Board books are generally accepted as being for the consumption of our youngest and most immediately impressionable readers. The ideal age range for kids board books is infant or baby to 4 years old. After the age of 4 or 5, children seek greater depth to storytelling and characters, more in line with the types of stories found in picture books. Sound, touch, and visual stimuli are some of the essential elements of board books for kids. The variety of shapes and sizes in the board book spectrum is endless. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, or large enough to overflow a school backpack.

Some of our favorite storybooks come in both board book form and picture book form. Go Dogs Go, by P.D. Eastman, is a classic favorite describing what seems to be a day in the life of dogs, and comes to life in both board book and picture book form. The board book narrative is more or less the same as the picture book version, a day in the life of dogs, but follows a shorter format with differing text in comparison to the picture book. Both the board book and picture book version are great reads and unique in their own ways; however, the sturdiness of the board book makes it more accessible to infants and toddlers.

Great for bedtimes, train rides and plane rides, ideal anywhere and anytime. During travel, parents pack a few board books in their carryon baggage, and accompany families to new and exciting destinations only previously found in books!

For families seeking outdoor inspiration read these nature-inspired board books for kids:

Introduce Young Kids to Nature With Two Beautiful Board Books

Keep babies and toddlers busy with these must-have board books:

5 Sweet Board Books for Busy Toddlers

Absolute best board book collections for kids can be found here:

The Best Board Books Released in 2019

Kids will love these interactive board books for young children and babies:

Finger Puppet Books by Chronicle Books

Snuggle up with these board books when bedtime rolls around:

3 Nursery Rhyme Board Books for a Fun Snuggle Time

Inspire your future nature lovers with nature board books for kids:

Introduce Young Kids to Nature With Two Beautiful Board Books

Board books are also great gifts for the holidays, especially in a stocking. Here are some gift giving ideas:

8 Christmas Board Books Filled with Holiday Magic For the Youngest Readers

Board books can be ongoing sources of inspiration for our young and growing readers. Keep them low on the shelf and you just might find your kids will load up their hands with board books to fill an afternoon of reading! If you have any great stories or examples of your little ones reading and finding inspiration in board books for kids, then send us suggestions through Twitter, and share your most distinguished board books on Instagram or Facebook with #thechildrensbookreview. In the meantime, let’s keep growing readers one book at a time!

Buy board books in our Book Shop powered by Amazon. And if you’re lucky enough to have a favorite hometown bookstore, they can always place a special order or it might just be on their shelf.