The 25 essential baby books every nursery should have

We recently heard some distressing news from a new-parent colleague: She hadn’t received any baby books for presents either at showers or post-birth. Sure, books may not be as straight-up practical as a Diaper Genie or a pack of onesies, but their effects last a whole lot longer. Our friend’s dilemma got some of us thinking about the books we read to our own offspring when they were little, which some of us still treasure as the calmest, happiest moments in those insane years of infant- and toddlerhood. So if you’re expecting (congratulations) or want to pick something that’s not on the registry for your next baby shower attendance, here are a couple dozen books that we heartily recommend. (If available, always go for the board-book options, because babies just love to chomp on books.)

25. Giraffes Can’t Dance, Giles Andreae

While a lot of short children’s books ditch traditional narrative in favor of easier or more abstract messages, Giraffes Can’t Dance promises some tension in its very title, as a giraffe named Gerald sets out to prove the titular declaration wrong. Giles Andreae’s precise cadences have a rhythm of their own, galloping toward a full-hearted climax as Gerald becomes the star of the jungle dance. [Clayton Purdom]