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Giving books at a baby shower - ideas please

TechWife

By TechWife,
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TechWife

TechWife

Posted
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It's been a long time since I've been to a baby shower. I would like to put together a book basket (think Wholehearted Child from back in the day) for this new little one. The parents-to-be are both readers, so I think they will appreciate it. I would appreciate recommendations for both classics and newer books that I might not be aware of. The more ideas I get, the more I have to choose from!

My goals are to include some/all of these features:

beautiful art

living books

non-fiction

fiction

board books

picture books

something like the old Gold 'n Honey Books (a publisher)

So far, I have picked these two books, just to give you an idea:

For the baby: Wishy Washy: A Board Book of First Colors

For the parents: Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children (I'm hoping it will be like Honey for a Child's Heart)

What are your best ideas??

  • Like 1
Kassia

Kassia

Posted
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I would recommend not giving Goodnight Moon.  A friend of mine received so many copies of that one.  Some were different versions (board book, pop up book, etc.), but way too many of the same book!  Sounds like a lovely and thoughtful gift.  

  • Like 8
happypamama

happypamama

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar is always my favorite.

 

When I asked for some new classics for my younger guys (17 year gap between oldest and youngest here), people suggested Touch the Magic Tree, and it and its sequels have been big favorites. 

 

If your friends like Halloween, Goodnight Goon would be hilarious. My husband sent it to his college friend who became a dad for the first time in his 40s, and it was a hit. 

 

Dragons Love Tacos and anything by that author -- my Mr. Five requests them all the time (after eighty gazillion readings of Goodnight Goon).

 

We have lovely, big hardback volumes of Winnie the Pooh, House at Pooh Corner, and the poetry books, and they would make nice gifts. 

 

We've always enjoyed Come Look With Me, Gladys Blizzard, and Lucy Mickelthwaite's art books too. 

 

For nonfiction, the books by the Cat and the Hat's Learning Library are pretty great. And the Sir Cumference series makes math fun and gentle. Also, Our Journey Westward has some great booklist for picture books for nonfiction: https://ourjourneywestward.com/living-literature-booklists/

 

I could be here all day. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose worse in the library than a kid in a candy shop, hahaha. 

Edited by happypamama
  • Like 2
kbutton

kbutton

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If a book is both well known and available in the baby section of non-book stores, it’s a title they will get a million of, lol!

My kids first learned to like books that had very concrete information (textured animals and such), and then they started liking repetition, such as The Little Red Hen. From there, they liked all kinds of things. Books that tell what people are thinking/feeling are always good! Books with flaps that open are fun. Richard Scarry books are great for a little bit older kids.

Mine started quit early liking encyclopedic sorts of books on their level that they could browse in any order—they would point to pictures to get explanations and even reuse the books for different purposes later like identifying colors of objects or certain sounds or multiple words for the same thing.

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HomeAgain

HomeAgain

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Some of our most read books were Sandra Boynton board books, Good Night, Good Night Construction Site, Ferdinand, Casey At The Bat, Everywhere Babies(?  It's often up on the "banned" list for showing all times of families), and Indestructibles.  The last are Tyvek books that can be thrown in the washer, chewed on, etc.  They feel nearly like regular paper.  I noticed Target selling several last time we were there.

  • Like 1
cabercro

cabercro

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Posted

We got plenty of "bedtime" books as gifts, but reading a book was part of our sleep routine for naps too. Finding a book specifically about napping was harder, but this was our favorite.

  • Like 2
ScoutTN

ScoutTN

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Posted (edited)

I often choose by illustrator and choose older books.

Anything by Tasha Tudor
Miss Rumphius 
Roxaboxen
Owl Moon
The Snowy Day and/or Whistle for Willie
Single book editions of any of the stories in James Herriot’s Treasury for Children. Illus Ruth Brown

The Big Red Barn
Peter Spier’s People
Bats at the Library
Train Song
Make Way for Ducklings
Each Peach Pear Plum
Owl Babies

For a pricey gift: the small size complete boxed set of Beatrix Potter books.
 

