Reading to your child is a wonderful way to foster a love of learning and create cherished memories. It’s never too early to start, and finding engaging books that capture your little one’s attention can make it even more enjoyable. As a parent, you want to give your one-year-old the best possible start, and reading is a great way to promote language development, cognitive skills, and social-emotional growth.
We’ve curated a list of the best books for one-year-olds that are sure to delight your little reader. From board books with bright colors and simple concepts to interactive stories that encourage participation, these books are perfect for introducing your child to the wonderful world of reading.
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Books For 1-Year-Olds Picks
1. First 100 Words: A Padded Board Book
With 100 colorful photos and 100 basic first words, your 1-year-old will be able to read and explore new things with ease. The book’s sturdy board pages are perfect for those curious little hands to grab and hold, and the cushioned cover makes it comfortable to hold and carry around.
2. My First Animals Let’s Squeak and Squawk
Get ready for an exciting adventure with your preschooler! This first board book featuring animals is a wonderful learning tool filled with different species to name and count, along with fun activities and questions. Your little one will improve their speaking, listening, and observational skills as they discover and recognize many creatures.
With chunky tactile tabs that encourage young hands to flip the page and develop dexterity, your child will love learning about creatures that squeak and squawk, from pets and farm animals to mini-beasts and marine animals. There’s even more hands-on learning throughout the book! After giving the names of the creatures, your child can try out various games like counting the tropical fish, acting like a parrot, or looking for the animal with the longest trunk.
3. Moo, Baa, La La La! (Boynton on Board)
In Sandra Boynton’s uproarious book, “Moo, Baa, La La La!”, your children will be introduced to a variety of animals and the sounds they make. From the three little pigs who squeal “LA LA LA!” to cows that go “MOO” and ducks that say “QUACK”, your child will learn to identify and imitate each animal’s unique sound. But that’s not all – this colorful and energetic book also encourages children and you to make plenty of noise!
4. Wild Animals: A Touch and Feel Book
Prepare for an animal-filled adventure with this touch-and-feel board book, Wild Animals Touch & Feel! Your 1-year-old will love discovering five different textures, such as an elephant’s leathery ear and a koala’s fluffy fur. With playful rhymes and tactile information on every page, this book will keep your child engaged and coming back for more.
As children naturally explore the world around them with their senses, this book provides a fun and educational opportunity to learn about various wild animals from around the world. Each page features a unique touch-and-feel component and an interesting tidbit about the characteristics of the animal.
5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Did you know that every 30 seconds, someone in the world purchases this classic picture book that has been passed down through generations? This board book edition is perfectly sized for little hands and features interactive die-cut pages that are sure to delight. Not only is it a great way to introduce counting and the days of the week to your 1-year-old, but it’s also a wonderful way to create memories that will last a lifetime.
6. Goodnight Moon
The peaceful poetry of the words and the soft, lulling images in this work of children’s literature, which has been adored by generations of readers and listeners, make it the ideal book to read at night. A small rabbit is hiding in bed in a lovely green room. Goodnight, moon, and goodnight, room. The little bunny bids goodnight to each of the comforting items in the dimly lit room, including the picture of the three bears sitting on a chair, the clocks, his socks, mittens, and kittens.
7. I Love You to the Moon and Back
Show your little one how much you care every minute of the day with this heartwarming book! Join a cuddly bear and his cub as they embark on a day of fun and adventure, from playing with friends to exploring the outdoors and even stargazing. The adorable pair also share plenty of nose touches, hugs, and playful moments throughout their day. This charming book makes for the perfect gift, with a personalized “To” and “From” page and a soothing rhyme that’s perfect for sharing with even the youngest children.
8. Peek-a Who? (Lift the Flap Books, Interactive Books for Kids, Interactive Read Aloud Books)
In these two amusing board books, 1-year-olds can identify what is peeking through the die-cut windows thanks to the colorful illustrations and straightforward rhyming language. Children will be guessing and giggling all the way to the surprise endings because of the anticipation of what’s hidden on the following page and the lively, interesting images.
9. My First Library: Boxset of 10 Board Books for Kids
The incredible box set includes ten board books that have been well-studied to educate young learners on a variety of learning themes and daily items. Bright graphics and precise word labels allow the kid to quickly develop a strong vocabulary. The robust and appealing gift box sets make the ideal presents for young children. The collection covers the following subjects: ABC, Numbers, Shapes, Colors, Wild Animals, Farm Animals & Pets, Birds, Fruits, Vegetables, and Transportation.
10. First 100 Padded: First Farm Words
Inside this vibrant, cushioned board book from Roger Priddy are farm animals, machinery, and common farm items that your little one will like finding. There are many pictures to look at, discuss, and learn from, as well as many labels to read.
The cover is delicately cushioned for little hands to grip, and the pages are constructed of a sturdy board for hours of enjoyable reading. This tiny book is jam-packed with intriguing pictures and phrases for inquisitive minds to explore, from farm animals to farm trucks.
11. Baby Touch and Feel: Animals
With bold, vivid images and colorful artwork featuring a variety of animals, this charming picture book is the perfect choice for babies and toddlers alike.
From fluffy puppies to majestic elephants, this durable sensory book offers a wealth of information about all sorts of creatures. And thanks to its cushioned pages and sturdy board book construction, it’s just the right size for little hands to grasp and explore independently.
