Reading has always had a special place in my life and I hope that Julia will also know the comfort of curling up to read a good book one day. Before she was even born, my husband and I began buying her books, and have built up a little library for her.

There are a ton of benefits that reading to your baby can provide, such as helping them to recognize the connection between words and sounds, and eventually introducing them to the concept of letters, numbers, and colors. Plus, your voice is soothing to your baby, and reading together is a great way to bond. And get this – studies have shown that babies who were read to grew up to have larger vocabularies, which makes sense if you think about it!

Julia’s collection is still growing, but here are some of our favorites that I’d personally recommend! 🙂

The Classics

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Not all books catch my daughter’s eye just yet but this is one that actually does! This book is short and sweet. The narrator goes around the house and says goodnight to all the things around them. Some baby books get boring after a while, but I’ve yet to get tired of this one.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

I absolutely loved this book as a child and I was excited to introduce it to Julia! The fun cut out pages catch her eye, as do the bright colors. I’m sure this is one that will stay a staple as she grows into a toddler and child.

Love You Forever by Edward Munsch

This is a true classic that I somehow never heard of until the baby shower that my work family threw me. One of my co-workers gifted it to me with a sweet handwritten note inside about how someone had also given it to her when she had her first baby. I may have shed a tear or two the first time I read it!

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss books are the best. They are simple, fun, and sing-songy. They usually make no sense but that is what is so fun about them! Some of our favorites include “Hop On Pop”, “Go Dog Go” and “ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book.”

Good Dog Carl – Series

Okay… so, where was this book series my entire childhood?!

While looking for books for Julia, I came across the Good Dog Carl series and FELL. IN. LOVE. The Good Dog Carl books are mostly picture books. They tell the story of the world’s greatest babysitter, a rottweiler named Carl! Carl’s owner often entrusts Carl to babysit her baby and they get into some wild antics, but always manage to get everything cleaned up and put away before Mom ever knows anything sketchy happened! I currently only have two of the books from this series but plan to get more. As a dog lover, this series warms my heart and makes me laugh out loud!

Positive Messages

Like I mentioned earlier, reading to your baby (and continuing this habit as they grow) is so important and beneficial. As our babies grow up into children, books are a great way to teach them about lessons and values. Children are like sponges and they are capable of absorbing so much information in a short amount of time.

While looking for books for Julia, I wanted to be sure to include some that could teach her positive lessons. I’m always in the search for books like these. A couple of favorites so far are:

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

This book teaches children to recognize our differences, as well as the things we all universally have in common, and to celebrate both of these things. It is a simple but powerful book and one of my favorites to read to Julia.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

Eventually, Julia will know about the Disney princess empire, but I’m in no rush to introduce it to her just yet. I’m not personally a fan of shoving the princess stuff down little girls’ throats. I feel as though there are so many more beneficial things we could focus on beyond the same ‘I can’t help myself / I need to be saved / Where is my Prince Charming’ theme.

In my search for more feminist-minded books for Julia, I came across the highly acclaimed “The Paper Bag Princess”. In this book, the princess not only saves herself by outsmarting a frightening dragon, but also saves a very unappreciative prince who she winds up ditching for being a such a jerk. It expresses the message of not needing to be “saved” by a prince, having self-respect, and also shows that girls can be just as brave as boys.

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What were some of your favorite books as a child? What are some of your favorite books to read to your little ones now? Let me know in the comments below!

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