 

Edited by ScoutTN
  • Like 5
ScoutTN

ScoutTN

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50 minutes ago, cabercro said:

We got plenty of "bedtime" books as gifts, but reading a book was part of our sleep routine for naps too. Finding a book specifically about napping was harder, but this was our favorite.

And The Napping House. 

  • Like 3
Hilltopmom

Hilltopmom

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I just did this and chose all board books but not the usual Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown bear, nor Goodnight Moon.

I went with others that are good but not the top popular ones. I think I settled on about 10-12.

 

  • Like 3
DawnM

DawnM

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Posted
6 hours ago, knitgrl said:

Anything Sandra Boynton!

My son's favorite book was Moo Bah La La La.   I think we read it 17,928 times!

  • Haha 3
Lori D.

Lori D.

Posted
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for picture books:
What People Do All Day, or, Cars and Trucks and Things That Go -- by Richard Scarry; so fun for ages 2/3 up through ...?
Animalia -- by Graem Base; an alphabet book with tons of images to look for on each page; another great one for ages 2/3 up through ages 6-8

for board books:
Good Dog Carl -- by Alexandra Day (or other in the Carl series)
Jamberry -- by Bruce Degan

for golden books:
365 Bedtime Stories -- by Kathryn Jackson, illustrated by Richard Scarry
The Monster at the End of This Book

Edited by Lori D.
  • Like 4
Alte Veste Academy

Alte Veste Academy

Posted
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Wynken, Blynken, & Nod by Eugene Field

Block City by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

Dr. Seuss's ABC (my favorite ABC book)

The Maggie B by Irene Haas 

A Child's Book of Poems illustrated by Gym Fujikawa 

Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever (seriously, best ever, and huge)

Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose illustrated by Scott Gustafson (also a favorite, my favorite illustrator)

  • Like 1
TechWife

TechWife

Posted
  • Author
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5 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

I often choose by illustrator and choose older books.

Anything by Tasha Tudor
Miss Rumphius 
Roxaboxen
Owl Moon
The Snowy Day and/or Whistle for Willie
Single book editions of any of the stories in James Herriot’s Treasury for Children. Illus Ruth Brown

The Big Red Barn
Peter Spier’s People
Bats at the Library
Train Song
Make Way for Ducklings
Each Peach Pear Plum
Owl Babies

For a pricey gift: the small size complete boxed set of Beatrix Potter books.
 

 

This is just the type of thing I needed to jog my memory. It makes me wish I could give a book shelf! 

  • Like 4
TechWife

TechWife

Posted
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8 hours ago, happypamama said:

…

 

We've always enjoyed Come Look With Me, Gladys Blizzard, and Lucy Mickelthwaite's art books too. 

 

 

I could be here all day. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose worse in the library than a kid in a candy shop, ha ha ha.

We loved Lucy Mickelthwaite books. Sadly, I’m not seeing them on Amazon. 
I could spends $$$& on this if I’m not careful!
 

  • Like 2
TechWife

TechWife

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6 hours ago, Lucy the Valiant said:

You've seen the BabyLit series, right? 

And also . . . I just purchased this from a lovely local bookstore for a new baby. 

 

No, but I have now! And so cute!

  • Like 1
frogger

frogger

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I don't think any of thesehave been mentioned.

 

The little mouse, the red ripe strawberry, and the big hungry bear by Don Wood

Blueberry Shoe by Ann Dixon

If you like Margaret Brown, The Big Red Barn seems less popular than Goodnight Moon

 

  • Like 3
katilac

katilac

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When I know that they have room for it and are happy to build a collection, I will buy nice non-board, non-baby books. Fairy tales, myths, classics. 

I also like to give books that are specific to the area they live in, referencing local stories, places, traditions.

