When you think of board books, does your brain automatically envision the simplest of books, created specifically for babies and toddlers? Truth is, board books aren’t just for babies and haven’t been for quite some time. While there are plenty of traditional board books being published for babies and children up to three-years-old, many popular picture books also have board book editions, pushing the age range beyond those traditional boundaries and appealing to an older audience. Here are some board book editions of a few of my own favorite picture books. Enjoy!

“Guess How Much I Love You” written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram (Copyright 1996, Candlewick Press) is a board book edition of the 1994 classic bedtime story about the “to the moon and back” love that is shared between Big and Little Nutbrown Hare. I bought the book and matching toy shown in the photo many years ago, and I’m happy to say that similar sets were still being offered for sale at various online retailers the last time I checked. This sweet story, with its wonderfully expressive pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations, is one of my all-time favorites for sharing with little ones.

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” written and illustrated by Eric Carle (Copyright 2001, Philomel Books division of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers) is a giant board book edition of the 1969 timeless classic. When looking for books that will keep the attention of babies and toddlers, you really can’t go wrong with Eric Carle’s simple writing style and colorful collage illustrations. I’ve had the book shown in the photo for over 25 years. Although the carry handles at the top were removed long ago, this board book edition also came with a stuffed caterpillar toy that was just the right size for tiny hands to weave through specially cut holes in the over-sized pages of the story.

“Goodnight, Max the Brave” written and illustrated by Ed Vere (Copyright 2019, Sourcebooks, Inc.) is recent board book edition of the 2015 Puffin/Penguin Random House picture book, “Max at Night.” The story follows a sleepy Max past his bedtime on an adventure to say goodnight to the Moon. Although the text may be longer than the attention span of some (not all) babies and toddlers, the digital illustrations from pen, ink, and mixed media will have preschoolers tuned-in and turning pages just to see what Max will do next. I hope to see board book editions of the other books in the Max series.

If you have a favorite picture book that has a board book edition, I’d love to hear about it.

Happy Reading 😊