12. Roar, Roar, Baby!: A Karen Katz Lift-the-Flap Book
Your little ones will have a blast lifting the flaps on each page to discover all sorts of zoo animals. Will they find the towering giraffe peering over the gate, or the happy hippo splashing in the lake? And where, oh where, could that sneaky tiger be hiding? With Karen’s vibrant and colorful illustrations and sturdy flaps that are easy for little hands to lift, this book is perfect for sharing between parents and kids.
13. My Very First Book of Numbers
How many cherries are there, exactly? How many apples? 1-year-old’s can locate the number of fruits in the bottom half of a page that corresponds to the number of boxes and numbers in the upper half in the vibrantly colored My Very First Book of Numbers. They will be able to match English and Spanish words for one another thanks to this new, multilingual version. This creative, colorful book has puzzles that babies and toddlers will adore solving.
14. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
Featuring a diverse group of chubby babies with cute little toes and fingers, this book is a counting classic that kids will adore. With every turn of the page, you and your 1-year-old will discover a new baby to count, from one to ten, each with their unique characteristics and quirks. And the best part? Your child can join in and chant along with you, making this book a fun and interactive experience for all.
15. Llama Llama Red Pajama
With contagious rhyming text and expressive illustrations by Anna Dewdney, this beloved read-aloud is sure to charm both kids and parents. For over ten years, readers have been delighted by the story of Baby Llama turning bedtime into a llama drama. And now, with this board book edition, even the youngest readers can enjoy the fun! Follow along as Baby Llama seeks comfort from Mama Llama in this heartwarming tale that’s perfect for reading before bed.
16. See, Touch, Feel: A First Sensory Book
See, Touch, Feel: A First Sensory Book offers a variety of exploration opportunities for infants. This durable board book is illustrated with vibrant photos of content newborns and is intended to pique interest via sensory exploration. A vibrant pictorial activity on each page stimulates your 1-year-old to touch and investigate it. Fingerprints can be followed, raised textures can be felt, and a shiny mirror may be seen at.
This book will help with your child’s language and motor skill development as they grow and find new ways to engage with the book.
17. Global Babies
Seventeen vivid images, from Bhutan to Guatemala, celebrate the diversity of our planet and offer a look at the customs, attire, and day-to-day activities of infants from many cultures. Simple language in Spanish and English informs the youngest readers that newborns are cherished and cherished everywhere on earth.
18. Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear?
This timeless children’s story is now available in a new edition that will thrill both kids and parents. A procession of noisy zoo animals is introduced in Bill Martin’s lighthearted tale, which is all drawn in Eric Carle’s instantly recognizable, tidy, and clear style. A ten-button sound panel is an ideal accompaniment to this entertaining, boisterous story.
Children will enjoy finding each new animal as it appears on the vivid, colorful pages and pressing the appropriate button to hear it make the noises that the braying zebra, roaring lion, fluting flamingo, and other fascinating creatures make.
19. Are You My Mother?
Get ready for an adventure with a newborn bird in this hilarious Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss! When a mother bird leaves her nest to fetch food, her egg hatches and her newborn baby bird sets off to find her. The problem is, the little bird has no clue what his mother looks like! Despite encountering a cat, a hen, a dog, and a Snort, this determined hatchling is not giving up on his quest to find his mother. P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? is a beloved classic that teaches an everlasting lesson about the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
20. Look, Look!
This sturdy board book is perfect for 1-year-olds, with its high-contrast black-and-white cut-paper illustrations that are sure to captivate their attention. The vivid images of children running, fish swimming, and stars shining are accompanied by simple descriptions in wavy red text, making it engaging for slightly older babies too.
How To Choose The Best Books For A 1-Year-Old?
- Theme: The best books are those that include rhyme, rhythm, and repetition.
- Interactive: Lift-the-flap, textured, and pop-up books are fantastic because they let the children interact and connect with the book (1).
- Vivid Illustrations: Your 1-year-old will find these more appealing because of the large drawings and vivid colors (2).
- Interests: Pick up several books on your toddler’s favorite subjects, such as animals, princesses, or unicorns.
Why You Should Read To Your 1-Year-Old?
Reading to your 1-year-old has numerous benefits. It helps to promote bonding between you and your child, stimulates their imagination, enhances their language and communication skills, improves their concentration and memory, and exposes them to new ideas and concepts.
By reading to your 1-year-old, you can provide them with valuable information about their surroundings. As a result, they will begin to recognize and understand colors, shapes, characters, and numbers that they encounter (3).
What’s the Reading Level of a 1-Year-Old?
The reading level of a 1-year-old can vary depending on their exposure to books and other reading materials. Generally, most 1-year-olds will have a basic understanding of words and phrases, and be able to follow simple stories. With continued exposure and practice, 1-year-olds can develop stronger reading skills and eventually be able to read more complex texts.
How To Read To Your 1-Year-Old?
- In the midst of reading, pause, pose a query, and respond. You’ll start encouraging their mental process by doing this
- Use facial expressions, alter your voice if appropriate, imitate animals, and sing. By doing this, you will help your child connect enjoyment with reading (4)
- In the midst of reading, pause, ask a question, and respond. You’ll start encouraging their mental process by doing this
- It’s okay to keep telling the same tale. Little ones pick things up through repetition
- Use facial expressions, alter your voice if appropriate, imitate animals, and sing. By doing this, you’ll help your child connect enjoyment with reading
