Baby's First Words

Designed by a child development expert so it supports the way babies naturally learn language, this book is full of warm colours and down-to-earth glimpses of family life. 

There are over 100 words to learn in this sturdy board book, and these include the modern "phone" and "laptop", as well as the bog-standard "shoes" and "spoon". This keeps things fun and relevant, although it's worth noting that that the book uses some American spellings (although that only makes a difference once or twice). There's also a lot to take in on each page, and some of the humorous details may be a bit confusing for mini-ones – the clock that's shaped like an apple, for example. 

However, where the book really shines is in its subtly inclusive nod to the different kinds of families that children really have. The parents shown are same-sex and mixed ethnicity, and the stay-at-home dad is quite happy to hoover.

On top of that, a tiny woolly mammoth pops up throughout in a variety of silly poses. Although it may be a bit of a stretch for a young child to add that to their vocabulary, they’ll definitely have a ball trying to spot it on every page!