What Are The Best Books For a 1 Year Old

What are our best books for a 1 Year Old?

Books are an excellent way to introduce language to your child, and reading together is an excellent avenue for parent and child bonding. Even young babies will benefit from parents reading to them, and this will help (hopefully) develop a lifelong love for reading in your child. Simple board books with appealing pictures and short stories are age-appropriate for 1-year-olds. Remember, their attention span is just a few minutes long at this age, and they won’t be able to follow long and complicated stories. Don’t get offended if your child doesn’t seem interested after a few minutes of reading to them, and it’s not your reading skills!

 Once your child hits the 12-month mark, he quickly outgrows the baby stage, and it seems like he enters into the toddler stage at lightning speed. Their attention span for books is getting longer (not by much but it’s getting there) and your library should also start to expand. We’ve rounded up the best books for 1 year old, including classics and new finds. There are dozens of wonderful children’s books out there but if you can only choose a few at a time, here’s a list of our best books for 1 year old:

1) Goodnight, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

A perfect book to read while settling down for bedtime. This classic story has been recommended over and over again, and we won’t stop recommending it. Colourful illustrations and simple rhymes will hold your young child’s attention from beginning to end.

Find it on amazon here Goodnight, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

2) The Wheels on the Bus by Annie Kubler

Most, if not all, parents know this song. This catchy tune has been turned into a book several times, but we particularly like the version of children’s book author Annie Kubler. She includes lots of appealing scenes and characters per page to make this well-loved song into a great and engaging children’s book. This is why we have added it to our best books for a 1 year old list.

Find it on Amazon here – The Wheels on the Bus by Annie Kubler

3) Moo, Baa Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton

Sandra Boynton has a good number of board books that all 1-year-olds will love, but we especially like Moo, Baa, La La La because of the humour it injects into this short story. Kids will enjoy the fun animal caricatures and will love imitating the familiar animal sounds.  

Find it on Amazon here – Moo, Baa Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton

4) Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

This lift-the-flap board book appeals to children of all ages but it is one of our best books for a 1 year old. Most young kids love animals. They are especially thrilled with the idea of having a pet, and this book allows them to imagine owning their own exotic pet. Who wouldn’t love that idea?

Find it on Amazon here – Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

5) Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Helen Oxbury

Appealing photos of adorable babies (which fellow babies love!) and the familiar theme of ten fingers and ten toes make this an instant favourite for both parents and children. This is one story you can read over and over again without getting tired of it.

Find it on Amazon here – Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Helen Oxbury

The list of best books for a 1 year olds will love is endless, and the books mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. No doubt about it, reading should be a big part of your child’s daily life. These best books for a 1 year old is a great start to introducing your child to the wonderful world of reading, and hopefully, they will lead to a lifetime of enjoying and learning from books.