Do you remember as a child when your parents would read you bedtime books or picture storytelling before bed?
In part, it helped you develop – learning new words and growing your imagination – but it also helped you to get to sleep at night.
I always remember my mom reading to me…
A few of our favorites were: Goodnight Moon or Love You Forever:
“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.”
That is undoubtedly the most recognized quote from the book, Love You Forever, and probably one that many of you have heard…
Me, I still think of that quote from time to time – even as a 22-year-old who is married and lives a 24-hour drive away from my mom now. It is special to me as it reminds me of being young, and spending quality time with my mom, and it also reminds me of the love she has for me.
While it might be a quote from a book, it is one that she read with pure confidence that she meant it.
Our Curated Best Bedtime Books for Baby
So, while reading to your baby is important in their development, it also plays a vital role in the act of bonding.
A few of the best bedtime books for babies include:
Seuss’s Sleep Book
Dr. Seuss is an iconic author of children’s books and he has one for just about every occasion.
The classic, rhyming picture book starts with a small bug who is getting very sleepy.
Of course, he yawns, and this sets off a chain reaction – making all those around him sleepy.
With nods to snoring, sleepwalking, and alarm clocks, this bedtime story celebrates everything related to sleep.
Goodnight Moon – Best Bedtime Books
This American picture book was published in 1947 and remains a highly acclaimed and classic example of a bedtime story.
The rhyming poem continues through the main character’s ritual of saying “goodnight” to various objects – both living and inanimate.
Say goodnight to your child and just about everything in sight with this classic.
Llama Llama Red Pajama
In this fun and easy-to-read aloud book don’t miss a beat!
It follows the little Llama as he lies awake in bed, scared while listening to his mother do the dishes and talk on the phone.
Find out if he will ever be able to get some sleep in his red pajamas.
Bedtime for Frances – Best Bedtime Books
Your toddler is not the only one sporting those bedtime delay tactics which are both funny and utterly exhausting.
Check out this minimalist illustration and follow Frances as she delays her bedtime.
Time for Bed – Best Bedtime Books
Who doesn’t love cozy scenes of sweet, baby animals snuggled up with their mothers?
I think even as an adult that might put me right to sleep.
Time for Bed couples those dreamy scenes with a musical and to top it all off, it is fun to read.
Appropriately, the book concludes with a human mother and her child.
Hush Little Baby
The lyrics of this classic lullaby bring to life the bedtime rituals of a sweet little bear in his striped pajamas.
The Going to Bed Book
What better of a book than one that describes the activity itself?
This short and fun read is great for every night of the year, for years to come.
It features animal passengers aboard a large ocean liner and follows them as they brush their teeth, change into their pajamas, and, of course, exercise, before winding down for bed.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Bedtime Book
This is yet another classic lullaby that will have you singing right along to it.
In addition to getting you in the mood for a lullaby, the book puts the classic song into gorgeous paintings of an ideal nighttime world.
Touch the Brightest Star
This interactive bedtime story is a great way to help your child wind down in an orderly fashion.
As they press a firefly, pat a deer, and blow a breeze, they never even have to leave their bed.
Goodnight Gorilla – Best Bedtime Books
If your child is curious about what happens in the zoo after dark, this book is sure to grab their attention!
In this bedtime story, a gorilla escapes from his cage and follows the zookeeper around at bedtime, letting all the other animals out, too!
Picture books are a great way to help your child learn and develop. A Bedtime story is also a good way of teaching your child to read at home.
The best bedtime books for babies should be ones that are fun, engaging, and educational.
We’ve provided you with a list of 10 great storybooks that will help get your little one ready for bed and teach them some important life lessons along the way.
Have you tried any of these books? What were your child’s favorite stories? Let us know in the comments below!
My name is Andrea Thompson and I’m a home based freelance writer. I’m 23 years old, married to my best friend, and mother to a wonderfully independent and opinionated 3 year old girl and step-mother to a sweet seven year old boy. I live in a tiny, little town in Kentucky, where I spend my free time fishing with my kids.
Writing has always been my passion, which I followed through high school, and for a while in college. Life happened, and once I discovered we were pregnant, I switched directions; opting for the healthcare industry because of the stability.
Finally, years later, I was in a place where I could leave the day job that never truly made me happy, and pursue my dreams. I’ve built, and am still building, my writing career from scratch. But, I’m passionate and I’m good at what I do. And, in the end, I can prove to my daughter that she can do anything she wants with this life.
