Enjoy introducing your baby to books and words being read or sung aloud, with nursery rhymes and board books. We have an extensive collection of classic, modern and international nursery rhymes and poems you can read or sing together.

You can either:

  • choose from one of our recommended titles
  • search the library catalogue for 'nursery rhymes' or 'children's poems'
  • come to the library and browse the shelves for those special songs you remember from your own childhood.   

There's also a fantastic variety of board books available, including colourful first words and numbers, and books that have tactile features for your baby to interact with.  

We've chosen some of our favourite books for toddlers below. Just select a title to make a reservation. You can also come into the library and ask staff for assistance.

For more reading advice, events and services for babies, please visit our Babies 3 to 12 months information page

Visit the Baby 3 to 12 months page on the Boroondara Families hub for more information and services. 

Favourite board books

Where’s Mr Astronaut by Ingela P. Arrhenius (Where’s series)
Stanley the farmer by William Bee (Stanley series)
ABC of Australian Animals by Bronwyn Bancroft
Dinosnores  by Sandra Boynton  (Various titles)
Goodnight Miffy by Dick Bruna (Miffy series)
Dear zoo by Rod Campbell  
Love and Together by Emma Dodd
Pets by Jane Foster (Various titles)
Ten little fingers and ten little toes by Mem Fox
Find Spot at the library by Eric Hill (Spot series)
In the bush I see by Kiara Honeychurch (Young Art series)
Kissed by the moon by Alison Lester  
Tummy time by Lemon Ribbon (Baby touch Ladybird series)
Baby business by Jane Seymor
Rosa loves cars and Clive is a librarian by Jessica Spanyol  (All about Clive series and All about Rosa Series)
Get out of my bath and Under the same sky by Britta Teckentrup 
That’s not my bus by Usborne (Usborne touchy-feely books series)
I love to dance  by Anna Walker – I love series

Nursery rhymes and poetry collections

Big book of Nursery Rhymes by Felicity Brookes
Nursery rhymes by Debi Gliori 
Honey for you, honey for me: a first book of nursery rhymes by Michael Rosen
A child’s treasury of Nursery rhymes by Kady MacDonald Denton
Read to your baby every day by Chloe Giordano
Old MacDonald had a farm and The wheels on the bus by Dawn Machell 
On the go with Mother Goose; My very first Mother Goose ed. Iona Opie
A great big cuddle: poems for the very young by Michael Rosen
Sing with me! by Naoko Stoop 

Libraries