What are board books?
Board Books are those colorful, playful, short, heavy-duty books that are perfect for kids zero to five. Parents love them because they are sturdy and withstand sticky hands and teething babies. Board books are made of various materials such as thick cardboard, plush fabrics, and textured, thick paper to name a few. They rarely, if ever, use the thin paper that we associate with novels and picture books for kids. Traditionally board books have been hard back, with twelve or fewer pages. Today they come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and materials, from soft and squishy to wood or multi-material based.
Who Writes Board Books
While some authors find their picture books converted to board book format, work-for hire or in-house writing staff often author board books. In-house means the publisher of the book employees a writing staff to create and draft the books. Since board books are fairly simple in plot, or more likely are concept based, they don’t require the complex planning and authoring that traditional picture books need. They are generally commissioned and packaged in a multi-book deal. This means more than one book with similar themes, formats, or characters will be slated to come out at once or one right after the next by the publisher.
Famous Picture Books Converted to Board Books
One of the most beloved examples of a picture book converted to board book format is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, first published in 1947. It has since sold over fourteen million copies, and its gentle, rhythmic text makes it a natural fit for the board book format, short enough for the youngest readers, rich enough to revisit night after night. It’s no surprise that this classic was converted to board book form.
Other beloved picture books that have made the jump to board book include:
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
- Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Recent Board Books (2023–2025)
The board book market has expanded significantly in recent years, with publishers pushing the format in exciting directions, including high-contrast visuals designed for newborn eyesight, bilingual concept books, interactive sound buttons, and conservation-minded content for curious preschoolers. Here are some standout recent titles:
Concept Board Books
Hello Hello Shapes by Brendan Wenzel (2024)
A stunning concept book in which Wenzel arranges endangered and threatened animals into geometric shapes. The backmatter identifies each animal and its conservation status, making it rich for preschoolers as well as babies drawn to the vivid illustrations. One of the best-reviewed board books of 2024.
Big and Little: A Book of Animal Opposites by Harriet Evans, illustrated by Linda Tordoff (2024)
A lift-the-flap opposites book with beautiful art and sturdy, well-engineered flaps. Starred by School Library Journal and one of the most recommended concept board books of 2024.
Alma, Head to Toe / Alma, de Pies a Cabeza by Juana Martinez-Neal (2025)
A bilingual English-Spanish board book from the award-winning author-illustrator, exploring the body from head to toe. A wonderful example of the growing number of board books that center cultural diversity for the very youngest readers.
Banana Bop! by Sandra Boynton (2025)
The beloved board book author returns with another irresistible title. Boynton’s humor and rhythm are perfectly suited to the format, and this one continues her tradition of books that are just as fun for the adults reading aloud as for the children listening.
Character-Based Board Books
EidTale: An Eid al-Fitr Adventure by Aaliya Jaleel (2024)
A warmly illustrated board book celebrating Eid al-Fitr, earning high praise from School Library Journal for its sense of love, connection, and cultural celebration. A beautiful addition to any collection.
A Big Day for Dump Truck (2023)
Dump trucks are an evergreen topic that remains popular. This is a great example of a character-based board book done well, with one main character and one exciting day. Simple text and just enough story keep little ones turning the pages.
Character-Based vs. Concept-Based Board Books
Character-based board books follow the point of view of one main character as they learn or discover something. The story has a simple arc that even the youngest reader can follow, and children often form strong attachments to recurring characters across a series.
Concept-based board books explore a foundational idea: colors, shapes, numbers, seasons, food, animals, or opposites. These books build early vocabulary and cognitive skills through repetition and visual association. The Hello Hello series by Brendan Wenzel is a beautiful recent example of concept books executed at an exceptionally high level.
What Are Board Books Made Of? Hard Back and Soft Back
Sometimes board books are made from thick cardboard with multi-textured elements, as seen in sensory books like Farm Days with Cow. This type promotes learning through touch-and-feel activities, often engaging multiple senses at once, including touch, sight and sound. Pages are made from thick, heavy-duty board designed to withstand repeated reading and handling.
Despite the word ‘board,’ however, board books can be soft-back too, as seen with The Busy Little Tractor, a soft, padded book perfect for tiny hands just learning to take hold. Because of the padded material, it is perfectly safe for babies and very young children.
Modern board books have also expanded into exciting new formats and materials, including:
- Sound buttons that play animal noises or music when pressed
- High-contrast black-and-white visuals designed specifically for newborn vision development
- Lift-the-flap pages with extra-sturdy, toddler-resistant flaps
- Die-cut pages shaped like buses, animals, or objects
- Soft felt pages with die-cut elements for tactile exploration
- Mirrors that reflect the child’s face, encouraging early self-recognition
Who Reads Board Books?
Board books are an important part of the children’s literature canon. They are a necessity when it comes to getting books into the hands of some of our tiniest, newest readers. Sturdy, toddler-safe, and baby-safe materials play an important role in their success since these books need to withstand some of the roughest reading imaginable.
They are books and toys all in one. And they are some of the earliest stories parents will ever share with their children. Research consistently shows that reading to babies from birth — even before they can understand the words — builds neural connections, language acquisition, and a foundational love of books that can last a lifetime.
Board books make that possible.
Have you written a board book, or do you have ideas for one?
Contact me below to tell me more about your project. Whether you’re working on your first concept book or developing a character-based series, I would love to hear about it!
