Notable Board Books of 2019!
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2019 brings us new board books to give and read aloud to our children. These will spark curiosity and learning and grow a love of reading.
I’ve added my favorites on this list to my big “Best Board Books for Babies and Toddlers” list.
Notable 2019 Board Books!
Silly Lullaby by Sandra Boynton
Just when you think Sandra Boynton’s books couldn’t get any better, this new book comes along to charm and delight readers young and old. I love, love, love this book and so will your kids. Because the daddy sings a very silly lullaby to his little boy. Something about chickens in the bathtub? She’s my favorite!
I adore this book — It makes a perfect baby shower gift. Its rhythmic poems are FUN to say and act out. “Jiggle jiggle, we’re all wriggly. Wriggle wriggle, we’re all wiggly. Wiggle wiggle, we’re all giggly…” Or, “Fingers in bed / Fingers wake up / Fingers stretch / Fingers shake up.”
Fun, funny, rhyming awesomeness. See what pigs do from morning until night — it’s an adventurous day of plays, tutus, baking, and more.
Where Is Fuzzy Penguin (Touch + Feel + Look + Find) by Yayo
You will LOVE this book! Not only are these adorable penguins that are happily playing and swimming but you also get to feel and search for the one who is fuzzy!
Baby, Let’s Count! (Indestructibles) by Ekaterina Trukhan
Rip-proof, waterproof, and lightweight–practice counting animals with colorful illustrations and rhyme from one to ten.
Hanukkah Baby (Indestructibles) by Ekaterina Trukhan
It’s Hanukkah. See the treats, light the menorah, and spin the dreidel. This is a rip-proof, waterproof, lightweight, sweet introduction to some of the Hanukkah traditions.
Farm Block by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Peskimo
FOLD OUT PAGES
This board book resembles a big block — imagine three or four books put together and that is how wide the book is. From the rooster crowing “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” this book takes you all around the farm. Feed and count the chicks on a fold-out page. Open the barn doors to milk the cows, brush the horses, and feed the goats. But there’s so much more than this. It’s absolutely a delightful time at the farm.
Sleepy Farm by Joyce Wan
LIFT-THE-FLAP
Say good-night to the animals starting with the little sheep. When you lift the peek-a-boo flaps, you’ll read the animal’s sound like the animal is saying nighty-night to you, too. Pastel colors and adorable illustrations.
Jungle illustrated by Jane Ormes
LIFT-THE-FLAP
What an adorable book to learn about animal families! I love the color schemes with neon orange, blues and greens. For each animal, you’ll read what the daddy is called, the mommy is called, and then lift-the-flap under the mommy to read what the babies are called. “A daddy peafowl is called a peacock. A mommy peafowl is called a peahen. Baby peafowl are called peachicks.” Plus pandas, elephants, tigers, and the group names for each. I learned a few things from this darling book. Also in this series and the same format but set on a farm is the new Noisy Crow board book called Farm.
Apple by Nikki McClure
The bold black, white, and red papercut illustrations are stunning. They illustrate the word on the opposite page that show the circular story of an apple tree. It starts with apple hanging on a tree. It gets picked, then hidden in a backpack, shared, lost, planted, and grows into a bud. The bright red apple is the only color and it just pops. I adore everything about this book and can’t wait to share it with friends.
Baby Loves A First Book of FavoritesÂ
“When Baby is hungry…Baby loves a yummy BANANA” begins this captivating book of photographs, diverse babies, and everyday activities things. It continues “Find the BANANA!” Similarly, the pages show Baby in different situations (thirsty, wants to cuddle, wants to play, etc.) and ask the reader to find something (find the ball, find the puppy, etc.) for Baby. I love the photographs and the relevancy to Baby’s life.
Future Engineer by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Allison Black
Finally, a developmentally appropriate book about a STEM concept! “Engineers want to know how things work. // So does Baby.” The diverse illustrations show an engineer with her robot and a little boy with his toys. “Engineers make things that help others. // Baby loves to help!” What a darling introduction that makes engineering relatable to kids and what kids do.
Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland (Bedtime Classics) illustrated by Carly Gledhill
Meet a diverse Alice who follows a white rabbit and tumbles into a magical place called Wonderland. Alice has adventures that are easy to follow and beautifully illustrated.
The Nutcracker (Bedtime Classics) illustrated by Carly Gledhill
Clara’s toy nutcracker comes alive and turns into a handsome prince. They travel to the land of sweets. Simplified for the youngest readers and absolutely wonderful, read this at Christmastime to celebrate this classic story.
Yum Yummy Yuck by Cree Lane and Amanda Jane Jones
What should go into your mouth? This book explains… Oranges and orange juice are yum and yummy but bandages are yuck. Broccoli is yum, strawberries are yummy, but crayons are yuck. The only words are repeated page after page. Yuck is explained — for example, “Coins don’t go in your tummy, go in your piggy bank!” Simple, bold illustrations.
Goodnight, Starry Night by Julie Appel, illustrated by Amy Guglielmo
PEEK THROUGHS
Simple, rhyming narration wishes readers good-night as well as telling the images in the famous artwork a good-night, too. “Goodnight kitty, curled in a ball… Peek-a-boo, cat! Goodnight pillow. Goodnight wall.” This book doesn’t try to be something it’s not — it’s developmentally appropriate with a soothing lullaby illustrated in vibrant colors and accessible artwork. Impressive!
