Board Books to Inspire Imaginations in 2014

The best board books this year are inspiring to the imagination of each reader. They’re evoking of fantastic mental imagery, and grown-ups (those secret kids-at-heart) will absolutely love every telling and retelling of the stories because they are guaranteed to make youngsters giggle. And that laughter is worth all the gold in the world to a parent!

I’ve pinpointed a trio of amazing board books that are best for curious toddlers and their doting caregivers. Each of these books are unique in their own way, teaching kids life lessons that assist with their brain development and early sense of self-confidence.

And those 3 are:

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First 100 Words by Roger Priddy

Some words are need-to-knows – commonly referred to as sight-words. These are compilations of letters designed to give your toddler a mental image each time the word is uttered. This book has 100 of those – all simple and easy to read and learn.

They’re combined in a tough board-book that is soft enough for baby to grasp and hold on their own. And it can easily withstand the years of wear-and-tear that comes from being man-handled by an excited toddler.

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Peek-A Who? by Nina Laden

Colorful and beautiful, this book combines simple rhyming words and amazing illustrations. The format of this story is straightforward and effortless to grasp. Die-cut holes show what lurks in zoos, farms, and rainforests – from owls, to cows, to cheetahs, and tons of other awesome animals. There’s also a creepy (but not-so-scary) green, grinning ghost hiding amidst the pages.

MOO! BOO! ZOO! These are words that your child will learn to read and mimic over-and-over again. It’s sure to become a tried-and-true bedtime favorite for your kiddos, their future youngsters, and generations to come.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

This story is timeless, scientific, and beautiful! A very hungry caterpillar is hatched at the beginning of a week. And as that week progresses, the caterpillar eats holes through the days, growing fatter and fatter as his hunger grows. He finally becomes so large and full that he has to wrap up in his cocoon for a much-needed nap to digest.

However, when he wakes up, he discovers that he has transformed into a gorgeous butterfly with impressive, colorful wings that take up an entire 2 pages. He flutters away with a satisfied feeling in his heart – no longer hunger and completely fulfilled.

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Get more info on the top selling board books (updated each year to provide current info):

Best Board Books 2014

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Video reading of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle...

The Best Board Books of 2013

The best board books of 2013 are interactive, colorful, and encouraging of a child's mental growth. Each story will quietly, unknowingly educate while entertaining at the same time. They're also easy to handle for little hands, with durable pages and vibrant illustrations that resist fading or tearing. These books make reading fun for all ages, even if your toddler has yet to grasp the meaning of certain words yet. Most board books, as you'll discover, feature animal characters because children love the idea of seeing and learning about different pets, insects, zoos, habitats, and farms from around the world.

For example:

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle)

A decades-old classic, this story follows a very hungry caterpillar as he makes his way through the days of the week, munching on apples, pears, plums, and other leafy fruits as he goes. as he eats his way (literally) through the story, the caterpillar grows bigger and bigger, eventually getting an ache in his tummy from consuming so much food. The pages that follow show the caterpillar's transformation in a matter of days, from a caterpillar, to a cocoon, and finally, into a lovely, beautifully winged butterfly. An original story of transformation and metamorphosis, this tale is a bedtime tradition that still delights children and adults alike.

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My Big Animal Book (Roger Priddy)

Kids love animals. It's a fact! With that in mind, this book shows brightly colored pictures of different animals that you'd see in various parts of the world. It includes high-quality images of birds, farm animals, fish, zoo animals, pets, and other animals in their natural habitats, each featuring their name underneath the image to assist in developing a child's word and picture association. Revealing and fun to read, this book is a unique way to integrate a child's love of animals with a parent's desire for reading skill development.

The Board Books of Sandra Boynton

In the world of the best board books, Sandra Boynton is synonymous with words like fantastic, amazing, talented, and successful. With a career that spans over 40 books and 4000 greeting cards, this children's author understand what it takes to write colorful, well-loved, and simple stories for the younger generation.

The following three board books are some of this author's best work, in the opinion of many parents and children around the world.
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The Going-To-Bed Book

Brimming with silliness, this tale follows the animals on the well-known Noah's Ark. "The sun has set not long ago," as each animal rushes down to the boat's bedrooms to prepare for bedtime. From taking a bath to putting on pajamas and brushing their teeth, all of the Ark's animals are scrambling to get comfortable enough to sleep. There are funny illustrations of grinning elephants, happy pigs, curious hippos, and laidback lions! Written in a neater child's scrawl, the whole book is relatable, as kids will see that even their favorite characters have bedtime routines before drifting to dreamland.

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Barnyard Dance!

Back with another animal theme, Boynton writes of dancing cows and waltzing chickens in this barnyard-inspired board book. "Bow to the horse! Bow to the cow! Twirl with the pig if you know how!" These animals are having a hilariously good time while the farmer is away, pouncing and pounding their feet across the grass with every tongue-twisting rhyme. Spinning, promenading, and moving in all kinds of ways all over the pages, this is an animal-filled book of perfect proportions for your little bedtime reader.

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Doggies

What child doesn't love a puppy?! From big and small, Boynton's book about pooches has it all. Kids will learn to count with the barks of each dog. For example, 1 Dog goes "Woof!" in a barotone, while you can imagine when the short, chunky fifth dog says "Bow Wow Wow Wow Wow!" It's a cute book with durable pages for years of bedtime reading.