For my second book recommendation, I want to share a series of books that seem to transcend any one age range. They are great tools for babies who are just beginning to explore their world and they just keep on giving through toddlerhood. I received one at my baby shower from my friend whose son was three at the time, and she said it was still one of his favorites. Since then I have bought three more because I feel that strongly that they are worth my money. You can find them at pretty much any bookstore.
Bright Baby is a great brand that I feel I can trust and that their books are investments in my children's libraries. They make those small, single subject board books that all parents swear by and which I always include in a baby shower gift. The Bright Baby First 100 books are like several of those small board books in one, which is valuable for me because it minimizes clutter and I usually lose my babies' interest when I am switching from one book to the next. With a longer version of those great basic board books, I can keep their attention longer and thus expose them to more words and pictures in one sitting.
My two-and-a-half year old son Jackson loves these books and has since he was just beginning to read. First 100 Words 
was a staple in our everyday reading repertoire for his first year. He loved the diversity of subjects within one book, as well as the pictures of the other kids. We got First 100 Animals shortly thereafter, and he still pulls it out when we sing "Old MacDonald" to choose various animals from the book to sing about instead of just farm animals. First 100 Machines was a big hit, of course, and I only just bought Colors, ABCs, Numbers for my daughter this past Christmas. I can't believe I haven't had it all along. It's definitely my favorite of the four and holds her attention the longest of all our books in the house.
was a staple in our everyday reading repertoire for his first year. He loved the diversity of subjects within one book, as well as the pictures of the other kids. We got First 100 Animals shortly thereafter, and he still pulls it out when we sing "Old MacDonald" to choose various animals from the book to sing about instead of just farm animals. First 100 Machines was a big hit, of course, and I only just bought Colors, ABCs, Numbers for my daughter this past Christmas. I can't believe I haven't had it all along. It's definitely my favorite of the four and holds her attention the longest of all our books in the house.
A big reason that I highly recommend them for babies is because when they are open, they lay completely flat so that it's like one gigantic page instead of two.
If you haven't tried reading to a nine-month-old lately, I assure you that page-turning is both fascinating and a major distraction. Never mind that you are trying to get a point across, like it's-naptime-quiet-down-and-get-ready-to-go-to-sleep. Reading to a baby this age is like a stimulant. They want to eat it, turn it, flip it--do anything but sit quietly and listen to you share heartwarming tales of Peter Rabbit. These books are great because they're pretty indestructible and the kids can actually crawl on them to get a closer look.
And although this last book was a gift for Emmy this Christmas, Jackson loves it just as much as her and really enjoys reading it "to her" (aka stealing it and reading it himself). It has shapes, which he is really into right now, as well as the alphabet, numbers, opposites, etc, and the vibrant colors are enticing to all ages.
These books are a very appropriate gift to a child turning two as well as to an expecting mom. A great addition to any child's library! I promise you will get your money’s worth every time!
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