What’s the best book for your baby? The one that she wants to read! That’s the easy answer, but what’s not so easy is figuring out what your baby likes and which book to buy or borrow from the library. Babies change dramatically during their first two years, and so will the type of books that you’ll enjoy reading together. So how do you choose a book that she’ll like or begin to understand?

Sometimes it seems like there are too many children’s books to choose from—and this can actually make it difficult to find books just right for your child’s age, stage, and interests. That’s why our experts pulled together some tips to help you make the right choices for baby and you.

Let your child’s tastes lead the way.

Don’t overlook the obvious. If your baby adores his pet kitty, look for a book with cats inside. More importantly, look for books that take your child’s favorite things a step further, like cats that play with dogs or trucks that help build a bridge, to help encourage your child to explore new things and enjoy longer stories.

Build book piles to find
out what books your baby likes.

First, build a pile of your baby’s favorite books. What’s similar about them? Ask yourself:

• Is there more than one line of text per page?
• Are the settings familiar or new?
• Do the characters talk, or is it all narration?
• Are they stories, or counting and identifying books?
• Is the rhythm of the story fast or slow?

Now build a pile of books your baby isn’t familiar with—books you haven’t read often, new books, or books from the library. Watch your baby explore. What does he pick up?

• Does your baby seem drawn to busy, detailed pictures, or simpler ones?
• Do the pages have many colors, or only a few?
• Are the pictures drawings or photographs?
• Are the characters all animals, or all human?
• Are the drawings cartoonish, or more realistic?

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