Themed Book Collections

Themed Book Collection: Board Books for Littles

*~Sharing with you a carefully curated recommended reading list full of old favorites and new wonders. Get your library lists/ bookshelf wish-lists ready to go, and check out a sneak peek of these Board Book reading adventures~*

Recently, I’ve received many requests asking for book recommendations for the littlest of littles. From mai experiences reading with the littlest of ones, they enjoy holding the book *aka grabbing the book out of your hands for some shaking and tasting.* While I will still read aloud picture books to them, carefully guiding their seeking hands to turn the pages, board books are the perfect format for young readers to get a *hands-on* experience reading books together. Their sturdy format can withstand page tearing, bending, and wrinkling, and surfaces can be wiped clean of any stray liquids.

Thus, with this week’s themed book collection I’m sharing a bundle of some of my favorite board books. You’ll find a mix of interactive books with flaps to lift, wheels to spin, and textures to touch, book featuring children and families of color, reads teaching sign language, bilingual reads for Spanish-speaking audiences, stories of inspiring leaders and creators, and even a couple books that are, not quite board book, but are literally *indestructible*

So, here is MaiStoryBook’s recommended reading list for Baby Board Books~ If you have any recommendations of your own, please comment below and share your own Board Book reading favorites for us to check out. Together, let’s raise a new generation of readers!

Recommended Reading List: Board Books

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Interactive Board Books

My Peekabo Animals by Nicola Edwards, Illustrated by Natalie Marshall

Dive deep into the animal kingdom with this lift-the-flap peekaboo book. This is one of the most intense flap books I’ve seen with over 70 *multi-layer* flaps to flip. Lift the flaps to reveal more flaps underneath! Each lift reveals more adorable animals and fun facts. Explore sea animals hidden within the depths of an ancient shipwreck under the sea, and peek inside to see who’s hiding in an icy igloo in the Arctic. Packed with information and the cutest creatures, your little *and you* will be entertained for — I hesitate to say hours… that would be quite impressive for a young little one– but you both will definitely be entertained for a decent amount of time and will be sure to return to this book again and again for more flip-flapping fun!

Nita’s First Signs by Kathy MacMillan, Illustrated by Sara Brezzi

In this first book of the Little Hands Signing Series, through interactive pull-out panels, adults and littles learn how to sign the words all done, eat, more, please, thank you, hungry, milk, ball, play, and love. Babies can sign before they can speak because the muscles in the hands develop more quickly than the muscles that control the voice box. babies can begin signing as young as 6 to 7 months. Learning basic signs is one way parents can use to communicate with babies and younger littles. While no one in the family in this series is not deaf, deaf children and families can connect to seeing book characters communicating through sign language.This story takes us through Nita’s day of snacks and play and learning to use her manners to stay and sign “please.”

Nita’s Day: More Signs for Babies and Parents by Kathy MacMillan, Illustrated by Sara Brezzi

A sequel to Nita’s Day, this book teaches adults and children how to sign the words wake up, change, eat, potty, clothes, go, play, bath, book, and bed. Follow along with Nita as she wakes up and gets ready for a day at the park, and then comes home for a bath to clean up and snuggle in for a good night’s rest after a day of play.

Touch-and-Feel Tower: Dinos by Patricia Hegarty, Illustrated by Carlo Beranek

New textures and feelings are intriguing to soft little baby hands. This touch and feel Dino book contains 5 different dinosaur skin textures for littles to explore with their hands, and with their eyes~ examining the different glints of light glaring off shiny scales, or the bright glow of neon orange pterodactyl wings. Each turn of the page has little readers guessing which Dino friend they will see next. Colorful scenery and the friendly faces of the dinosaurs will charm readers and capture their attention.

GhostBuster: 1 to 10 Slimer’s Loose Again by Kate B. Jerome, Illustrated by Jeff Harvey

If you are a Ghostbuster fan, this is the perfect read to introduce your little one to the franchise while slipping in some counting and number fun. Slimer the ghost is loose again! Follow him on an adventure through New York City as he hides form the Ghostbusters. Along the escapade, littles will giggle over Slimer’s antics, from scaring 2 birds, sliming 6 trees, escaping 8 bees, and much more! Number panels on the side make numbers easy to identify and reinforces counting.

E.T.’s First Words by Insight Kids

Bringing back another classic character, join E.T. in this interactive board book for a fun language-learning adventure. Using the picture clues, little ones spin the word wheel to match the correct word to complete the sentence on the page. Great for beginning readers, or babies who love to spin things, readers follow along through adorable recreations of key moments from the movie including: E.T. riding in the bike-basket, playing dress up, making his finger glow, and phoning home.

