I’m at the age where everyone (but me, lol) has opted into procreation, and I’m attending (and hosting) more and more baby showers. It’s all fun and games (sometimes literally) and I love a reason to shower my friends in love while drinking mimosas for two (for me and for my pregnant friend who cannot partake).
My FAVORITE thing is when these shower invites include a little note to say, “Skip the card and include a book for baby!” I love books. Let’s keep books around, especially for the little ones!
But… I never know which ones to get for my friend! So I’m making this list as a mental note for me — and maybe a helpful guide to others!
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
We love to see a board book at a baby shower, and I’ve actually bought this one! The alphabet is stup one of reading, so we love to see that this one helps the lil guy or girlie learn those ABCs. Buy it.
The Rainbow Fish
I LOVED this bright shiny book growing up… because kids of all ages like bright and shiny, duh! Also, why does this live in the same place in my heart with Ariel? I just loved *personalities* under the sea as a kid — and as a grown up I’m TERRIFIED of deep waters. Funny how life does that to ya. Buy it.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Um, not exactly sure what this one was supposed to teach us kiddos? Don’t feed animals? Don’t overindulge on sweets? Not sure I learned any of these messages, but I sure loved that spunky little rodent. And cookies. Always cookies. Buy it.
Also, I’m not sure which came first — the Mouse or the Moose — but If You Give a Moose a Muffin is also a good one (especially for the northerners who might actually encounter a moose in the wild. Buy it.
The Giving Tree
Shel Silverstein was an icon and a legend at my school. Honestly, maybe this was the first author’s name I actually knew and knew was good. I vaguely remember being at the library and being like “Oh this is a Silverstein? I’ll check it out,” (and I was like 9).
Though, this one is less a baby book than like an early reading one, but I think it’s fair game to gift since it’s such a classic! Buy it.
Stellaluna
Omg only recently was this memory unlocked for me. This creepy cute little book about a bat has all the subtlety of a Disney movie. Lil Stellaluna is separated from her mom and raised by a family of birds. Very educational to learn the differences of birds and bats. To this day I think I should cite most of my bat knowledge (which is extremely limited) to this here book! Buy it.
Corduroy
This is technically a book from our parents’ generation’s childhood, but they graciously forced it upon us and now it is our turn. Although, maybe — amid the rise of Amazon and online shopping — we should update this to the little bear, like, running around a warehouse or the back of a delivery van looking for a new button. (If you do write this sequel, I expect royalties!) Buy it.
A Very Hungry Catepillar
OK, this is another one that’s not exactly unique. I think your odds of someone else purchasing this one for the baby shower are pretty high, but I kind of love it anyways. Eric Carle had a few other hits — the brown bear and busy spider ones — but this one (with its message of being ugly until you eat everything in front of you and turn pretty?) is a classic. Buy it.
Where the Wild Things Are
Not sure this one ever really faded into obscurity, so I probably don’t need to remind you of it, but it is so well known (it’s inspired everything — even an opera!) because it’s a classic. Buy it.
Guess How Much I Love You
So the original publication of this one was 1994 — a few years after my birth. My mother was either extremely hip and got it when it first came out, or she never read to me about the excess of love she had for me. How tragic. I do remember this well for some reason, so maybe it was the former scenario. Cute bunnies and motherly love! Buy it.
Madeline
Another one that our parents passed down to us! And we are so glad we did. We’re also a tad glad we don’t live in… an orphanage? A boarding school? Where exactly was Madeline living and why? Let’s not go there. Let’s just enjoy the quaint French-ness of this 50+ year old book that put Paris on all of our travel bucket lists! Buy it.
Bonus: Cat Heaven
I am by no means endorsing buying this book for a baby shower, please for the love of god. But I did want to include this one in this list because I had this as a kid when we had to say goodbye to our family cats. Recently, my cat Maggie passed away and a friend sent me this book. It made me ball (well, I was already a sobbing mess, so nothing new there). For kids, this book is extremely helpful to process the loss of a beloved pet — and I even loaned my copy out to a tot who was going through a loss too. Buy it.
BookNerdalie 