Board Books and Beyond

 

    When I was younger, I remember reading board books with my parents. Literacy was huge in my household, and despite my siblings' many complaints, I always enjoyed storytime. For context, my mother majored in English, and my father was a Chemist, so education was pushed in my household. All of the books I picked reminded me of my childhood. Each one was picked because it had a hint of nostalgia. 

The first one I read was One by Ruth Foreman. 

Foreman, R., & Gaines, K. (2023). One. Little Simon. 

    One by Ruth Forman can teach children how to count, but it's also about accessibility. Since my last blog post, I have noticed a trend in children's books. There are so many board books about animals and white children, but barely any books about BIPOC children. One by Ruth Forman was one of the first board books that features black girls.  Even though this book is about counting, it can also be a window or a mirror for the child. 

    

One by Ruth Forman and Katura Gaines 

  Morton, S. (2024). ABC. Spring Street.

     For my alphabet pick, I decided on immersion. I wanted my pick to be universal and interactive. Spring Street's ABC book is an alphabet book and includes an activity. The child reader has a chance to both read and trace the letters, which makes it more fun and interactive. After reading Morton's ABC book, this would be a great way to teach a young child their ABCs. While observing children, I noticed they enjoy books that they can interact with. They don't like just being told what to do; they want reading to be both a tactile and a visual experience. 

ABC by Sasha Morton 

    Campbell, R. (2022). Peekaboo Zoo. Simon & Schuster.

Peekaboo Zoo by Josh Campbell 

    Morton, S. (2025). Jungle Babies. Spring Street.

Jungle Babies by Sasha Morton 

       My next two picks were enjoyable to read. Both of these books had the same goal as my alphabet pick. I wanted to pick two books where a child can enjoy reading and interact with the story. While working with children, I learned that children are extremely tactile. They love to touch and explore, and these two books do just that. Peekaboo Zoo and Jungle Babies focus on animals and try to make a potential child interact with the book. The best way to teach someone is for them to engage all of their senses. Both of these books want the potential reader to engage with the book visually and physically. 

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            Overall, I enjoyed reading these board books. They reminded me of reading as a child and brought back a sense of whimsy. I was surprised by how engaging the books were, and I'm considering reading them during my free time. While I enjoyed my reading experience, I'd like to know if there should be more diversity in board books. Most books I have read or seen feature animals or white children. I do not fault these books, but I would like to know if the lack of diversity impacts children as young as 0-3. Publishing is known to be white, and it's surprising to see this in children's books. It's strange to see this lack of diversity in even board books. In the future, I hope to see more different kinds of board books. 

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