Babies 6-12 months:

  • Board books with photos of other babies.
  • Brightly colored "chunky" board books to touch.
  • Black and white books
  • Books with photos of familiar objects like balls and bottles.
  • Books with sturdy pages that can be propped up or spread out in the crib or on a blanket.
  • Plastic/vinyl books for bath time.
  • Washable cloth books to cuddle and mouth.
  • Small plastic photo albums of family and friends. 
 

Younger Toddlers 12-24 Months

  • Sturdy board books that they can carry.
  • Books with photos of children doing familiar things like sleeping or playing.
  • Goodnight books for bed time.
  • Books about saying good-bye and hello.
  • Books with only a few words on each page.
  • Books with brightly colored, engaging illustrations.
  • Books with simple rhymes or predictable text.
  • Touch-and-feel books.
  • Animal books of all sizes and shapes.
 

Older Toddlers 24-36 Months

  • Books that tell simple stories.
  • Simple rhyming books that they can memorize.
  • Bed time books.
  • Books about counting, the alphabet, shapes or sizes.
  • Animal books, vehicle books, books about playtime.
  • Pop-up books, pull-the-tab books, touch-and-feel books.
  • Books with humorous pictures and words.
 

Preschoolers 3-5 Years

  • Books about children that look and live like them, as well as about children living very different lives.
  • Counting books or other "concept" books about things like size or time.
  •  Simple "science" books about things and how they work—like garbage trucks, flowers or tools.
  • Books about things in which they have a special interest in such as trains, animals or cooking.
  • Books about making friends.  (Also books about dealing with the challenges of friendships—making up after an argument, dealing with a bossy friend, etc.)
  • Books about going to school or to the doctor.
  • Books about having brothers or sisters.
  • Books with simple text that they can memorize or read!