Board Book Storytime

Flamingo Flamenco by Brooke Jorden, Illustrated by Alex Zhdanov

Get ready to boogie and groove along with these music-jamming animals! Flamingo believes he is the best dancer in the animal kingdom. He struts around, showing off is flamenco dancing skills. However, as he makes his way through the jungle, he’ll meet animals with dances of their own, from hip hop dancing hippos to tap dancing tigers, and Flamingo will come to realize that everyone has their own unique dance that makes each of them special in their own way! You and your little readers will enjoy trying out these different dance styles yourselves, and hopping on your feet to dance right along with Flamingo and his friends.

Fun on the Farm by Tiger Tales, Illustrated by Gareth Lucas

You will never have more fun on a farm, than with these singing cows, dancing horses, pampered piglets, and so many more farm friends! Littles will giggle and guffaw over the hilarious antics of these barnyard animals, as sheep strut down the runway while putting on a fashion show, and goats munch through socks and dresses hanging on the farmer’s laundry line. Plus, readers will delight as the story springs to life with pop-ups on each page.

I Want to Be a Reader! by Mark Powers, Illustrated by Maria Montag

This is the perfect pocket book for any aspiring reader! This board book illustrated the hard work that it takes to read, but also the joy and empowerment derived through the process. Beginning readers need to realize the wonders of the world of reading, the adventures within the folds of the pages, and the excitement a strong of letters and words can bring! This is the sweetest read to introduce this wonder!

Inventors Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman, Illustrated by Kyle Kershner

Part of the Little Heroes Series, this book introduces young ones to innovative and determined inventors who changed the world with their inventions and discoveries. Read about the contributions of 9 inventors from around the world including: Cai Lun, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Grace Hopper, Johannes Gutenberg, and Louis Pasteur. A quote from each inventor is perfect for inspiring your own little inventors to follow their passions and act on their imaginations and dreams.

Courageous People Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman, Illustrated by Kyle Kershner

Another book in the Little Heroes series, this read introduces littles to inspirational figures who fought to change the world and make it a better place. Learn about the contributions of 8 champions of freedom including: Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Malala Yousafzai, Harriet Tubman, William Wilberforce, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.  The bold colors and vibrant illustrations captivate young readers’ minds, and a quote from each courageous person helps bring the characters to life. It’s always the perfect day to share a dose of inspiration with littles!

Allie’s Garden by Sara Chubby, Illustrated by Marla Osborn

*~Healthy Eating~* A valuable, important concept for little ones to grow up with and embody. This delightful board book celebrates the farm-to-table movement, as it follows little Allie as she goes out to the garden to pick vegetables for a homemade meal. In the garden, she discovers a plethora of surprising critters~ and here is where the illustrations of this story bring the magic of nature to life! The illustrator combines mouthwatering photographs of real, fresh, juicy veggies with simple sketches. Aside from the little hand drawn girl, all other characters, critters, and the setting are artfully made from real veggies~ from a potato bunny, and cucumber snake, to a crow constructed from eggplant~ the garden comes to life to help Allie discover and create a fresh garden salad! Little ones will enjoy identifying the fresh vegetables, and may even be enticed to eat some of the delicious veggies during their own mealtimes.

Alphabet Family Band by Sarah Jones

*~ABCs, instruments, and family fun~* This unique alphabet book strings together a family band with each word starting with the next successive letter of the alphabet. An alphabetic mini masterpiece, this book harmoniously combines two learning concepts~ letters and musical instruments from all over the world~ from *Auntie Bangs Congas, to Daddy Enjoys Flute*, it’s a mini board book banging with rhythm and bright with colorful illustrations of a family band in a warm island setting. I love any book that celebrates the arts~ and this little wonder featuring a multi-gerenational island family, is sure to become a funky family favorite!

Hide-and-Seek Ladybugs by Paul Bright, Illustrated by Jacob Souva

Can ladybugs play hide-and-seek? Or is their bright red patterning too easy to spot? Spots the ladybug is determined to play hide-and-seek, but all of his friends laugh, insisting that Spots and his ladybug friends won’t be able to hide their bright and spotted exterior. However, while Spots’ friends are quickly found, Spots is nowhere to be found. Where did he hide? This fun, interactive read includes peak through pages that explore insect camouflage as the ladybug friends marvel at their bug friends’ abilities to blend in with their surroundings. *This one is New in Board Book format- also available as a picture book*

I Want to be a Drummer! by Mark Powers, Illustrated by Maria Montag

Combining music, imagination, and creativity~ this little board book is a fun reminder that the joy of making music can be found anywhere! Young Daniel discovers that you don’t need to have an actual drum set to play the drums; rather, a suitcase, a few pie tins, some plastic pails, and a couple wooden spoons will do just fine! The story ends prompting readers to find objects around the home to make their own drum set or musical instrument. This is another read to get you up and grooving to the beat!

