Baby on Board

It's never too early to instill in children a lifelong love of books, even if they haven't yet learned to read. This is why board books—with their appealing visuals, simple text, vibrant colors and often interactive elements—can play such an important role in a child's life. Beyond toddlers' visceral joy at being able to turn the pages themselves, board books really mean a one-on-one experience of sharing and interaction with baby. Spring is a perfect time to celebrate this familial bond, so we offer a mix of engaging stand-alone titles as well as series books set to debut at retail soon.

Christiane Gunzi's Friendly Pets, a new title in the Feels Real series of fun-to-touch board books, features up-close animal photos and simple text. Best of all, five textured panels invite little hands to pet the rabbits, cats, guinea pigs, dogs and hamsters that appear within. Colorful Animals is also new in the series this spring. ($4.99) Barron's, Hauppauge, N.Y.

The new board book edition of Barney Salzberg's beloved Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? takes kids through a familiar bedtime ritual, yet with a hilarious twist revealed in the illustrations on each spread. Alert little ones will delight in how the pictures tell the real story, as Cornelius does put away his toys (in the fridge), feed his fish (cookies), and don pajamas (and scuba gear.) A treat for kids and adults alike. ($6.99) Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Mass.

The Little Butterfly Finger Puppet Book by illustrator Klaartje van der Put is the latest title in the ever-expanding popular board book series. Toddlers are sure to be enchanted by the sweet rhyming text and charming finger puppet that pops into each spread, an ideal choice for combining story time and play time. Little Bunny is also new this spring, with Little Dog and Little Cat debuting this fall. ($6.95) Chronicle Books, San Francisco

In Babies on the Go, written by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Jane Dyer, animal babies of all stripes move about the world in gawkiness and grace, carefully carried by their mothers or, in some cases, traveling alongside them. A rhythmic and rhyming text accompanies the beautifully subdued watercolors that feature 20 different animal families—including swans, lions, giraffes, hippos, deer, koalas, opossums, kangaroos, crocodiles and bats—as well as humans. ($6.95) Harcourt, New York

Virginia Lee Burton's 1939 classic Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is back at retail this spring in a new board book edition for the littlest construction fans. Parents—and grandparents, too—will likely remember the striking crayon-bright drawings and moving story of we-can-do-it determination from their own childhoods, long before Bob the Builder and his crew became heroes to today's kids. ($7.99) Houghton Mifflin, Boston

Jan Jugran and Ana Martin Larranaga's Hello, Baby, new in the Ibaby series, pairs a cheerful question format—Where does baby live? What does baby eat?—with lift-the-flap options (in a combo of photos and charming line drawings) on each spread. Zoo Faces is also new for spring, with On the Go and Goodnight Faces out this summer. ($9.99) Innovative Kids, Norwalk, Conn.

In the new board book edition of I Heard a Little Baa, written by Elizabeth MacLeod and illustrated by Louise Phillips, traditional animal noises plus a glimpse of each animal's body help kids guess what they will find when they turn each page. A somewhat predictable, but very fun, sing-songy text adds to the book's appeal, especially for read-alouds. ($6.95) Kids Can Press, Tonawanda, N.Y.

Beth Harwood's Picture Pairs, new in the Amazing Baby series, features lenticular 3-D images that change before baby's eyes. The similarly captivating lenticular Spots and Dots is also new this spring, with the Clap and Sing! (sing-alongs) and Rock-a-Bye-Baby! (lullabies) CD and board book combo titles debuting this summer. ($5.95) Silver Dolphin, San Diego