Books for Babies and Toddlers

This curated collection for our youngest readers offers playful language, engaging formats, and themes that reflect the everyday wonders of a child’s world. Carefully selected for their developmental value, these titles support early language growth, connection, and curiosity.
​Chelsey Bahlmann Bollinger 

Banana Bop! A Monster Show. Sandra Boynton. (2025). Simon & Schuster.
Boynton’s offers a delightfully absurd story of a group of silly, wide-eyed monsters who put on a show starring a banana. The monsters bop and dance across the pages, using the banana in all sorts of imaginative ways. For example, the monsters use the banana as a phone to “la, la!” to one another during the show. The humor is perfectly tuned to toddlers’ love of repetition and surprise, making it an ideal read-aloud for moments filled with giggles. The illustrations include bold lines, playful colors, and endearing expressions, which bring the monsters’ antics to life with irresistible charm. 

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Beep! Beep! Vehicles on the Go. Byron Barton (2025). Greenwillow Books.
Barton delivers a vibrant and engaging board book using bold colors and distinctive, intentionally imperfect illustrations. He captures the attention of toddlers and preschoolers with a variety of familiar vehicles, from trucks and trains to cars and buses. The simple, repetitive text provides a valuable opportunity for teachers or families to practice using possessive nouns by saying phrases such as “my truck” or “my train.” Additionally, the book encourages readers to talk about plural forms of vehicles by using expressions like “more cars” or “more buses.” 

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Cousins! A Big Family Story. Laura Lavoie. Illus. by Luisa Leal. (2025). Roaring Brook Press.
Illustrator Luisa Leal’s cheerful, big-eyed character illustrations capture the joy, chaos, and love that come with spending time in a big extended family. The story follows a lively group of cousins as they enjoy a day full of fun and familiar childhood activities. “The kids’ table is the best place to be!” is a shared experience between the cousins. The day ends with a cozy, laughter-filled sleepover, bringing a heartwarming close to their shared adventures. Lavoie’s rhythmic, playful text reflects the energy and excitement of cousin gatherings, while Leal’s colorful illustrations bring each moment to life with warmth and personality. This book is sure to resonate with any child who treasures time with their cousins, offering a joyful celebration of family bonds and traditions. 

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How to Spot a Mermaid. Jane Yolen. Illus. by Sally Deng. (2025). Chronicle Books.
Yolen’s newest book is whimsical, beautifully illustrated, and invites readers into a world of gentle adventure and imagination. The dust jacket captures the reader’s attention with an image of a curious child explorer peering through binoculars, unaware of the mermaid just behind them. Beneath the jacket, a hidden treasure awaits: a stunning double-page spread of an underwater mermaid scene. The story unfolds as a playful guide for spotting mermaids, beginning with practical advice: “find a nearby body of water, lake, stream, or sea, and come prepared.” This book encourages readers to look closely, wonder freely, and believe in magic. 

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Maisy Loves Birds. Lucy Cousins. (2025). Walker Books.
Lucy Cousins introduces readers to the joys of birdwatching through her signature bold gouache illustrations and clear, child-friendly language. Maisy begins by explaining what birds are and how delightful they sound in the morning when she wakes up. She then introduces a variety of bird types, from seabirds to birds of prey, and even birds that can’t fly, offering engaging facts perfect for curious little learners. The book also explores what birds need to live, including what they eat and drink, where they rest, and how they build their nests using twigs, feathers, and other natural materials. This book would pair nicely with an outdoor activity where children search for items to make a nest. Maisy also shares tips on how to attract birds to your garden and invites readers to look for birds around them, just like she does in her own garden. 

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Papilio. Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser. (2025). Viking.
This story is a creative collaboration born from a walk between three friends who decided to write and illustrate a story together. The result is a beautifully layered picturebook told in three distinct parts, each reflecting the unique voice and artistic style of its contributor. Together, the three authors guide readers through the transformation of Papilio, a curious caterpillar, into a vibrant butterfly. Each section essentially is its own chapter and is written from the perspective of Papilio at each stage of metamorphosis. For example, the first section is focused on the caterpillar stage and is written from the caterpillar’s perspective, and Papilio eats and eats and gets “a full belly” and says, “time to turn to jelly!” as the chrysalis stage comes next.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Jungle Hide & Seek. Eric Carle. (2025). Penguin Random House.
With a playful lift-the-flap format, this book brings Eric Carle’s signature collage-style artwork to life in a tactile, engaging board book experience. Young readers are invited to explore different areas of the jungle, each page featuring layered cutouts of trees, grasses, and winding trails that offer a sensory-rich adventure. For example, readers are asked, “Who prowls around the jungle tail swishing to and fro?” and readers can trace the path which leads little fingers to open the flap shaped like a rock to reveal “the panther keeping it low.” The interactive design encourages prediction, observation, and surprise with every turn of the page. 

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Vegetable Garden. Eric Carle. (2025). Penguin Random House.
Featuring one of children’s literature’s most iconic characters, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Carle introduces a different vegetable on each page: carrots, tomatoes, peas, and more, along with a simple search-and-find challenge that encourages children to count vegetables hidden in each garden scene. This board book not only supports number recognition and counting skills but also introduces young readers to healthy foods in a fun and engaging way. For example, readers might be excited to see the purple flowers that later turn into purple eggplants, and then are encouraged to count how many are on the page.

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These Are My Rocks: A Story About Collecting. Bethan Woollvin. (2025). Frances Lincoln Children’s Books.
Woollvin invites readers into the whimsical world of a passionate collector. Told through a direct, conversational tone, the narrator shares their eclectic and often surprising collections, from tiny trinkets and towering objects to pointy, prickly, stinky, and even wobbly things. The story begins with the reader being asked to turn on the light, revealing a room filled with curiosities both ordinary and odd, including an impressive rock collection. With each turn of the page, the narrator guides readers through their treasures, encouraging curiosity, observation, and the joy of collecting. The bold, graphic illustrations and clever use of perspective bring the collections to life with humor and charm. The book ends just as it began, with the reader being asked to turn off the light, creating a sense of cozy closure. 

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You and Me, Anemone: A Story About Friendship and Personal Space. Rachel Vail. Illus by Chris Raschka. (2025). Greenwillow Books.
Rachel Vail’s thoughtful text and Chris Raschka’s textured illustrations, crafted from embroidery floss, yarn, watercolor, and gouache, come together to create a picturebook that is visually rich and full of feeling. The story follows two underwater creatures as they learn the give-and-take of friendship and personal space. With scenes centered around sea anemones, readers learn that while some creatures enjoy closeness, others prefer space but can still coexist harmoniously. Raschka’s mixed-media illustrations bring texture and movement to the page, and a peek beneath the dust jacket reveals a beautifully stitched underwater scene that echoes the book’s message. The endnote includes a warm and informative note from the author, who explains that sea anemones close up when touched and relates this to how people may also need space at times.

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Your Farm. Jon Klassen. (2025). Candlewick Press.
Klassen creates a gentle, visually striking board book that builds a farm scene piece by piece. Each element, including the sun, tree, barn, horse, hay, truck, stool, and fence, is introduced with a pair of expressive eyes. With a rhythmic text, readers are invited to take ownership of the farm, repeating the phrase “this is your…” as each new piece is added. The story begins and ends with the sun, framing the day’s rhythm, and as night falls, all the parts of the farm close their eyes and think about tomorrow. This soothing narrative arc makes it an ideal bedtime read, offering a sense of calm and closure. 

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Chelsey Bahlmann Bollinger is an Associate Professor in the Early, Elementary, and Reading Department at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She enjoys sharing joyful reading experiences with her two young readers at home.