Ages 0-2: Board Books for Tiny Paws

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett (Campbell Books, $10)

This board book is a delightful play on words featuring a curious bear and three fruits. Short, simple and sweet, this story utilizes soft watercolour drawings paired with brief text to teach shapes and colours.

In My Nest by Sara Gillingham and Lorena Siminovich (Chronicle, $12)

This adorable read is part finger puppet, part board book, and a whole lot of cuteness. Teaching your little one about the importance of family, this book features a little blue felt bird that can be used as a finger puppet to help animate the story.

“It’s a good concept — Marcus even tried to eat it.” John Peters, dad of 11-month-old Marcus, Toronto.

Furry Friends Same and Different: Flip-a-face by SAMi (Blue Apple Books, $14)

Featuring a mosaic of different animals’ faces, this story teaches tots about their favourite animals. Using SAMi’s unique flip-a-face design (that transforms one image into another), the book lets children see a cat turn into a dog, and a lion become a lamb.

Animal Flash Cards by Eric Carle (Chronicle, $21)

In recognition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar‘s 40th anniversary, the Ã¼ber-talented Eric Carle has released a line of exciting extras (including flash cards, a growth chart and a pop-up book) that will be sure to amuse mom or dad’s artistic sense and babe’s animal infatuation. We especially love these simple and elegant animal flashcards, which are also available in numbers, that are made from extra-sturdy board so that they will last from flash cards at playtime to artwork on the walls.