Macaroni Reads with Ms. Jayme

Everyone knows that babies have an irresistible desire to put everything in their mouths, but even slobbery, drooling babies need books. This is where board books come in. They are built for any abuse a teething baby or destructive toddler may inflict upon them while acting as a great introduction to the world of reading. There is even a line of baby books called “Indestructibles,” that as the name suggests, are virtually baby-proof. Recently the board book format has also extended to titles for older children so be sure to check the content before dismissing a book as for babies only.

Some things to consider when choosing a board book are the illustrations and interactive qualities. For younger babies, books with high-contrast illustrations like Peter Linenthal’s Look series are a good choice. High-contrast board books are purposefully designed to stimulate the developing minds of babies. Linenthal isn’t your only choice when choosing high-contrast board books. Also look to Tana Hoban, Smriti Prasadam, and Roger Priddy.



Interactive books, particularly pop-up and lift-the-flap books are the bane of the library. Preschoolers love them and they’re fantastic for story times, but to have them in the library collection for checkout is oftentimes unrealistic. Moveable parts just don’t last long in a library book, but definitely add them to your home collection. Some of my favorites are Karen Katz’s Where is Baby’s… series and the DK Touch and Feel books.




While babies and toddlers may be attracted to the bright colors and hip design of the Code Babies books, these are an example of board books that are not for babies. Web Design for Babies 2.0 is a lift-the-flap introduction to the world of web design. It uses fairly sophisticated terminology, but could be used as an early indicator to see if your preschooler has a penchant for web design and parents with a background in web development will absolutely love it.