The Best Black and White Contrast Books for Newborns
By Lily | Published 2 June 2023 | This post may contain affiliate links.
Black-and-white baby books are great for helping your baby’s visual development. With so many toys and children's books to choose from, it can be hard for parents and caregivers to know where to start.
High-contrast patterns, like black and white, are the best for grabbing your baby’s attention and helping them develop important skills like focus, eye coordination, and tracking. Let’s explore how high-contrast visuals support your baby’s growth and developmental milestones.
Choosing the Right Black and White Books
When picking the best books for your baby, keep these tips in mind:
Quality and Durability
Choose board books or soft baby books that can handle rough use. Look for sturdy, high-quality materials to ensure they last through plenty of exploration and reading.
Variety
Pick books with a mix of patterns, images, and styles. This keeps your baby interested and provides new visual experiences to support their developing vision.
Trusted Authors and Publishers
Go for books from well-known authors and publishers with expertise in early childhood development. For example, Usborne Books offers a popular selection of high-contrast black-and-white books loved by parents and educators.
The Best Black & White Development Books for Babies
Black & White
Tana Hoban’s books are beloved by teachers, librarians, parents, and readers. A perfect baby shower gift for new parents and babies.
“A friend recommended this book for baby showers. Every time I’ve given it, always hear back from the moms how wonderful, babies love it!!” – Amazon review by Suzanne S.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
2. Jane Foster’s Black and White
“This is one of my favorite baby books. I wish I had purchased it earlier, as the black and white designs are perfect for newborns. The designs, colors, and textures are lovely and it is definitely one of my go-to books for reading to my baby and letting her feel the pages. The black and white animal pictures are very smooth/shiny, and the colorful background is more matte look/feel.” – Amazon review by R.M.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
3. Hello, Baby Animals
When babies are first born, they can't distinguish between colors the same way that older babies can. But studies show that babies can see high-contrast colours and patterns from the very first days of life.
“Our 3 month old daughter loves this daily read, very entertaining. She can stare at the pages for a good 10 minutes which my husband loves as he gets to spend quality time with our baby girl.” – Amazon review by Evelyn
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
4. Hello, Animals
A charming introduction to ten of baby's best-loved animals, featuring high contrast black-and-white illustrations.
“This is a perfect high contrast book for my daughter who just turned 4 months. She has been interested in high contrast books since she was a month old. I foresee us using this book for months to come. “ – Amazon review by Sarah C.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
5. Baby’s Very First Black and White Little Library
This is a mini boxed set containing four titles from the beautiful, high-contrast 'Baby's Very First Black & White' series; 'Animals', 'Going Out', 'Babies' and 'Faces'.
“I bought this as a gift for a relative with a new born, he had received many gifts from everyone but he said that this is the best and most creative gift he had received, his newborn had taken a liking to the black and white images and kept staring at them.” – Amazon review by YN
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
6. Look, Look!
Striking and stylish, Look Look! is the ideal first board book for babies just beginning to look and learn. Peter Linenthal is an illustrator who has taught art in elementary schools for twenty years.
“I purchased this for my grandson based on the high reviews and it was a hit! Even at just a couple months old he was interested at the pictures when we "read" this book. He is older now and it is still a favorite. Perfect tummy time book. Highly recommend.” – Customer Amazon review
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
7. Face: Baby Touch First Focus
This book contains a range of bright, happy characters and faces in high-contrast black, white, and yellow colors to help stimulate a babies’ eyesight from birth.
“It's useful for newborn babies. My baby gets excited whenever I show him this book.” – Review by Amazon customer
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
8. Hello, Animals! Board Book
“This is one of my favorite books in my baby’s library. The designs, colors, and textures are lovely and it is definitely one of my go-to books for reading to my baby and letting her feel the pages. The black and white animal pictures are very smooth/shiny, and the colorful background is more matte look/feel.” – Amazon review by R.M.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
9. Hello, Animals! Board Book
A charming introduction to ten beautiful little bugs, featuring high contrast black-and-white illustrations.
“This book was beloved by my grandson so I am gifting it to my grand nephew who will make an appearance early next year. It's a sweet book with illustrations that appeal to very little ones.” – Amazon review by Melinda C.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
10. Hello, Ocean Friends
Using simple greetings like "Hi there, starfish" and "Hola, jellyfish" alongside black-and-white art by Julissa Mora, Hello, Ocean Friends is the perfect building block for babies just beginning to look around and learn about their world.
