9 Unique Board Books to Gift at Your Next Friend’s Baby Shower

Alice in Wonderland: A BabyLit Colors Primer, by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver
Alice in her black shoes follows the white rabbit down a hole into Wonderland, where she meets an orange cat, a blue caterpillar and the queen of red hearts in this whimsically illustrated telling of Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel. The bright colors and patterns on each page, along with the simple text, capture the attention of kids and adults alike. As part of the BabyLit series, this clever board book, along with others like counting primer Pride & Prejudice and anatomy primer Frankenstein, aims to introduce little ones to a literary classic in a fun way while entertaining book-loving parents at the same time.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr
A staple on many children’s bookshelves for generations in the United Kingdom, The Tiger Who Came to Tea may be an unfamiliar title to Americans. But this delightful book, first published in 1968, tells the story of a little girl named Sophie who’s having tea with her mother when they receive an unexpected furry visitor. The cheeky tiger proceeds to eat all of the food and drink all of the water in the family’s house. What will Sophie and her mummy tell daddy when he returns home? An especially fun read-aloud if you give the tiger a British accent.

DC Super Heroes: My First Book of Girl Power, by Julie Merberg
Give baby some super heroines to look up to in this DC Comics board book celebrating characters like Supergirl and Wonder Woman. Focusing on attributes like bravery, strength and the ability to work together, this book demonstrates just what makes each of these iconic women special. And the classic art is a fun throwback for parents and eye-catching for kids.

Moo!, by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka
Can you really tell an entire story with just one word? Moo! (That’s cow-speak for “yes.”) Cow is taking the farmer’s car for a joyride but bumps into some trouble along the way. The word “moo” takes on so many meanings in this imaginative and silly tale — it’s a question, an exclamation, a contented sigh, a fast-talking explanation—and it’s the only word this expressive cow needs to entertain readers.

Charley Harper ABC’s (Skinny Edition), by Charley Harper
Introduce baby to the alphabet through the colorful wildlife illustrations of American artist Charley Harper. The vivid but minimalist drawings depicting “A is for ape” and “B is for bird” will give tots a delightful intro to their ABCs with a hefty dash of art history. For extra credit, throw inCharley Harper 123’s and Charley Harper Colors.

123 New York: A Cool Counting Book, by Puck and Kevin Somers
Take mom and baby on a fieldtrip to the Big Apple in this boldly designed counting book, enumerating city classics like the Statue of Liberty, taxicabs, subway cars and more. Or select from alternate locales with choices like 123 California, 123 Atlanta, 123 Seattle and others.

Cinderella: Les Petits Fairytales, by Trixie Belle, Melissa Caruso-Scott, and Oliver Lake
Lots of classic fairy tales take a dark turn at some point in the story, but you can keep things light for the littlest readers with the Les Petits Fairytales series, which offers condensed tellings of works like Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. The magic of Cinderella, like others in the series, is told simply through one or two words and an accompanying illustration for each spread—“girl,” “chores,” “mean stepsisters,” “fairy godmother.” As baby gets older, mom or dad can fill in their own words to flesh out the story.

Tails Chasing Tails, by Matthew Porter
Indie artist Matthew Porter has become known for his wide-eyed animal art using acrylic paint on a wooden background. And in his recent board book, Tails Chasing Tails, tigers, foxes and pigs run after each other across the wood-grained yellow, blue and green pages. Only the hindquarters of each animal is seen until you turn the page and reveal the face and front legs of the creature being pursued—can you guess whose tail is being chased?

Perfect Piggies!, by Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton has written and illustrated more than 40 children’s books, like The Going to Bed Book and But Not the Hippopotamus, and any of them would make a dandy addition to baby’s book collection. But Perfect Piggies! is especially delightful to read aloud with its rocking rhyming and rhythm—there’s also an accompanying song download. Plus, the message that “we are all perfect piggies” is one that it’s never too early to learn.
Do you have any favorite board books that you like to give as gifts?