Frederico and All His Families by Mili Hernandez, Illustrated by Gomez

This board book is a celebration of families! Frederico the cat doesn’t have just one family, he has many families. Throughout the day, he weaves in and out of different homes, cherishing the love each family shares with each other and him. Through the text and illustrations, diverse family compositions are shown~one of Frederico’s families has two moms, one has adopted children, one has two dads, some have just a mom or just a dad, one has just grandparents. Even though all of the families are different, Frederico loves each of them unconditionally.

Indestructibles

If you are looking for book recs for the littlest of littles, books that even these littlest ones can handle without wear and tear, then I present to you *Indestructibles*~ a series of books for babies that are literally *indestructible.* These books are designed specifically to be chew proof, 100% washable (aka you can put them in the washing machine!), RIP PROOF, and nontoxic (perfect for chewing on). Of course, I had to see it, and test it, to believe it. I tried hesitantly at first to rip the back cover. When it resisted tearing, I tried harder and harder, even passed it around to my family members to try and tear it. But low-and-behold, it is quite indestructible! These books are also available in Spanish.

Indestructible: Let’s Go Outside by Amy Pixton, Illustrated by Ekaterina Trukhan

Complete with bright, bold colors, simple text, and sweet illustrations, this is a baby book delight! Read along as families enjoy the great outdoors! Each page presents an action for readers to mimic and try, such as *buzzz like a busy bee* or *stretch like a tall, tall tree.* This book will have you and your littles up on your feet and ready for your own outdoor adventure!

Indestructible: Let’s Be Kind by Amy Pixton, Illustrated by Ekaterina Trukhan

This Indestructible read models kind words and actions. Read along to learn simple ways to be kind~ and then encourage your own littles to try each of the acts of kindness mentioned on the pages. Practice sharing toys, helping others, using manners, and spending quality time together.

Spanish Board Books

Carteras y Carteros by Caracolino, Illustrated by Canizales

Another musical read, in this Spanish sing-along, meet the mail carriers delivering letters and cards all over the world! Little readers will love reading and singing along with the simple lyrics~ following the packages and mail from Portugal to Senegal! Plus, there is a QR code included int he back to listen to the actual song! The illustrations are adorable, depicting the kindness and care shared and felt through a single letter.

La Jirafa Rafa by Caracolino, Illustrated by Canizales

I love sing-along books! Words paired with rhythm and a beat are often easily memorized (that’s why song lyrics are often much easier to remember than…a study guide- and why I love rewriting popular songs with classroom content to encourage memorization and understanding). Littles will be able to memorize the lyrics and sing-along, giving them the motivating impression that they are *reading* the text. In this book, meet Rafa the Giraffe and join him for an adventure in the Savanna with his friend Zebra! Plus, there is also a QR code in the back to listen to the actual song and sing-along.

La Banda by Cocoretto

I’m realizing now how many of these books are musical reads~ and I’m loving it! Of course, it makes sense that little readers would be attracted to music, movement, and sounds. In this sweet little neighborhood, as soon as the sun rises, each neighbor starts to play their instrument. The little boy toots his trumpet, the lion taps the xylophone, the crocodile plays the accordion, the rabbit shakes the tambourine, and many others join in to create a neighborhood band that plays well into the night. Young readers will delight with the sound effects each instrument makes. Go all out making the music sounds, and have your little one join in on the music-making fun. Make your own mini band with your voices, or bring out your own instruments/home-made instruments to join the band!

Vamos a… by Cocoretto

An adorable bedtime read, this one will have your littles dreaming about all the things they can be! This little boy spends his day imagining and pretending to be a whole bunch of different professions and miscellaneous characters. Flip through the pages and encourage your own little one to identify with which character they identify with or would want to be. Act out the different characters that range from magician, superhero, scarecrow, ghost, mummy, scuba diver, to even a piñata! The cute illustrations of the little boy in costume help readers learn the vocabulary and different words to name the different characters. The story ends with the little boy drifting back to sleep to continue his dreams of grand adventure.

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I hope you found some reading recommendations to add to your own shelves and share with your own littlest of littles. Please comment below and share your favorite Board Book  to add to this themed collection.

*~Also, I’d love to  see and hear about your own reading adventures you are having to share inclusive and diverse experiences and stories with your children, so please share your story times below in the comments – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary  – or post on MaiStoryBook’s FaceBook page!~*

Plus, checkout out MaiStoryBook’s Interactive Read Aloud Video Playlist of Diverse Reads here.

*~Until Next Time, Happy Reading~*

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