You can never start reading too early with your kids. As a newborn, it ensures one-on-one bonding time with the baby and exposes their brain to accelerated cognitive development. Your child’s brain is like a sponge; the younger they are, the quicker they can soak in information. Reading introduces rhythm, vocabulary, inflections of tone and exposes the baby to various emotional cues. According to studies, the more time parents spent reading with their kids, the more prepared the little ones were to start reading once they started school.
Look, Look! By Peter Linenthal –It is ideal for a newborn with its high contrast black and white images. The monochromatic drawings make it easy for them to distinguish between the pictures and hold their attention. Perfect for keeping them busy during tummy time.
Moo, Baa, La LaLa! By Sandra Boynton – Sandra Boynton should be a staple in your children’s library, and this is one of her best. It introduces your child to various animals and their sounds, in a fun, can’t get it out of your mind, kind of rhyme.
Dear Zoo By Rod Campbell – The zoo, in response to a child’s letter, sends deliveries containing highly unsuitable pets. This flap book is a delightful trip around the zoo in search of the perfect pet.
Goodnight Moon By Margaret Wise Brown – This classic has been a part of children’s bedtime rituals for the last fifty years. Old ratty copies of this book have been handed down generations because of its dreamy, trailing style of writing.
Chika Chika Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault – Say goodbye to the boring A, B, Cs. Chika Chika Boom Boom takes you on an adventure with the twenty-three letters of the alphabet as they try to make their way up the coconut tree. Its rhyme is as captivating as its charming illustrations.
Besos for Baby: A little book of kisses by Jen Arena – There are definitive benefits of introducing multiple languages to your kids while they’re still young. Besos for Baby uses words in both English and Spanish to prove that the language of kisses is universal.
Where is Baby’s Belly Button? By Karen Katz – Where is Baby’s Belly Button? brings a physical element to storytime. The book has liftable flaps, which will sharpen the child’s fine motor skills. This story about the human anatomy will delight any baby who loves playing peek-a-boo.
Alice in Wonderland: A colours primer By Jennifer Adams – It’s never too early to start your kid’s onto the classics. This book establishes the significant characters of the original story while introducing primary colours.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle – A favourite of children everywhere. This is a story about the growth and evolution of self, about a tiny caterpillar’s journey of transformation into a beautiful butterfly.
Feminist Baby: Finds her Voice by LorynBrantz – It’s our responsibility to introduce certain fundamental ideas to our children early on, and this book does just that. Equal rights, sharing and the importance of raising one’s voice are illustrated in an engaging and amusing manner.
Devanshi Shanay Shah, our in-house expert on books and parenting, is currently working on her debut novel. She has a Masters in literature and writing from the University of Cambridge. A voracious reader, she has an appetite for fiction and poetry. In the weekends, she loves to play scrabble, and sip oolong tea while watching old black and white movies. Devanshi is mother to one-year-old Ayesha who doesn’t give her much time for any of the things mentioned above. Please write to her at feedback@vibesofindia.com
