Starting next week I'll be out on maternity leave, getting ready to have my first baby. I feel as prepared as one can feel in these situations, except in one area: books.
In what may be surprising news, I don't have a lot of in-depth knowledge about books for babies. Books for kids? Absolutely. Teens? You bet. (Baby-sitting advocates? Of course!) So last week I took to Twitter to ask our followers for their recommendations on which books parents should read to newborns. And like our fans always do, they came through for me in a big way!
Before I share their responses, though, I want to reiterate just why I care about reading to my newborn: because doctors now say reading to kids from birth is hugely important. In fact, this summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued new guidelines recommending that parents begin reading to their kids every day starting from the time they're born—an update from previous guidelines that recommended beginning when babies are six months old.
So now that that's settled, what books should I be reading to my soon-to-arrive daughter? Here are some our fans recommended:
- I Kissed The Baby! by Mary Murphy
- Hands Hands Fingers Thumb by Al Perkins, illustrated by Eric Gurney
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
- Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer
- Peepo! by Janet and Alan Ahlberg
- Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram
- Moo Baa La La Laby Sandra Boynton
The Parents site on Scholastic.com also has tons of great recommendations for new parents.
What about you? Which books would you recommend I read to my newborn?
