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It’s never too early to start building your child’s love for reading. Here are the best bedtime books for babies and toddlers.

Your baby isn’t exactly ready to read the page-turners you flip through, the chapter books big sis devours, or the latest soon-to-be-on-the-big-screen novel. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start a bedtime story routine right now! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), language development is the most intensive during the child’s first three years. And, this means that your child needs to hear words and engage in early literacy activities ASAP.


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Given the importance of literacy experiences during the first few years of life, choosing the just-right bedtime storybooks is a must-do. Of course, there are more than a few options out there. So, if the pages and pages and pages of search results for the “best bedtime books for baby” are making you wonder whether you need to start using your kiddo’s college fund to build a lofty library of age-appropriate titles, don’t stress.


Here are our favorite 12 bedtime books for babies and toddlers!

  • goodnightmoon

    Goodnight Moon

    $6 $11 Save $5

    This classic is a favorite bedtime book for a reason. Goodnight Moon, by Maragret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, features bold colors, engaging illustrations, and a story that is simple enough for your tot to follow. And bonus, as your little one grows, they can begin saying “Goodnight” to the moon and everything in their own room. The board book is recommended for infants and toddlers ages zero through three years.

    Age Range
    0-3 years

    Print length
    30 pages

  • 365

    365 Bedtime Stories and Rhymes

    $13 $17 Save $4

    A year’s worth of bedtime tales in one place? 365 Bedtime Stories and Rhymes from Cottage Door Press is packed with kid-lit favorites. With more than 50 classic stories, including Little-Bo Peep, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Miss Mark Mack, and Little Bo-Peep along with other short stories, you’ll have a choice of bedtime picks to read with your child. While the illustrated book is recommended for children in preschool, your baby will still enjoy the gentle sounds of the classic rhymes.

    Age Range
    0-4 years

    Print length
    384 pages

  • bedbook

    The Going to Bed Book

    $6 $7 Save $1

    Sandra Boynton’s The Going To Bed Book is a sweet, and silly, story that your child will enjoy right now and for years to come. The animated illustrations will capture baby’s attention as the bedtime tale helps to lull them to sleep. As your kiddo grows and becomes more interested in reading, they will still find this popular pick a favorite. The board book is recommended for children one-year and up.

    Age Range
    1-3 years

    Print length
    16 pages

  • sweetdreams

    Sweet Dreams Little One

    $7 $8 Save $1

    With sing-song rhymes and engaging illustrations, Sandra Magsamen’s Sweet DReams Little One is a bedtime book that your baby or toddler will love. Let the dreams in this easy read help your own little one to fall asleep night after night after night! The board book is also ideal for daytime reading – just in case your kiddo wants some extra time to explore the pages. This top choice among parents is recommended for infants and children zero to three.

    Age Range
    0-3 years

    Print length
    24 pages

  • animals

    If Animals Kissed Good Night

    $5 $8 Save $3

    Ann Whitford Paul’s words and David Walker’s artful illustrations make If Animals Kissed Goodnight the perfect bedtime story for your baby. The rhyming story sets the stage for some serious bonding time between parents/caregivers and their kiddos. And, if your tot is already an animal enthusiast, they will get the added bonus of a story that features everything from giraffes to snakes. This sturdy board book is recommended for children zero to three-years.

    Age Range
    0-3 years

    Print length
    34 pages

  • bookofsleep

    A Book of Sleep

    How do animals sleep? The answer to this question is in the whimsically illustrated soon-to-be bedtime favorite A Book of Sleep, by Il Sung Na. The children’s author adds a sense of whimsy to the pictures and pairs them with simple prose. This combo makes the children’s picture book ideal for infants and younger toddlers. Recommended for children one through three-years.

    Age Range
    1-3 years

    Print length
    24 pages

  • llama

    Llama Llama Red Pajama

    $6 $9 Save $3

    Your child isn’t the only one having a bedtime drama. In Llama Llama Red Pajama, author/illustrator Anna Dewdney crafts a sweet story with plenty of engaging rhymes. And, if your little one just won’t fall asleep yet, your tot will delight in the bold, colorful bedtime-themed pictures. This board book is recommended for infants and toddlers one to three years of age.

    Age Range
    1-3 years

    Print length
    34 pages

  • owl

    Little Owl’s Night

    Little Owl’s Night, by Divya Srinivasan, is packed with elegant prose and so much more. The illustrations are artfully created to engage the young child’s senses. Parents will also enjoy the stylish pictures and the sweet story as they read this soon-to-be classic with their little one. The board book is recommended for children zero through age three.

    Age Range
    0-3 years

    Print length
    34 pages

  • love

    I Love You to the Moon and Back

    $5 $8 Save $3

    Instead of going to sleep, the bear and cub characters of Amelia Hepworth and Tim Warnes’ I Love You To the Moon and Back wake up and spend the day together. This rhyming tale tells the story of a mother and child and their adventures together. After a day of fun, the pair snuggle and get ready for bedtime – kind of like you and your child! This board book is perfect for children three and under.

    Age Range
    0-3 years

    Print length
    28 pages

  • timeforbed

    Time for Bed

    $7 $9 Save $2

    Time for Bed features Mem Fox’s poetic prose set against Jane Dyer’s elegantly artistic illustrations. The artfulness of this children’s book makes it an instant classic that your tot will enjoy now and as a top bedtime pick for years to come. Recommended for infants and toddlers ages one through three-years, Time for Bed is sure to become a storytime favorite in your home.

    Age Range
    1-3 years

    Print length
    28 pages

  • napping

    The Napping House

    $7 $10 Save $3

    Add a little silliness to the bedtime story session mix with The Napping House, by Audrey Wood and Don Wood. While your infant might not get the humor in the narrative just yet, they will enjoy the sweet sounds of the story as you read to them. Recommended for children one through four, this book can stay in your bedtime collection for more than just the next few years.

    Age Range
    1-4 years

    Print length
    32 pages

  • housein

    The House in the Night

    The House in the Night, by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes, is a Caldecott Medal winner that you may enjoy almost as much as your child. The intricate illustrations are a delight to the senses and the simple sounds of the story are poetic, engaging, and the perfect thing for your child to hear before bedtime. This book is recommended for children one through five years of age.

    Age Range
    1-5 years

    Print length
    36 pages

Benefits of reading a bedtime story

Storytime sessions don’t have to wait until your child is old enough to read on their own. Reading to infants and toddlers has benefits galore! The AAP notes that this is one of the most effective methods of exposing young children to language. Storytime can also encourage early development of key literacy skills and start your child on the long road to school readiness. And, while these reasons may seem like enough to break out the books at bedtime, they aren’t the only benefits of nightly story sessions.

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Not only can your child get the literacy benefits bedtime stories bring, but these parent-baby reading experiences can also help to build bonds. An end-of-day activity gives you a time to relax, unwind, and give your kiddo 100 percent of your attention. Not only can you bond with your baby, you can create a routine that lasts through the toddler and preschool years. The routine of reading together nightly can start a schedule that signals bedtime is near, according to information from the Cleveland Clinic. This type of schedule-related cue may make it easier for your baby to fall asleep.

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