change-makers for a better world. I love how change is personified in this book.
What Do You Do With an Idea? inspires children (and me) to nurture and pursue ideas that come to mind. We could all use such a message.
Choose Your Own Adventure
What Should Danny Do? The whole What Should Danny Do? series is such a wonderful choose-your-own-adventure series that engages the kids. I love how the stories provide such realistic choices that kids make day to day. Choose to fight over a toy with the sibling or share? Choose to keep trying on a school project or give up? It opens up the discussion about the power to make good choices that result in positive outcomes.
If you have another choose-your-own-adventure story that you love, please feel free to share with me! I only have this recommendation so far.
Classics
Last but certainly not least, ending with the classics, which need no introduction. Most come in board books. For your sanity and the preservation of the books through the toddler stage, I highly recommend board books! I’ve repaired/taped many of our books, but we’ve definitely lost some to a state of damage beyond repair. There are so many good ones, but here are some of the beloved, popular classics I feel are essential to their introduction to the literacy world!
May your little readers develop a love for stories, an imagination that spurs creativity, and an appreciation for all types of people and perspectives!
If you happen to be looking for a baby registry guide, look no further! I’ve created an essentials guide right here on this blog.