These Baby Books for Girls are Perfect for Her New Nursery!

These baby books for girls are the perfect additions to her starter library. From board books to picture books to keepsake books, these are wonderful stories she will cherish forever.

Table of Contents:

1. Start Her Library Right With These Baby Books for Girls!
2. Here are our pointers for getting baby books for girls!
3. Baby Books for Girls Board Books
4. Baby Books for Girls Picture Books
5. Baby Books for Girls Keepsake Books
6. Join our community to discover how to take storytime to the next chapter. We’ll send you our free printable, The Magic Formula for Raising Compassionate Kids who Love to Read!

Sugar and spice and everything nice… a baby girl is on the way! This means, of course, that you need to get your hands on all the baby books for girls, because her new library has to be just perfect. But what do you look for when beginning a book collection for new babies?

There’s no perfect answer, of course. What one family loves, another may not enjoy at all. What one thinks is the perfect keepsake book, another may toss just as quickly.

In my humble opinion, when curating a library of baby books or girls, variety is key, and diversity is crucial.

1. Showcase our beautiful world! Look for books with both photographs and illustrations, and make sure the children depicted in the stories are diverse. Teach little ones right from the start that diversity is beautiful, normal, and something to celebrate. I love books that showcase children of all difference races, religions, abilities and cultures. This is how we erase the stigma of “otherness.”

2. Use the terms “girl books” and “boy books” very loosely. The most important thing to remember about children’s literature is that all kids books are for ALL kids. That being said, I understand that when getting books for a new baby (or gifting stories to a friend or a family member), we are often drawn to books featuring children of the same gender. While this list features books about girls, please remember that these books are truly for ALL children, and I also encourage books featuring boys for little girls, too (and vice-versa, of course!)

3. Read stories encouraging girls that they can be — and do — anything they want! Show them there is no right way to be a girl, no one path that defines who they are and what they can be.

4. Have a variety of choices on hand. I always loved having a mix of stories, because you can literally read babies anything. When my own kids were at this stage, I always alternated between fun board books with great rhyme and rhythm, picture books with more complex plots, and books with beautiful photographs.

5. Look for books that build self-esteem and self-worth right at the outset. Need I say more?

When introducing books to new baby girls, remember that you are giving them their first exposure to this great big world of ours. Your values, your dreams for your girl, and your idea of the person she will grow up to become will all be reflected in your book choices.

Dream Big, Little One, by Vashti Harrison: A board book version of the best selling Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, this is a perfect, simple book to introduce babies and toddlers to trail blazing women who have accomplished greatness in their respective fields. A perfect gift for a baby girl! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

ABC What Can She Be: Girls Can be Anything they Want to Be, from A to Z, by Sugar Snap Studio: What will baby girl be when she grows up? This darling board book will let her know she can be just about anything. Little girls have big dreams, and the adorable words and illustrations in this story will encourage her to reach for the stars, with careers ranging from astronauts to judges, neurosurgeons to zoologists, and anything in between! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Feminist Baby, by Loryn Brantz: Feminist baby is fun, fierce and fearless! Little girls can be anything they want, and this sweet board book shows girls they never have to be limited by oppressive gender stereotypes. The author introduces feminism in a very accessible way, and baby girls (and their parents) will rejoice in a book that encourages little girls to grow up strong, without feeling pressured by societal demands and boundaries. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Go, Girls, Go!, by Frances Gilbert: Girls are in the driver’s seat in this fun read aloud that celebrates girls who love to race and fly! This book is all about girl power and champions things that go. From fire trucks to trains to tractors, little ones will celebrate all the things they can drive, and they will rejoice in shouting “go, girls, go!” We particularly love the bright illustrations depicting lots of diverse faces! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

I Can be Like… A Book of Masks of Inspiring Women, by Duopress Labs: It’s hard to be innovative with the board book format, but this book did it! I was totally wowed by this cool idea, and I fell in love with the concept. This is an interactive board book with die-cut mask holes that allow you too pretend each spread is a mask that you can wear. The book features masks for prominent activists, famous athletes and more (think Michelle Obama and Megan Rapinoe), and it also includes six simple biographies for each woman included. Such fun! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Global Baby Girls, by The Global Fund for Children: Babies love looking at actual photographs, and in this beautiful board book, your little one can look at baby girls around the world. I love the way this book showcases diversity, with captivating photographs of babies from Peru to China. The text is simple, but the message is loud and clear: little girls can grow up and change the world! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Counting Kisses, by Karen Katz: This was one of our family favorites, and the best board book to teach counting for the way it encourages play and affection affection between babies and their grownups. In this story, a tired baby is getting ready for bed. What follows is a countdown of kisses given to the baby by all members of her family, until, of course, the baby falls sound asleep. For our full review of Counting Kisses, click here! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal and illustrated by Holly Hatam: Oh, what a beautiful love letter this is for all of you with special girls in your life, by far one of the best self esteem books for kids that is out there today! Whether your kids are toddlers or teens or somewhere in between, this lovely book conveys that girls are strong and valued. Most importantly, it reminds girls to love themselves, know their worth and always trust their gut instincts. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

A Girl Like You, by Frank Murphy and illustrated by Kayla Harren: This beautiful story is a journey through all of the facets that make girls unique. This is a must have book to teach girls to be true to their hearts, to be kind, bold, brave curious and empathetic… and to be uniquely themselves. Through gorgeous, diverse illustrations, this story elegantly and perfectly combats gender stereotypes, allowing readers to see that being a girl is truly multi-faceted and incapable of being defined by any rigid social constructs. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Maybe, by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Gabriella Barouch: This is the most stunning story about the glorious possibilities that lie within all of us. It recognizes our uniqueness and explores the exhilarating possibilities that exist if we harness our own potential. We all have an abundance of gifts within us that, if taken advantage of, can offer something miraculous to others. Whether we are builders, dreamers, creators, inventors, entertainers or humans meant to flood the world with goodness, we can change the world if we do all things with love. From its perfect message to its luminous (and breathtaking) illustrations, to the tenderness that spills from each page, this story inspires more awe each and every time we read it. For our full review of Maybe, click here! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

