I figure there are more soon-to-be coolest aunts out there who are experiencing this struggle, so I’ve compiled a list of [untested and un-researched] tips for baby’s-first-favorite book buying. My final tip [mostly aimed at myself]: don’t feel down if your books aren’t your niece/nephew’s first favorite. Remind yourself it’s not a competition. Plus, you’ve got years to coax them down the path of readerly love; you could still be their toddler, grade school, middle grade, or young adult favorite. Here are the books I plan to introduce my first niece/nephew (as soon as I possibly can): The Adventures of Beekle: the Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat The story of an adorable unimagined friend who braves monster-infested seas to find the friend he’s meant to be imagined by. The story is fun to read and the pictures are bright and beautiful—a true delight to behold at any age. Madeleine by Ludwig Bemelmans (Board Book format) Yes, this pick defies tip #2, but I think we can all agree Madeleine is a wonderful story and worth owning multiple copies; plus the board book version is fairly recent. It is one of my favorite rhyming books and one I don’t think I’ll ever tire of reading aloud.
Please Bring Balloons by Lindsay Ward A magical tale of a girl and a carousel polar bear who travel via balloons to the north pole. The illustrations are collage-y, colorful, and full of different shapes and patterns. I think this pick will encourage my niece/nephew to believe in the unbelievable, to explore parts unknown. Plus, the main character is named Emma so I can pretend it’s a story about me. Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings by Matthew Van Fleet Bright colors, defined shapes, adorable animals and textures galore. This babe will likely own all of Matthew Van Fleet’s textured and interactive board books before he/she is one, but I think I’ll start with this classic, colorful, and informative option. So those are the first four books my niece/nephew will receive in my lifelong quest to have them love me/literature. I’ll let you know how they work out. Any tips, suggestions, or favorites I missed?
