There is no pre-defined age to present books to children. Introducing books early to kids has many perks. Even newborn babies will be excited to see books and will benefit from them. But we have to show the right books to kindle their interest. Now, which books can procure an infant’s attention? Colourful Picture books, Touch and Feel books, or Storybooks? No! They are meant for the baby’s upcoming stages. For newborns and babies up to 6 months, Black and White baby books are ideal.
Why and how can Black and White baby books help the little ones? And which are the good Black and White baby books available in the market? Let’s see!
If you have an older child and you are looking for ways to introduce books, you can read this article about raising bookworms.
Newborn Baby’s Vision
Before dwelling into the Black and White baby books, let’s try to understand a baby’s vision during birth.
The vision development in newborn babies is not complete at the time of birth. It is still developing. Babies can see, but not like adults. There can be certain limitations in their eyesight.
A newborn baby’s eyes may not work together for the initial few months. So you may at times notice the baby’s eyes to be misaligned or crossed.
Note: Squinting is normal for the first few months. However, if you notice your infant’s eyes to be very crossed or moving in and out rapidly or the misaligned eyes do not correct themselves within 5 or 6 months of age, then you need to consult a Pediatric Ophthalmologist.
A newborn baby may have blurred vision and might see clearly only at 8 to 10 inches distance. That’s why when you keep the baby close to your face, the child looks deep, giggles and reacts. Also, infants will take a few weeks to follow objects and develop hand-eye coordination.
A newborn baby may not see colours to start with. The baby may see black, white and shades of grey. Even if other colours are visible, the child’s brain may not clearly perceive them yet.
As the babies get older, their vision develops rapidly. Their eyesight is more clear. They use their eyes together, follow objects and grab things. They gradually recognize colours like red, green, yellow etc.,
These vision enhancements will continue to happen and will be well developed when the babies are around 2 years of age.
Benefits of Black and White Baby Books
Now it’s apparent that babies may not see or perceive colours during the first few months. So until 5 or 6 months, they may not recognise or be attracted to the colourful picture books.
This is where Black and White baby books come in handy. Infants vividly notice white, black and shades of grey. Therefore, these books will be ideal for their little eyes.
Introducing your baby to Black and White baby books at such an young age has many advantages.
- Infants will show interest, focus, engage and react.
- They will notice the highly contrast black and white lines, dots, other patterns and pictures.
- Black and white baby books will greatly help infants’ vision and brain development.
- These books are perfect to keep them engaged during tummy time.
- Infants will attempt to move and grab the book, touch and try to turn pages, concentrate and will develop hand-eye coordination.
- This will also be a good bonding activity for the baby and the parents.
- Books will become a part of the child’s life from an early age.
Thus Black and White baby books are invariably essential for infants. I have curated a list of 12 such lovely Black and White baby books suitable for newborns and infants below. These books will keep your little one excited and engrossed.
Black and White Baby Books for Newborns and Infants
In the below list, books #1 to #7 can be introduced to newborns. Books #8 to #12 can be introduced around 5 months when the babies are more mature and can start identifying other colours like red, green, yellow etc.,
Disclaimer: The intro for the books are from the publisher’s prefix and not my personal review.
*This post includes affiliate links.
#1 Black & White
Black & White by Tana Hoban – From the eminent photographer and acclaimed book creator Tana Hoban, this bestselling accordion-style foldout book is sturdy enough to stand by itself and features fourteen bold black-and-white high-contrast images to engage babies and very young children.
#2 Look, Look!
Look, Look! by Peter Linenthal – Look Look! is the ideal first board book for babies just beginning to look and learn and a perfect gift for little hands. This sturdy board book, full of high-contrast black-and-white cut-paper art perfect for staring at, is just the thing for the eyes of the youngest babies. A few words in curving red type on each spread describe the scenes— a car races, a cat stretches, flowers bloom—and extend the book’s age appeal so that it will be fascinating to older babies, too.
#3 Baby Animals Black And White
Baby Animals Black and White by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes – This charming, best-selling board book introduces eight adorable baby animals, featuring high-contrast black-and-white illustrations perfect for babies from birth to age two. Research has shown that infants respond more readily to contrasting black and white images, making this book an ideal choice for the youngest of eyes. Up-close images of a playful Dalmatian puppy, a cuddly panda cub, a striped zebra, and other loveable animals grace each page. A final two-page spread completes this charming book with a clever surprise.
#4 Black on White
Black on White by Tana Hoban – Before they are able to clearly see colours, babies respond to the strong contrast between black and white, which makes this the perfect first book for young, developing brains. Experiencing bold black-and-white contrast helps stimulate development in the retina and the optic nerve.
#5 Hello, Ocean Friends
Hello, Ocean Friends by Julissa Mora – A lovely, high contrast book. Using simple greetings like “Hi there, starfish” and “Hola, jellyfish” alongside black-and-white art by Julissa Mora, Hello, Ocean Friends is the perfect building block for babies just beginning to look around and learn about their world.
#6 Hello, Baby Animals
Hello, Baby Animals by Julissa Mora – Making connections between images on a page and the real world is an important building block for your baby’s communication skills–and this charming introduction to ten baby animals, paired with a friendly text, and bold basic patterns, provide a great high-contrast experience for young developing eyes. The perfect follow up to Hello, Ocean Friends.
#7 Night, Night
Night, Night by Pat-a-Cake – Join Little Bunny after a busy day to get ready for bed. Eye-catching illustrations in black and white with shiny foil will capture your baby’s focus and attention and aid their visual development. Night, Night introduces a gentle bedtime routine of bath, book, bed with simple text, noises to copy and striking images.
#8 Hello, Animals
Hello, Animals by Smriti Prasadam – A charming introduction to ten of baby’s best-loved animals, featuring high contrast black-and-white illustrations. A glittering burst of coloured foil brings a vivid splash of colour to every page. With first words to join in with, this stunning book will captivate sparkly little babies everywhere!
#9 Hello, Bugs!
Hello Bugs! by Smriti Prasadam – Babies and toddlers will love to meet the adorable bugs in this engaging book! Little hands can turn the sturdy board pages to meet a host of cute characters, including a ladybug, a caterpillar, a bee, a grasshopper, a dragonfly, a snail, and more. Simple text introduces readers to a handful of first words, while the bold artwork features each bug in its natural environment. Rounded corners, high-contrast black-and-white illustrations, and a glittering burst of colored foil on every page make this an ideal choice for the youngest learners.
#10 Black and White
Black and White by Jane Foster – With bold, high-contrast images, this is a stylish introduction to the concept of black and white from leading textile designer Jane Foster. Beautifully produced with a cheerful retro look, this will make the perfect gift for a new baby or first birthday.
#11 Faces
Baby Touch First Focus – Faces from Lady Bird – Baby Touch First Focus: Faces is part of Ladybird’s best-selling Baby Touch range. It contains a range of bright, happy characters and faces in high-contrast black, white and yellow colours to help stimulate a baby’s developing eyesight from birth. There is also a mirror at the end for babies to smile at their own reflection.
#12 Spots and Dots
Spots and Dots by Chez Picthall – A wordless picture book with rounded corners uses black and white shapes with bold colours to create visual stimulation for babies.
You can show these lovely Black and White Baby books to your newborn and watch some miracle happen. You will be awestruck to see the little one’s response to these lovely illustrations.
If your baby enjoys any other Black and White baby books, please mention them in the comments section. This will be useful for our readers.
You can also share this post with other new parents in your circle and spread the joy of reading from a very young age.
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Image Credits : All images by 2081671 from Pixabay