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We do a lot of reading in our home, so I have compiled a list of our favourite Montessori books for children from birth to age six. Reading is the best way to instil a love for language and knowledge in children. It is also such a great way to bond with the kids, without getting involved in their actual play. I don’t know about you, but joining in pretend play is not my favourite thing to do. I’d much rather cuddle up on the couch and devour books together!

Criteria for choosing Montessori books

Montessori books for children generally fulfil the following criteria:

• Based in reality
  The Montessori approach is to start with the concrete and then move to the abstract. Books should be based in reality so children can develop their imagination. We followed this closely for the first three years, after which some fantasy books with talking animals were introduced. If it seems like there is some doubt, we discuss what is and isn’t true.

• Beautifully illustrated
  Books with beautiful illustrations are a pleasure to read and look at. We handle them with utmost care and treat them like pieces of art.

• Age-appropriate (content and number of words)
  For babies, board books with one picture a page are great for infants just starting to get familiar with books. As they get older, we can introduce list-the-flap books and books with a phrase on every page. Once children are ready to concentrate for longer periods of time, we introduce books with progressively longer stories.

• Contain rich language
  Younger children tend to love books that have a rhythm and rhyme. For slightly older children, I love books that contain accurate language and descriptive words.

Books for babies (birth to 1.5 years)

Black and White
This is a great high contrast book for babies, perfect for when they are newborns with developing vision.

Art for Baby

Another high contrast book for young babies, but I love this one because of the black-and-white images created by leading artists. It’s never to soon to introduce babies to art!

See, Touch, Feel
This book has colourful pictures with textures for baby to explore. I like its large size as it makes it easier to read to baby while they explore.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
I absolutely love this book featuring babies from all over the world. No matter how different their lives may be, they all have ten little fingers and ten little toes, and are so special to their parents. You’ll be reading this one over and over again!

I Can

With just one picture and one phrase on each page, this book shows all the things that a baby can do. The illustrations are delightful and so exciting for babies to imitate. Also in this series by Helen Oxenbury are I See, I Hear and I Touch.

Dear Zoo

This book is a classic and loved by kids everywhere! I would be careful of the flaps being ripped off by babies though. We had to buy a second copy once Ryaan learnt to be more careful with his books.

Indestructibles

These picture books comes in different titles, but they’re all chew proof, tear proof, non-toxic and the best part - they can be washed! They’re amazing for babies who are teething and are really into tearing everything.

DK Baby Touch and Feel

These tactile board books are great for sensory exploration and introducing some basic vocabulary. They some in many titles too.

Books for Toddlers (1.5 to 3 years)

Edible Colors

A beautiful book of unusual foods and a rainbow of colours, this board book shows that not all foods have to look the way to expect. A banana can be red, broccoli can be purple, and cherries can be yellow and still taste just as delicious.

Baby’s First Book of Birds and Colours

This was one of Ryaan’s absolute favourites, and what sparked his interest in birds. Each page features one colour and two birds of that colour, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

The Little Airplane

Having a transport-obsessed boy means that we have lots of books about different vehicles. This one is a lovely short story about a man who owns a little airplane.

Music Is…

This entertaining board book introduces the many moods, styles, and senses of music to the youngest audiophiles -because music is for everyone, and music is for you. This is another one that was read over and over again in our home.

Before After

We didn’t have this when Ryaan was a baby, but it is on my list to buy for Dayna. It comes highly recommended by many Montessori families and we can’t wait to read it.

The Hungry Caterpillar

This book by Eric Carle isn’t the most realistic, but I am yet to meet a kid who doesn’t love it! Its imaginative illustration and clever cut-out detail charts the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through the week.

Planting a Rainbow

This book is also on my list to buy for Dayna. Little ones learn the colours of the rainbow as they watch plants grow in a beautifully vibrant garden. Through brilliant, textured cut-paper collages, the story follows the progress of a mother and daughter in their backyard as they plant bulbs, seeds, and seedlings and nurture their growth into flowers.

