The best books for babies

As a primary school teacher, The Ten's co-fouder, Mel, has joined the universal ranks of being a huge advocate for reading to babies. While it may seem a little silly to read to a newborn who can barely keep their eyes open for more than a few minutes, and the only thing you'll feel like reading might be Go the F!!! To Sleep (highly recommended).  

However, there are huge advantages to reading to your baby. In fact, research says that reading to your baby from a very young age helps their early literacy skills. It does have more to do with your reading voice than what you read. Make sure you use a calm, measured but expressive voice, as you would in your best kindy teacher style. Also, take some time to point to the illustrations and talk about them.

What's more, encourage your baby or toddler to explore books on their own. Show them how to read by turning pages one at a time from left to right and having the book the right way up.

If you're looking for some inspiration, here are our favourites for babies: 

That's Not My ... The books in this cute series might instil an odd sense of possession (yes, that's my pirate!), but they are highly engaging and popular for good reason. They're great for babies to touch and are colourful enough to hold their attention to the end. They also introduce your baby to shapes and textures. 

Dr Seuss - You don't need to delve straight into the tongue twisting delights of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish to enjoy Dr Seuss, and to begin introducing your baby to great sounds. The Dr Seuss collection is extensive and fabulous (often with a really great lesson in there too), and comes in board books to introduce your child to his magical world.

Dear Zoo - It's a classic for a reason. Your children can interact by lifting the flaps, and you can begin introducing them to the various sounds made by animals. It's super cute and quick, and will no doubt bring back a few memories from your own childhood.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes - This is a beautiful book about being a baby, and is a great way to get your baby involved - you guessed it, by counting their own fingers and toes. It will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. 

When I'm Feeling ... This is another series we recommend - particularly for toddlers. The books introduce children to various emotions and why they occur. It's written in a really easy to understand, loving way, and even has a section at the back for parents. 

What are your favourites? We'd love you to tell us in the comments below.