The New Books Destined to Become Baby Shower Classics
by Janssen Bradshaw
There are books I think of as baby shower classics — your Goodnight Moon or We’re Going on a Bear Hunt or Love You Forever — but because they are such classics, there is always the worry that the parents-to-be are going to get a dozen copies of them.
So I’ve collected some of my favorite new baby shower classics. These books are ones that have come out in the past few years but still have that beautiful timeless feeling, and that are destined to become classics for a new generation of parents. Add a pack of diapers and you’ve got the perfect baby gift!
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Littles: And How They Grow
Available from:This one chronicles all the big and little moments of a baby’s life, from tummy time to bubble baths, teething to games of peek-a-boo. And of course, in the blink of an eye, those little babies aren’t so little anymore, with the children boarding a bright yellow school bus for the first day of school. A sweet story told in great rhythm that may just make parents a little misty.
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The Wonderful Things You Will Be
Available from:It’s impossible not to look at a tiny new baby and imagine all the possibilities for their future, from first steps to growing up to someday conquering the world. This book is just as perfect for graduation as it is for a baby shower.
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Two Hands to Love You
I love the cozy ink illustrations of this book that showcases the adventures that await a new baby as they grow up, with the comfort of a parent always there to offer love and support with the refrain “for you are our baby; we’ll never be far. We’ll love you, think of you, wherever you are.”
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Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey
Available from:If you’ve dreamed about quietly reading a bedtime story to your child as they drift off to sleep, this book is just what you need. This book invites listeners to close their eyes and imagine their dream animal, whether it’s a big bear or a sleek fox. And of course, Emily Winfield Martin’s illustrations are always spectacular.
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Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
This one was a classic the moment it was published — the sweet rhyme about all kinds of babies from all over the world is perfectly paired with Helen Oxenbury’s illustrations that make you just want to kiss the cheeks of every little baby in this book.
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Bunny Roo, I Love You
Available from:I have read this book approximately ten thousand times to my third daughter, who absolutely loves it, and I can’t blame her, because it’s one of my favorites too with each pair of animal babies and mamas. It’s especially sweet because Melissa Marr wrote it after she adopted a little baby boy, so if you’re giving a baby gift to an adoptive parent, this is a perfect choice.
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i carry your heart with me
This poem by e.e. cummings is a classic about the bonds of love, and this new version is gorgeously illustrated with collage-style art. It’s the sweetest way to introduce a little one to poetry in a completely accessible way, or perfect for a poetry-loving parent.
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All of Baby, Nose to Toes
Available from:My three older girls are obsessed with our new baby and every bit of her, from her nose to her toes, so this book is right up our alley, showcasing all the darling parts of a roly-poly little baby that no one can get enough of!
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The House in the Night
I am obsessed with this Caldecott-winning book all done in scratchboard art (I didn’t even know that was a thing until I first read this book). All the illustrations are composed in black, white, and a gold-yellow, and the text is beautifully structured. I could read this one every night for the rest of my life.
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Someday
Some days, when your baby won’t sleep or cries incessantly, it’s hard to imagine that this period of your baby’s life is so fleeting! Before you know it, they’ll be growing up and off on their own adult adventures while you, as a parent, get to watch.
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What other new baby books do you think are destined to become classics? Share with us in the comments below!