All Around Bustletown Spring

We have the old hardcover version of this book, previously known as In the Town All Year Round, with all four seasons in one book. It has recently been released as a series of picture books - one for every season. All Around Bustletown is a picture book illustrating a charming, busy town called Bustletown in the spring. It shows people shopping, commuting to work, constructing buildings and meeting friends. Children love it because they see the same characters popping up in different locations in town, and seem to notice something new every time they read the book!

Also in this series are All Around Bustletown Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Pantone: Colours

This artful colours book introduces children to 9 basic colours and 20 shades of each. We love it for toddlers and preschoolers who are beginning to notice variations in different shades and need the vocabulary for those varying shades. It is such a fun game to try and match the colours of various objects around the house to their corresponding Pantone colour.

Making Faces: A First Book of Emotions

Toddlers really struggle with identifying and expressing their emotions in words. This bold, beautiful board book introduces five essential expressions: happy, sad, angry, surprised, and silly. Each is introduced with a large image of a baby’s face. This book is a great introduction to emotional awareness and I highly recommend it.

Hats of Faith

This book is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the shared custom of head covering. Using accurate terminology and brightly coloured imagery, Hats of Faith helps educate and prepare young children for our culturally diverse modern world. It is a great way to start a dialogue with children about different cultures and customs of people around the world.

Preschoolers (3 to 6 years)

The Nursery Collection

This collection is a gorgeous companion that will introduce nursery-aged children to a number of first concepts and experiences, including the alphabet, numbers and colours! We love all of Shirley Hughes books, her illustrations are beautiful and everything she describes is completely real and relatable. This bundle is a collection of ten books featuring different concepts like the seasons, numbers, colours, etc.

Alfie Gets in FIrst

This book is Ryaan’s favourite Shirley Hughes book. Alfie and his mum and baby sister, Annie Rose, arrive home after shopping. While his mum struggles with the pushchair outside, Alfie rushes inside and slams the door behind him. So now Alfie's stuck INSIDE and his mum and Annie Rose are stuck OUTSIDE without a key! Soon everyone in the street is trying to help rescue Alfie - but he's got a plan of his own . . .

A Seed is Sleepy

A Seed is Sleepy is a great addition to any bookshelf or collection of nature books. Award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston have teamed up to create this gorgeous introduction to seeds. The book introduces children to various different types of seeds and arms them with informative facts about seeds and plants. The other books in this series which we also love are An Egg is Quiet, A Nest is Noisy, A Butterfly Is Patient, A Rock Is Lively and A Beetle Is Shy.

The Tiny Seed

As with all other Eric Carle books we have read, Ryaan loved this one too. While the illustrations might seem unrealistic, the book tells a lovely story about a tiny seed that is blown away from its parent plant. The seed travels a very long way - over seas, deserts and mountains. The tiny seed survives the hazards of the journey and finally falls onto fertile earth. It grows and grows, becoming the tallest, biggest flower for miles around. Then one day the wind blows and thousands of the flower's seeds begin their own journeys.

This is How We Do It

We love this book to complement our continent studies and discussions about different cultures and customs of people around the world. The book follows one day in the real lives of seven kids from around the world―Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda, and Russia! This genuine exchange provides a window into traditions that may be different from our own as well as mirrors reflecting our common experiences.

An Anthology of Intriguing Animals

This animal encyclopedia with a twist showcases more than 100 animals in close-up detail. Arranged from biggest to smallest, the wildlife of the world is revealed with stunning photography and gorgeous illustrations. Ryaan learns about various animals in school then loves coming home and looking them up in his encyclopedia to learn more.

We are still building our collection of Montessori books, and I will update my recommendations here from time to time. In addition to the books listed above, we also read a lot of fiction and fantasy (after age three). I prefer to borrow fictional books from the library since they aren’t usually read repeatedly.