Finding Montessori books for babies should be a simple task, but it’s surprisingly difficult! Most baby books are filled with talking animals, fantastical creatures, and otherwise imaginative scenarios that are most definitely not Montessori-aligned. To help you find the best Montessori-friendly baby books, we’ve compiled a list of our favorites.

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Best Montessori-Friendly Books for Babies

When it comes to Montessori-friendly books, the idea is that young children learn best through reality rather than fantasy.

In fact, current research supports what Montessori has purported for well over a century - children under six have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality. Before this point, children can’t think logically and understand the imaginative concepts we find in fairytales and make-believe stories.

Dr. Montessori believed that “The true basis of the imagination is reality.” As such, we strive to give young children books that represent an accurate picture of the real world and wait to introduce fantasy until they’re older.

What makes a book Montessori friendly?

Elements to look for when choosing books include:

• the use of photographs of people, animals, plants, and everyday objects 
• plots that reflect real-life events (or at least scenarios that could occur in real life)
• people and animals doing natural things (i.e. say yes to swimming fish and no to animals driving)
• informative
• non-fiction
• beautiful, realistic illustrations (ie no larger than real life animals or disproportional-shaped humans)

Can Montessori books be fiction?

Absolutely! While informative non-fiction books are far more likely to be Montessori-aligned, there are certainly fictional books that fit as well. Use your best judgment, but if the book is grounded in reality and follows much of what is listed above, chances are good it’s Montessori-friendly.

Should I read books to my newborn?

One other question we see a lot is at what age should you start reading to your baby. Personally, I say the sooner, the better! In fact, there’s much to be said about reading to your baby even in utero.

When looking for books to read to your 0-6 month old baby, you should also look for books with high-contrast, black, white and red patterns. These books are great at stimulating a newborn baby’s eyesight and brain development, as they are easiest for the baby to see.

Multisori even offers a free high contrast baby book you can download now -