2025 Book Gift Guide: for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
As pediatric speech language pathologists and moms, we LOVE giving books. They truly are the gifts that keep on giving (and they look pretty cute on a shelf, too 🥰).
Reading together is one of the best ways to support your child’s language development. We’re always on the hunt for books that are engaging for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers AND that we don’t mind reading over and over (and over!) ourselves.
In this book gift guide, you’ll find a list of some of our current favorites for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers that are perfect to read together all year long.
You can add them to your library list for your next visit, shop your local bookstore, or purchase through bookshop (we love this website… and everything is linked there for you!) if you’re in the U.S.
And because it’s one of our most-requested links… you can find that adorable braided house basket pictured above here. It goes out of stock often, so we also linked a few more of our favorite book storage options here.
Looking for more ideas? Explore our full 2025 Baby, Toddler, Preschool, and Mom Gift Guides here.
Books for babies, toddlers and preschoolers
best gift books for babies, toddlers and preschoolers
A classic for kids who love things that go! Silly cars, trucks, and even pickle cars 🤪 keep little ones giggling and engaged.
A delightful book about staying true to yourself and finding true friendship along the way. We love this prickly book!
A bright, imaginative story about all the places to hide, and the joy of being found. Simple, playful, and beautifully illustrated.
Attack of the Underwear Dragon
Knights, dragons, AND underwear? This silly story is a hit in Katie’s house. There’s also a sequel!
A beautifully illustrated story that follows a kid through their day. We love the rich vocabulary and relatable moments. This one easily passes the vibe check!
Indestructibles: Let’s Go Outside!
We love this series… so many fun themes. They are thin, light, chew + rip proof, and perfect for your diaper bag, car, or stroller.
A must read for little ones who love garbage trucks. The rhythmic text and lively illustrations make it a favorite every time.
Part of a beautiful bedtime trio with simple language and gentle rhythm…perfect for winding down together.
Gorgeous illustrations with a story for each season following the tiniest witch around through the woods on her whimsical adventures.
We love nonfiction books, and this one is beautiful and informative! Perfect for curious kids. (There’s also The Big Book of Beasts—another favorite!)
Meet a sweet hedgehog and his grandma who go on everyday adventures in 10 short, heartwarming stories. This is a gem.
A fun search-and-find book that encourages counting, number recognition, and chatting about all the vehicles on each page.
Part story, part toy—this clever book unfolds into a long train for extra interactive fun.
A simple, sweet book about gratitude and the beauty of the world around us. We love the illustrations in this one!
The Maisy series is a treasure trove ✨ This lovely book introduces kindness and empathy in a way little ones can understand.
A perfect first board book to introduce and explore emotions. Plus, we think it’s especially beautiful too!
A delightful lift-the-flap book featuring animals and mirrors on every page. Perfect for babies and toddlers!
Oliver Jeffers brings his signature humor to this story of a boy, a kite, and a very stubborn tree. We think you’ll love the illustrations as much as we do.
Can You Do This? Bedtime Edition
A whimsical blend of movement and mindfulness that helps little ones wind down before bed. So sweet!
A fold out AND lift-the-flap ABC book, perfect for the kids who can’t get enough of their letters.
Interactive sliders make this book extra fun for busy hands. If your child loves this one, there are plenty more in the Suki series.
A Richard Scarry classic. This board book is full of charming animal characters and vintage-style illustrations we adore.
LOOKING TO LEARN MORE WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR TODDLER’S LEARNING?
If your little one loves books, we think they’ll love our Songs+Stories Membership.
Songs+Stories is a safe, high-quality (and ad free) screen time option. It’s also incredibly beneficial for your toddler’s language development — whether they are already super chatting or are not yet talking a lot.
It’s a safe, high-quality (and ad-free!) screen-time option that actually supports your toddler’s language development—whether they’re already chatting away or just starting to find their words.
It’s a similar style to library story time, with lots of options for engaging themes your child will love. No quick camera changes, green screen, or annoying sound effects. Plus, you’ll get access to our podcast episodes for toddlers + preschoolers.
Songs+Stories makes a wonderful gift to give or receive this holiday season. Gift cards available here.
