Harry tested, Harry approved…books for the wee ones on your gift list – orange marmalade

I don’t often highlight books especially for babies and small people under 2 years old.

Partly that’s because my library system doesn’t let me reserve board books. Partly it’s because there are so many fabulous books for ages 2-12 — the main focus of my blog — that I don’t get time to scout out these other titles.

So this holiday season I thought I’d recommend some top choices for gifting to these tiniest readers. I’m specifically bringing you titles that have wowed my almost-2-year-old grandson who has been nurtured with books since his eyes were open.
I’m calling them Harry Tested, Harry Approved. Books he chooses over and over again.

Today all my titles are linked to Bookshop.org which supports independent bookstores (rather than the Amazon behemoth.) I receive a small tip when books are purchased through any of my links.

Board Books for the Youngest Babies
My preference in board books for babies is simple, clear artwork and especially photography. Faces. Animals. Familiar objects. Very few words, if any, are needed. Reading time with babies involves snuggling, gazing, and loving conversation. Here are a few favorites:

Whose Nose?
written and illustrated by Kristina Jones
published in 2025 by Amicus Ink

High contrast black-and-white images are punctuated with red and incorporate lovely textures as we spy tiny noses in hiding, then find the whole creature — kitten, puppy, squirrel, human baby and more.

Also available is Whose Eyes?

Animal Adventures: A Day at the Farm
by Alexandra Claire
published in 2024 by The Collective Book Studio

Gorgeous color photographs introduce familiar farm animals. Ooh and ahh and make the animal sounds for the smallest babies, then add in the pleasant, lilting rhyme and rich language.

Also available is A Day in the Forest and soon to come, A Day in the Bay.
I’ll just add that an oldie-but-goodie I have long loved is Phoebe Dunn’s classic, chunky Farm Animals book. We have gone through several copies of it over the years due to copious use. Tried and true!

Global Babies
by The Global Fund for Children
published by Charlesbridge in 2007

Babies love human faces, and especially other babies’ faces. Let’s give them a glorious array of diversity to gaze at with these magnificent photos.

Also available in this series are Global Baby Grandparents, American Babies (which is equally diverse and perhaps especially pertinent currently), and several more selections.

The Babies and Doggies Book
by John Schindel and Molly Woodward
published in 2015 by Clarion

Cute as can be, the photographs in this book show puppies and diverse babies engaged in similar actions — kissing, eating, playing.

What can be more engaging than puppies and babies? Oh, maybe Babies and Kitties or Babies and Bunnies, also available from these authors. Harry and I enjoyed all these titles A Whole Lot.

Board Books for 1-year-olds
These board books have a bit more complexity and text.

Go, Bikes, Go!
written by Addie Boswell, illustrated by Alexander Mostov
published in 2019 by Little Bigfoot

I included this book on my blog earlier this year as Harry has adored it. Big bikes, small bikes, bikes wearing costumes, bikes bumpeting over jumps… a whole bike jamboree with a chorus that’s so fun to shout: Go, Bikes, Go!

Ten Nine Eight
written and illustrated by Molly Bang
published in 1996 by Greenwillow Books

I have a few old classics on my list today and this one is brilliant, soothing, and artistic. Harry and I have read it many times just before his nap, counting our way down to one sleeping child. It’s a classic for good reason.

The Nose, Toes, and Tummy Book
by Sally Nicholls and Gosia Herba
published in 2023 by little bee books

An utterly delightful celebration of all the parts of our faces, arms, hands, legs, toes.

Cheery artwork and jolly suggestions for all manner of booping and kissing and hugging and tickling.

Let’s Eat
written and illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa
published in 1975 by Price Stern Sloan

Okay, for those of you willing to dig around in vintage book sites and stores, I do want to recommend this title by the amazing Gyo Fujikawa. My copy is battered! My kids loved it, and Harry has loved it equally. Fujikawa’s charming illustrations display an interesting variety of the food we eat and our animal friends eat.

Picture Books for Happy Listeners 18 months and older
Compiled by Harry’s Mom, these are some of the picture books he especially loves at just under-Two.

Towed by Toad
written and illustrated by Jashar Awan
published in 2024 by Tundra Books

Absolute banger of a book. Toad rescues lots of folks with his tow truck before needing a bit of help himself. Happily, a sequel to this book, Toad on the Go, is due out next June. And I’ll also add that another of Jashar Awan’s books, Every Monday Mabel, is the cat’s meow for all kids who love garbage trucks which is perhaps 90% of all children under age 4. Harry is definitely a fan.

Tom and Pippo in the Garden
written and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
published in 1988 by Little Simon

Helen Oxenbury will ever be one of the finest author/illustrators for very young children. Her books about a lad named Tom and his stuffed monkey, Pippo, are preschool perfection. Again, you would need to search this out on used book sites. Harry loves all the Tom and Pippo books I’ve stashed away over the years.