Dream Big by Joyce Wan
Large text tells children to dream big, high, brave, wild, fast, and deep. Oversized pages featuring appealing cartoons of 15 female icons like Frida Kahlo and Katherine Johnson which are specified in the back matter.
Go, Go, Pirate Boat by Katrina Charman, illustrated by Nick Sharratt
I love that you can read/sing the words in this story to the tune of “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat”! Little pirates row across the salty sea, see the ocean creatures, scrub the decks, find treasure, and return home. “Walk, walk, walk the plank, don’t fall in the sea! // Shiver me timbers, what a day! Home for you and me!“
Frankie’s Food Truck
LIFT THE FLAP
This board book is a delightful learning experience for children who are learning shapes. Each day of the week Frankie serves a different shape. Lift the flaps on the plates to see which foods his customers can order. It’s squares on Monday and circles on Wednesday and hearts and stars on Fridays. What a yummy introduction to shapes!
Colors (Paper Peek) by Chichiro Takeuchi
PEEK THROUGH / SEARCH AND FIND
A green tree, a black cat, a red apple, and more are die-cut images. Turn the pages and you’ll see more items of each color to find in colored patterns.
Colors by Jacques Duquennoy
ACETATE PAGES
The see-through pages of this picture book about color shows splashes of paint in different colors. Then you turn the page and the splashes become into something else like a blue seal. Zoey and Zack paint together, each doing part of the painting. Their collaboration turns into something like a red fish and a green frog. It’s developmentally appropriate because the book focuses on one color at a time, not requiring kids to differentiate too many colors. It’s adorable!
I Thought I Saw An Elephant! by Lydia Nichols
SLIDER
Young readers need books like this with simple repetitive text (“I thought I saw an elephant“) plus an interactive slider that kids can push to find the elephant. “Is it behind the ice cream shop?” “Is it on the slide?” Brightly colored and playful.
I Love Me by Sally Moran and Ambelin Kwaymullina
Celebrate all the things about YOU as you read this self-esteem affirmation-filled book. “I love me. I love my eyes. I love my noes. I love the way my curly hair grows.” And so it continues. The happy, expressive illustrations swirl and whirl in rainbows of colors. Love yourself. You’re amazing.
Little Big Nate Draws a Blank by Lincoln Peirce
From the charming Big Nate graphic novels for older readers, this adaptation tells when Nate got a new box of crayons. Can you guess what he will draw? “A dog? Too hairy. // A shark? Too scary!” And so it continues with guesses and adjectives describing each drawing. What will he draw?
Hand in Hand by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Sheryl Murray
A mommy and child explore and play at the park… me, you, hand in hand, together. Lyrical, simple vibrant verbs invite this charming book to be read aloud to the children in your life. “Tickle Giggle Hug Hold Whisper Shout Stories Told” … “You Me We, two Hand in hand I have you!“
Lois Looks for Bob at the Beach by Gerry Turley
LIFT THE FLAP
Help Lois look for Bob. Read the questions, “Is Bob behind the bucket?” then lift the flap… “No, that’s Geoffrey. Aren’t his feet a lovely color.” Lois needs help to search the beach. Lift the flaps to find a seagull, a turtle, a crab, fish, a dog, until finally you meet Bob, a yellow bird. I also like Lois Looks for Bob at the Museum.
Hello, Dinosaurs! by Sam Boughton
LIFT-THE-FLAPS
Facts and flaps introduce readers to the coolest dinosaurs and interesting info about each. Dinosaurs like the Diplodocus who was as long as two school buses. Or the Triceratops who had between 400 and 800 teeth. Flaps, fold-out pages, whimsical illustrations, and handwritten text.
Turnabout Shapes by Agnese Baruzzi
Turn this book sideways and read it so the pages stretch vertically. The fun of this book is that the cut out shapes on each page morph into something else on the next page. So the triangles of the mountain trees become the feathers on an owl’s belly. The half-circle of the salad bowl becomes the turtle’s back who wants to eat the salad.
Cerca / Close by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Blanca Gomez
A young girl of color shows us her world, specifically what things are close to other things. She does this by connecting things together. “The door is close to the apple tree. The daisies are close to the apple tree.” What will be close to the apple tree? The horses! Read it in Spanish or English or both! “Mi amigo esta cerca de mi. My friend is close to me.” Earthy colors, an important concept (close), and enchanting illustrations.
Lejos / Far by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Blanca Gomez
Like the book Cerca / Close, this book shows things in a young boy’s world that are far apart from each other. “The lemon tree is far from my house. My house is far from the city.” It’s a lovely story that develops the concept while showing geographical features and a kid who the readers can relate to.
Let’s Play Soccer! by Giuliano Ferri
Does your family like soccer? You’ll want to read this book to your kids then. A cut-out circle showing a soccer ball on the right-side page but when you turn the page, the left-side shows the circle as a different player’s head. The story is simple and perfect for young readers, including new readers. “The game begins. Hedgehog throws the ball.” Turn the page to read “Rabbit kicks it past Crocodile” The team passes, flips, kicks, and heads the ball until finally the team scores! Simple illustrations, not too busy — this is a keeper.
Clothes by Rilla Alexander
TOUCHWORDS
Each word has raised letters and illustrations that are also tactile. Read related words look at matching illustrations from undies to shirt to dress and more. It’s a really interesting concept — eye-catching and vocabulary building. For the “coat” page you’ll see a few coats, sweaters, gloves, mittens and read the words as well as dry, toasty, layering, unzipping, shivering, waterproof, and more. Also in this series is the book My Day.