  • Like 1
Tina

Tina

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Good night Gorilla is my first choice.  I second the big Richard Scarry Cars and Trucks and Things that Go.  

Harold and the Purple Crayon.   

 

  • Like 3
Cecropia

Cecropia

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Posted

Lots of good suggestions!

Jan Brett's books are beautiful.  We had The Mitten as a board book and it was always delightful to look at.

Freight Train by Donald Crews -- a short, colorful read that's exciting!

Some sort of lift-the-flap option

  • Like 2
whitestavern

whitestavern

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Our favorite goodnight book!

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Mr-Dan-Yaccarino/dp/0152163867/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1RMG9FSQP6Z0F&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3r4WctTD2smB0bnaMfX_qMdpcynZ0-9-5a8OX8nBhtrAxJKIZDgIaX69TNGKj9xGyPbEpLVmnJqs5Z10KX2qn5EHYsr8Mt3teDxrsm02U52hdsE5gRtzwNLAVmb0aGEtW9NhAzv7lyyzfRRhhpsElQlHOPEcXyF__JOYOcnlXXKe0yFDz1RCPNwz0P9xrozYNc3HHBGe7XjIVC1uBOjKgQ.r_h8WE2D4tbKinndvX-SM5RHUJOj86L23bpTx-aMb4E&dib_tag=se&keywords=good+night+mr+night&qid=1712400744&sprefix=good+night+mr+night%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-1

Eilonwy

Eilonwy

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We loved Sandra Boynton, but we also spent a lot of time reading Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge series, Winnie the Pooh, and Beatrix Potter stories. 
 

  • Like 2
Carol in Cal.

Carol in Cal.

Posted
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Older books that are not SUPER well known that I loved:

Beautiful illustrations with good stories:

The Mitten

Grandpa Bear’s Fantastic Scarf

The Quilt Maker’s Gift

I Love You As Much

The Owl Babies

Other catchy, clever, fun story books:

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

The Sneetches

Sheep in a Jeep

Anna Needs A Coat

The 12 Dancing Princesses

The Christmas Mouse (this is the old one from the 1960s)

Sophie and Sammy’s Library Sleepover

But Not The Hippopotamus

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

 

Also, I scored an entire set of My Book House for my niece from a Buy Nothing group, and so now she has a library that will take her through age 11-12 or so.  12 volumes, very wholesome, gradual increase in difficulty starting with nursery rhymes.  Highly recommended.

 

  • Like 1
Faith-manor

Faith-manor

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I don't know if you can find any new ones since they have been discontinued, but all our toddlers loved the Usborne farm series with the little ducks, a duckling hiding on each page. It was centered around farm life and a train that went through the village. Super cute stories and artwork. I wish I could remember the name. I will see if I can find out if they are available.

  • Like 2
TechWife

TechWife

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I just love Honey for a Child’s Heart! It brings back so many memories.

I need to trim my list down, though I’ve restrained from adding anything other than board books to the list. This is what I have so far: 

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins 

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle 

Tomie’s Little Mother Goose by Tomie de Paola

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

1 is One by Tasha Tudor

Wishy Washy by Tabitha Paige 

  • Like 3
TechWife

TechWife

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The shower was this afternoon and it was lovely. I haven’t been to a baby shower in years. The “guest book” was a copy of Miss Rumphius” & each of us wrote a note on a different page. I learned that our mom-to-be loved that book as a child and carried it around with her. One of her sisters remembered and came up with the guest book idea.
I highly recommend Honey for a Child’s Heart. I loved every minute I spent re-reading it this past week. I had forgotten how much it informed our family reading life. 
 

I thought I’d let you all know what I settled on after you offered so many wonderful ideas. I put everything in a rope basket from Target and lined it with three pretty burp cloths that matched the colors she chose for the baby’s room.

Here’s the list: 

Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt with Mark Hunt

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb - by Al Perkins

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Tomie’s Little Mother Goose by Tomie dePaola

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

1 is One - by Tasha Tudor

  • Like 4

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