Here's our pick of the best baby books to help you bond with your little one

It's never too early to start reading with your baby. She will love to hear the sound of your voice and as she grows will become an active participant, even if she is just chewing on the corner of the book!

Choose chunky, brightly coloured books with flaps, textures and simple text to engage your baby's senses. Try and make time every day to read with your baby. It's the perfect way to snuggle up and give your baby some extra special attention.

1. Where's Spot?
by Eric Hill
Spot the dog is a popular children's character. Babies will adore opening the flaps looking for Spot as they follow him on one of his doggy adventures. As babies love repetition, the simple story and activity of looking will bring bags of pleasure again and again.

2. I love you
(Amazing Baby, £4.99)
www.amazingbabies.com
This is a great first book for babies. Each page has a photograph of a baby in action, smiling, laughing, crawling and walking. And every time the text reads 'I love you' it's the perfect excuse to give your baby another big kiss. The expressive pictures of babies enthral and there's space at the end for a photo of your little one.

3. Twinkly Night
by Helen Stephen
(Campbell Books, £3.99)
Get your baby in the mood for bed time with this lovely sparkly book. The holographic foil twinkles like stars on each page and your little one will have fun exploring the texture of each page. The simple rhyming story is perfect to lull your little one to sleep at the end of a busy day.

4. My Big Nursery Rhyme Book
by Julie Lacome
(Walker Books, £6.99)
No baby bookshelf is complete with out a nursery rhyme book. This contains all the age-old favourites, including Humpty Dumpty, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Hush-a-bye, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Sing a Song of Sixpence. You'll soon find yourself singing along to all the rhymes. The laminated pages are easy to wipe clean in case of any little accidents.

5. Maisy's Favourite Animals
by Lucy Cousins
(Walker Books, £2.99)
This small-sized board book is perfect for little hands. Maisy is an adorable little character and this book sees her with her favourite animals. You can't fail to get a giggle from your little one as you moo, quack, woof and miaow your way through the book! Lucy Cousins' colourful drawings make this series of books a real joy!

6. Snail
by Fiona Watt
(Usborne, £5.99)
Cloth books are perfect first books for babies and you can easily give them a wash if she decides to give Snail a chew along the way! Snail is full of textures and sounds which will engage your baby's senses. She will love to trace the snail trail, a raised line through the book, following snail's path. As you open the flaps, you're sure to get a little smile!

7. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
(Puffin, £5.99)
This much-loved favourite follows a hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through a week. Your baby will love to trace the caterpillar's path and the little caterpillar holes through each food he discovers are the perfect size for tiny hands to explore. The colourful pictures are delightful and the story grows with your child, teaching them about numbers, days of the week and time.

8. Bathtime peekaboo!
(Dorling Kindersley, £4.99)
This sturdy, colourful, touch and feel book is a fantastic introduction to peekaboo games. The chunky pages are easy for little hands to grasp and your baby will love to look for the scaly fish hiding under the flap and find out who's peeping out from behind the bath mat! Designed to develop the senses and memory skills, this book is an absolute winner.

9. The Bear went over the Mountain
by John Prater
(Red Fox, £3.99)
This rhyme book is a lovely one for a special grandparent and baby to read together. Baby bear and Grand bear are off on a little adventure. Sing along to the pictures and you'll soon win a smile!

10. Dear Zoo
by Rod Campbell
This tells the tale of a child who wrote to the zoo to send him a pet. They send a series of pets that are too big, too fierce, too jumpy and then, eventually, just right. Your baby will love to open the flaps to discover the animal hidden beneath. Dear Zoo is a children's classic.