BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

MAY 2, 2025

Life on the outside is bright, noisy, cold and generally crazy for your newborn, and although their brain will double in size in the first year, your bubba is designed to adjust to everything slowly. 

This is definitely true when it comes to their visual development.  

Though your baby can see when they first pop into the world, things look fuzzy and their brain needs time to build connections so it can make sense of all the visual information that’s flashing before their eyes.  

Books are a great way to support this visual development, and although older children love busy designs and super bright colours, simple is best for your young baby. 

Your newborn will love looking at black and white or high contrast patterns, which are easier on their eyes than hard-to-distinguish colours. And even as their colour vision improves, black and white books teach your baby about the big, bright world. 

So, for starters, here are seven high contrast baby books to look out for: 

1. Mesmerised Black and White Baby Board Book by Katey Love  

This little book has attracted lots of interest over the years, with more than 50,000 copies sold; and it’s carefully designed to nurture your baby’s visual development from birth to six months of age.  

The simple, bold pics will help your baby learn to focus and process what they see, and this book is a real eye-opener, with spots, spirals and captivating creatures!   

2. Aussie Baby Animals by Chren Byng and Julia Murray 

If your little Australian is interested in animals, then this board book is another great choice.  

It contains the cutest kangaroos, emus, wombats, dingoes, echidnas, koalas, kookaburras and quokkas, all in eye-catching black and white, and if your zero to two-year-old likes the look of this book, then Aussie Farm Babies and Aussie Water Babies will also appeal.  

3. Let’s Make Music by Ashleigh Abbott 

Hearing is another sense that’s important to nurture in the early months, and this groovy board book is great for your bubba’s eyes and ears.  

The pages are jammed with bells, guitars, drums and other musical instruments, all making their own sounds, and your baby will love the striking pictures and new noises.  

It’s also nice to know that when you buy a Little Book Press book (like this one) you support Raising Literacy Australia programs. 

These programs provide books and resources to help families read, talk, play and sing with their children from birth, which definitely sounds good to us!   

4. Black & White Book from PlayLogy 

Your baby will love the look and feel of this fabric book, and although everything might be a blur when they first read it, the sharp graphics printed on soft cotton will soon get their attention.   

This expert-approved book is perfect for ages zero to six months, and whether you stand it on your baby’s mat or pass it to them in the pram, the fold-out design is fun and clever.  

5. Duckie Goes on an Adventure: High Contrast Bath Book from Young Wonderer 

Most baby books can handle a bit of baby dribble, but if you want something totally waterproof, then this bath book is da bomb!  

The black and white pictures will help with your baby’s vision development while they’re being washed. 

And this take-anywhere book has words as well, so you can support your little one’s early literacy by slowly reading the story aloud when bathtime is over, and showing them how to turn the pages.  

6. My First Black and White Book Touch! by Pascale Estellon 

This concertina board book is hot off the press, and with bold shapes and a touch of colour on each page, it’s perfect for tummy time.  

Your little one will see more and more as the months go by, and if you’re impressed by Pascale Estellon’s très chic illustrations, then keep an eye out for her next high contrast title, My First Black and White Book: Play, which is being released this July. 

 

7. Black & White Spinning Book from Taf Toys 

This is a totally different kind of book, and it’s engaging whether your baby is new to the world, old enough for tummy time, or sitting up by themselves.  

The high contrast colours and face pictures will stimulate your baby’s developing vision. There’s a mirror and hologram page to support their self-awareness and cognitive development. And your little one will love spinning the pages and making them rattle.  

All in all, this book is a bit of a whizz, and it’s stocked at places like Baby Bunting and Baby Junction. 

Of course, black and white books are just the beginning!  

As your baby grows, they’ll learn to distinguish between different shades and focus on tiny details; and there are lots of books that will excite their eyes (and mind) at every stage of their development.  

This article explains the kind of books your older baby, toddler or preschooler will love, plus engaging ways to read them.

And we hope you can share words, pictures and stories every single day, because books are super beneficial for your child - and for your family.