“This book captivated my daughter when she was a newborn and for a few months later. Highly recommended.” – Amazon review by Orlando A.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
11. Black Cat & White Cat
Black cat and white cat are friends. But in a world of black and white, someone is always hard to see! Can they find a way to play together without someone disappearing?
“We love Black Cat & White Cat! Most high contrast books don’t contain a storyline, which makes this book very unique. We’ve read this book over and over, and especially love the surprise at the end! I love that my daughter can enjoy it now, but also for several more years as she learns to read.” – Amazon review by Rebecca
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
12. Hello Baby
The high-contrast pictures and colors in this illustrated book from Roger Priddy will captivate babies' attention and stimulate their visual acuity as they look at and learn about their very first animals.
“Our 11 month old son has a vision disorder where he sees contrast better and lesser images better than books with a lot of stimuli and colors on the pages. He loves this book and it actually calms him down before bedtime!” – Amazon review by B. Lee
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
13. Hello, Garden Bugs
Ladybugs, snails, and butterflies! Oh my! This charming introduction to ten garden bugs, paired with friendly text and bold, basic patterns, provides a great high-contrast experience for young developing eyes.
“There's not a ton you can do with a fresh newborn, but you gotta fill those wake windows somehow! Black and white books are genuinely one of the best options because kiddo can actually see them. Very simple, very effective.” – Amazon review by Lauren
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
14. Hello Baby, Animals
The high-contrast pictures and colors in this illustrated book from Roger Priddy will captivate new babies and stimulate their developing sight as they look at and learn about their very first animals.
“Our 11 month old son has a vision disorder where he sees contrast better and lesser images better than books with a lot of stimuli and colors on the pages. He loves this book and it actually calms him down before bedtime!” – Amazon review by B. Lee
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
15. My Animals
The adorably illustrated animals, unexpected splashes of bright colors, and animal name labels on every spread will delight young readers again and again.
“You will love revisiting these books again and again. Fun and resiliently made. Everything Deneux has produced I have bought for as gifts. The imagination is boundless.” – Amazon review by GalwayK.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
16. Spots and Dots
Designed for babies 6 weeks to 6 months, these books use high-contrast images to provide visual stimulation as babies begin to make visual connections with the world around them.
“I don’t do reviews often, but this book is amazing. My son LOVES this book and has fascinated him since he was about a month old. He coo’s at the pages and makes excited noises and really concentrates on the designs. At 4 months old he loves touching the pages and I will forever recommend this product for newborns.” – Amazon review by H.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
17. Baby’s Very First Black and White Book
A delightful mini boxed set containing four titles from the popular Baby's Very First Black & White series: Animals, Going Out, Babies and Faces.
“These are cute books but they are extremely small! I had read previous reviews that they were small but didn't realize just how tiny that meant, so just a heads up. For that reason they stand out/alone on the book shelf, but tiny hands enjoy them though.” – Amazon review by Kaci
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
18. Baby Animals Black and White
This best-selling sensory board book introduces eight adorable baby animals, featuring high contrast black-and-white illustrations perfect for young babies.
“This was the first book that made our baby stop and stare. We used it for tummy time or to calm him down. Simple clean life-like pictures and thick pages. Would recommend.” – Amazon review by JF
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
19. It Had to Be You
This playful and sturdy board book features bold, high-contrast black-and-white illustrations that babies can actually see!
“I have yet to be able to read it to my kids without crying, very touching. I also like the black and white color which makes it a nice bedtime story.” – Amazon review by Anita
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
20. Baby Loves Sports
Making connections between images on a page and the real world is an important building block for your baby's communication skills―and this charming introduction to sports in bold, basic patterns, provides a great high-contrast experience for young developing eyes.
“I bought a few of these high contrast books for my son who is currently 11 weeks old. He loves them! He smiles and laughs and coos everytime we go through them. He stays engaged and locked on the images. My only complaint is I wish there were more of them!” – Amazon review by Sarah M.
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
Key Benefits of Black-and-White Books
Stimulate Development:
These high-contrast books help babies explore the world visually, sharpening their focus and supporting brain growth. These high contrast are a great way to sharpen a baby's eyesight and cognitive development.
Improve Attention Span:
The simplicity of black-and-white designs holds a baby’s attention, building their ability to focus for longer periods.
Encourage a Love for Reading:
Starting with black-and-white books helps create positive associations with reading, setting the stage for language development and imagination as they grow.
By including these books in your baby’s routine, you’re fostering healthy visual, cognitive, and emotional growth—all while making reading a fun and engaging activity!