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
written and illustrated by Richard Scarry
originally published in 1998 by Golden Books

This is truly a no-brainer for any young child, but for those enamored with vehicles it’s right up there with milk as one of the main essentials of life. It’s been around all these years for good reason, as have Scarry’s other classic books.

Max and Ruby’s Bedtime Book
written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells
published in 2015 by Puffin Books

Beloved bunny siblings Max and Ruby and their ever-loving Grandma provide us with many engaging, funny, warm stories. In this volume it’s time for bed and Max and Ruby beg for a story. Grandma obliges, but they want another, and then another.

The three stories she tells star the bunnies themselves and draw their delightful energy from the dynamic between big sister Ruby, who believes she is In Charge, and little brother Max, who has his very own ideas. Playing restaurant, splashy mishaps, and airplane school all provide lively fun.

Watch This!
by Jane Godwin, Beci Orpin, and Hilary Walker
published in 2025 by Scribble Us

This ingenious book wows us with color photographs of diverse children collaborating, bending their bodies to create shapes. It’s remarkably intriguing, playful, friendly, not to mention instructive.

It reminds me a bit of Tana Hoban’s classic photo essays for children. Brilliant. Available in board book or paper.

Alfie’s Feet and Alfie Gives a Hand
written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes
these editions are republished by Red Fox in 2009

Shirley Hughes was, as anyone who follows my blog knows, picture book royalty. Her characters Alfie and his little sister Annie Rose have been some of our family’s top favorites since the ’80s. So I’m pleased as punch that Harry is now loving the same batch of stories.

Alfie’s Feet tells about Alfie getting a new pair of rain boots and figuring out how to get them on the right feet. Alfie Gives a Hand sees him going to his first birthday party without his mom and amidst all the hubbub bravely being a kind friend. There are quite a few other Alfie stories. Just get them all.

Stanley’s Store and Stanley the Builder
written and illustrated by William Bee
published in 2023 by Peachtree

If you have toddlers, you need to know Stanley, a busy hamster who seems to be part of the gig economy as he runs one business after another in his charming community. Bee’s fabulous, bold design draws little ones into these small stories burbling with neighborliness, super fun jobs, and familiar sights in their world. There are gobs of titles. These two are Harry’s faves.

Chirri and Chirra In the Tall Grass, Chirri and Chirra Underground
written and illustrated by Kaya Doi, translated by Yuki Kaneko and David Boyd
published in 2017 and 2019 by Enchanted Lion

The Chirri and Chirra series ushers us into one of the most magical, whimsical worlds in kids’ books today. These two sisters ride their bikes — tring, tring! — into enchanted, imaginative places and whether you’re Harry’s age or the adult reading them, the journey is utterly entrancing.

Impeccably illustrated and somehow thoroughly darling without being twee. There are eight volumes currently which don’t have to be read in any order. These are two of Harry’s favorites.

Strollercoaster
written by Matt Ringler, illustrated by Raúl the Third and Elaine Bay
published in 2021 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I originally recommended this as a title for Harry’s dad to enjoy reading to him as it stars a father and child. When a tantrum strikes, Dad solves the problem with an epic, rambunctious, stroller ride through the neighborhood.

Wildly wonderful stuff!

Supertruck
written and illustrated by Stephen Savage
published in 2015 by Roaring Brook Press

Supertruck is a favorite of many kids. It’s got all the classic elements of a superhero story. A lowly garbage truck whips off his glasses and morphs into his alter-ego — a snowstorm-busting snowplow — and saves the day during a blizzard. Great fun, especially for kids who are now cheering on the snowplows in their neighborhoods.

Alma and the Beast
written and illustrated by Esmé Shapiro
published in 2019 by Tundra Books

I dearly love this book but have to admit I’m surprised by how much Harry gravitated towards it at a young age. This goes to show how varied young children’s taste can be and why heading to the library to try out a gamut of books is such a great idea.

The tale of Alma and the Beast is one of kindness and welcome and has a lovely surprise ending. Perhaps it’s Shapiro’s fantastical illustrations and wide-eyed characters that initially drew Harry in. Who knows?! It’s a fab book in any case. (Find my longer review of it here.)

This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World
written and illustrated by Matt Lamothe
published in 2017 by Chronicle Books

Again, this is a book I’d generally pitch to slightly older kids, say ages 4 and up. However it is a marvelous thing that my daughter shared it with Harry at his age and discovered that he loved it.
It’s an oversized book, and Lamothe’s generous, clear illustrations of these seven real kids fill the pages with colorful scenes that invite spotting families, houses, vehicles, foods, games, that make up their worlds.

As Harry’s attention span has grown he has been able to listen to the kids tell about their lives. I love that he is already learning how big the world is. (Find my longer review of it here.)

That’s it for today. I hope some of Harry’s recommendations might be just tickety-boo for a pint-sized reader in your circle.
I’ve also collected all the books especially grand for babies and under-Two’s which I’ve recommended over the years on this list so if you’re looking for more ideas,
be sure to check it out.

I’ll be back later this week with some book suggestions for the adults on your list…or just for yourself.