I am a Warrior Goddess, by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Carme Lemniscates: This empowering book is a beauty for young girls (and boys too!), showing how we can delight in everyday miracles, greet our world with kindness, and train our minds to be strong without displaying aggression. Every day we are given opportunities to make positive impacts, and this book conveys this message through the beautiful interplay between prose and illustrations. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

This is Sadie, by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad: This is one of my favorite picture books, celebrating story and creativity with a beautiful narrative and gorgeous illustrations. Through casual yet precise text, this story takes readers through a mundane day that becomes both adventurous and awe-inspiring due to Sadie’s unbridled imagination. With each turn of the page, we see how books transform Sadie’s ordinary experiences into extraordinary adventures. For our full review of This is Sadie, click here! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

I Am Enough, by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo: We cherish this stunning poem, a lyrical ode to loving exactly who you are! It’s one of those beautiful picture books you can’t put down without feeling an instant sense of serenity, a feel good book that empowers all readers to love themselves and their unique abilities and attributes- unconditionally. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Beautiful, by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff: This is an ode to the tree climbing, science loving, dirt slinging, sports playing, creativity seeking girls who regularly defy expectations and gender norms. Though the text describes perfect girls who move gracefully, understand makeup and have a smart style, the pictures tell a much more subversive, contradictory story. There is no better story to show your gender-defying girls that they are at their most beautiful when they run from societal limitations, conquer challenges, and play with a mind towards personal empowerment. For our full review of Beautiful, CLICK HERE! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Mary Wears What She Wants, by Keith Negley: This fabulous book is inspired by Mary Edwards Walker, a trailblazing doctor who rebelled against the traditional clothing typically worn by women and girls in the 1800s. Why? Because girls were supposed to wear dresses, and only boys could wear pants. But pants were more comfortable – they allowed for more freedom and movement. So what did Mary do? Supported by her parents, she had a novel idea — she would wear whatever she wanted! My family and my students love the way this fabulous story conveys that our single, individual voices have so much power to make positive change. For our full review of Mary Wears What She Wants, click here! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Alma and How She Got Her Name, by Juana Martinez-Neal: A little girl complains to her father about her long name — Alma Sofia Esperanza Jose Pura Candela. “It never fits,” she tells her Dad. Her frustration prompts a discussion between father and child as to why Alma was given such a long name, and Alma’s eyes suddenly open to the legacies she carries with her and the beloved ancestors for whom she was named. Upon learning all about her vibrant name, Alma realizes that it may be the perfect fit after all. For our full review of Alma and How She Got her Name, click here! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Who Will You Be, by Andrea Pippins: When I got my hands on this beautiful book, the one word that kept coming to mind was potential. Each of our children have the potential to become compassionate, generous, curious and creative individuals.⠀This story promotes wonder and hope as our kids’ think about their future selves and who they will grow up to be. It’s simple yet powerful, and it encourages our children to dream big and embody the character traits they admire in the people they hold close. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts: Every morning, Sofia’s Abuelo walks with her to school until the fateful day he hurts his ankle at the local landfill. Sofia misses their walks terribly after his injury, and she wonders what can be done about the awful Mount Trashmore in their neighborhood. When she suddenly has an idea to turn the landfill into a park, Sofia sets out to achieve her goal… but that includes a visit to City Hall. Sofia is just a kid – will anyone take her seriously? Sofia sets out to show that even though she is just a young girl, she’s got the brain and the grit to turn her idea into reality. Fabulous illustrations and perfect rhyming couplets make this story a read aloud hit, every single time. Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Just Like Me. by Vanessa Brantley-Newton: This gorgeous poetry book for kids one that all families will adore. JUST LIKE ME, written and illustrated by the wondrous @vanessabrantleynewton, is an ode to girls of all colors, shapes and sizes. Girls with big voices and small voices, imaginative girls and go-get-em girls. It’s a beauty, filled with poems that will speak to all children, (girls and boys alike!) and I can’t recommend it enough! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Strong is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves, by Kate T. Parker: This STUNNING book is a collection of 175 photos that celebrate real girls doing all of the things that make them beautiful: being silly, being sporty, being smart, and being spirited. As this book states, real beauty is about being your true, authentic self, loving that self, and owning exactly who you are. This is a gem, and we can’t rave about it enough! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women and Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2, by Elana Favilli and Francesca Cavallo: These New York Times best selling books transform biographies of famous and notable women, turning each story into a unique fairy tale that is perfect for bedtime. From Nefertiti to Beyonce, young readers will be entranced by these beautifully illustrated books that tell captivating tales of the worlds’ most fascinating females! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World and She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History, by Chelsea Clinton and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger: This beautiful duo about strong girls is a wonderful introduction to remarkable women. It is easily digestible for a young reader, with simpler, shorter text. These books are great bedtime or class read alouds! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World and Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes who Played to Win: by Rachel Ignotofski: These fabulous collections set themselves apart by focusing on the contributions of women in two major areas. Women in Science is dedicated to women who have made significant contributions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and Women in Sports focuses on notable female athletes from the 1880s to today. These books are beautiful illustrated, and oh so much fun! A wonderful gift set, too! Support independent bookstores and get the book on Bookshop.org right here!