My Jamila is an avid reader, and loves nothing more than story time with her Ami and Abu. We introduced books to her when she was just a couple of months old and although she didn’t understand them, she’s always enjoyed the process of flicking through the pages and looking at the pictures.
As Jamila is just about to turn 1, I’ve compiled a list of books which have been the cornerstones of her first year. These are books which she has read consistently, which have provided her with hours of entertainment and are recommended purely based on her interaction with them. I’ve divided the books into groups to make things easier to navigate – interactive books, learning, short reads and longer reads. Although keep in mind that when I say ‘longer reads’, I’m talking less than 6 minutes. These are babies we’re reading to, after all.
Interactive Books
1. Rabbits Nap by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler
One of Jamila’s all-time favourites. This was a gift from my sister Safia, and one of the first books that Jamila used to learn how to lift the flaps. At just 6 months, she was lifting all of them perfectly mashaAllah.
2. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
A Classic, and one that I grew up with myself! This book is a great way for children to learn the names of different animals. I would love to take Jamila to the Zoo and see which ones she can remember.
3. Tickle My Ears by Jorg Muhle
This book is a great all-rounder – short, sweet, and lots of fun! Each page has an instruction for your child on it, such as ‘tickle rabbits ears’ or ‘fluff his pillow’. A word of warning though – your baby will want to read this repeatedly, at least 5 or 6 times!
4. Peekaboo Bear by Camilla Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius
This book is a joy to look at, and I love the unique sliders used instead of the usual flaps. The last page has a hidden mirror which also makes for great entertainment as the child has an unexpected ‘peekaboo!’ moment.
5. Gruffalo, Where are You? by Julia Dondalson and Alex Scheffler
A simplified take on the classic, this one is especially good for 6 months and below, as the flaps are made of soft felt which won’t tear or poke little fingers.
Books for Learning
1. I Say Alhumdulillah by Noor H Dee and Iput
This is probably Jamila’s favourite book of them all. She laughs hysterically every time the main characters sneeze, although the entire series is brilliant and such a great way to teach our children commonly used Islamic phrases. You may think that 1 year is too early to start, but you’d be surprised at how smart toddlers are.
2. TouchThinkLearn: ABC by Xavier Deneux
Jamila is too young to learn her ABC’s, but this book has still provided hours of entertainment as each page has a vibrant, minimalist image relating to its corresponding letter, as well as indented features which she loves to touch. I’m sure that this will aide her learning for months to come, inshaAllah.
3. Flora: A Botanical Pop-up Book by Yoojin Kim, Nicole Yen and Kathryn Selbert
This is the most beautiful book that Jamila owns. With it’s interactive pop-up display of flowers, birds, and greenery, it’s simply a visual masterpiece. I used this a lot during Jamila’s first months, as she loved to look at the pop-up images. As she grew and started to grab and pull things, I’ve put it away but will be bringing it back out in a few months.
Short Reads
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A classic – No children’s book shelf would be complete without it. This was one of the first books we introduced to Jamila and to this day, it is still one of her favourites. A word of warning though – if your little one is anything like mine they will probably get their fingers stuck in the holes at some point.
2. I Love You to the Moon and Back by Tim Warnes
This one is great for snuggling up – Jamila loves to read this with her Abu as part of her bed time routine. It’s short and sweet, with beautiful images that your little one will enjoy looking at. It’s also quite emotive and I’m sure I’ll be tearing up reading this as Jamila grows older!
Longer Reads
1. The Gruffalo/ The Gruffalos Child by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler
Another classic that everyone knows and loves. Jamila loves the original, but not as much as it’s sequel – The Gruffalos Child. The ‘Aha! Oho!’ moments always put a smile on her face and I’d even go as far as saying it’s better than The Gruffalo.
2. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram
This is the ultimate bed time book. It’s illustrations are beautiful and the story is timeless. Another gift from my sister when Jamila was born, this was one of her first books and probably my favourite of the lot. It’s just perfect.
3. Elmer by David McKee
I grew up reading Elmer and so did my husband, Muneer. This is a story that celebrates what makes us unique, and I love that. Jamila loves the part where Elmer shouts ‘BOO!’ and laughs hysterically every time. It’s the longest read of this list, but is still no longer than 6 minutes, so it’s perfect for pre-nap story time.
4. The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
This quirky read is a bit of a strange one, but a classic nonetheless. The illustrations are unique in the sense that they are visibly hand drawn, yet engaging and colourful. Its unlike any of the other stories in this list but it’s one that will withstand the test of time.
Jamila’s book shelf is always growing and I like to swap around the books in her shelf on a weekly basis to keep things interesting for her (and us!). I usually mix fiction and non-fiction books to encourage creativity as well as learning, and use the longer reads before bed time or naps as part of her sleep routine.
I hope that you found this list useful! Happy Reading 🙂
Montessori Muslim 