Welcome to Elephant Notes . . . our periodic take on some of the ideas, issues, and news impacting parents, children, and reading.

Books are an increasingly popular choice for baby shower gifts. It’s not hard to see why: they’re educational, they encourage quality bonding time, they’re enduring, they get used over and over, and, as any parent can tell you who’s trying to get a baby or toddler to sleep will tell you, you can never have too many! But what do you write in a baby shower book to make it stand out, to make your gift truly special?

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Whether you decide to bring a book to a baby shower, are invited to a “baby’s first library” party, or are asked to bring a book to a baby celebration instead of a card, baby books as gifts offers a great opportunity to include something memorable and inspiring for babies and parents. What to write in a book for a baby shower requires thought, but with some tips and guidance, the result can be a truly unforgettable gift.

Incorporating just the right personal inscription, that special quote that stands out, finding unique ways to write or incorporate the message… even unusual ways of enclosing your gift with “something extra” are just a few of the ideas you can utilize. Inspiration can come from many personal sources, but here’s some guidelines to get you started.

1. Personal Inscriptions

It’s easy to write a brief message like, Best Wishes for your baby boy or Here’s a special gift for your brand new little girl on your baby shower. Consider some variations on these types of inscriptions to give your gift a more meaningful message. Think about what the parents might cherish the most – advice on childrearing, heartfelt love and support, recognition of a boy or girl or even underscoring the celebration with messages to the baby and parents. Any of the following can be further customized with names, dates and additional information that delivers an even more heartfelt sentiment.

2. Children’s Literary Quotes

Every adult has a book they remember reading as a child. Maybe it was something read to them, perhaps it was a story they loved so much it was read over and over, or there was simply one book that had a message that was personally meaningful. Quotes from famous, or even obscure, books offer an opportunity to share a special reading moment. The gift-giver’s quote can even include a note explaining what the story meant to them. Following are some famous quotes that are perfect just as they are or with personal embellishments.

3. Where Do I Write My Baby Shower Message?

With a baby shower gift message, it’s not just what you say but how you incorporate it as part of the book that can make it truly memorable. Inscriptions are frequently written inside the cover of a book. Most picture books offer ample room on the back side of a hard-cover book cover, along with a first page that is generally blank. As pages can become worn or torn, it’s best to focus on the inside cover. Board books can be a bit more challenging as these books start a story as soon as the cover is opened. Often the back cover can provide space for a personal message.

If there are writing and illustrations on the back cover as well, one of the best solutions for including personalized messages is a white sticker artfully placed in a corner. Elephant Books goes a step further in making this part of the process easy. Each board book comes with an adorable elephant-themed book plate that provides the perfect place to write your special inscription and adhere it directly to the book. As an added bonus, the initial gift package also comes with an external gift note, explaining who sent the package and providing space for an additional welcome message.

Write the message in your own hand, possibly with brightly colored markers so it’s eye-catching for the young reader. And remember your audience, don’t be afraid to embrace your own childhood and include a picture along with the text or alongside your signature. Remember these are books for kids!

4. Do You Wrap Books for a Baby Shower?

Making books a special treat for both the parent-to-be, and eventually the child, is a great idea. Children are never too young to learn that reading and books are the best gifts. Wrapping books in colorful paper or artfully arranged in gift bags makes this gift fun and exciting. 

Here at Elephant Books we think it’s an essential part of the experience and why we hand-wrap every package in kraft paper tied with a colorful grosgrain ribbon, finished off with a playful elephant stamp in the corner. It’s a package that to use appeals both to the adult recipient, evoking classic memories of childhood gifts, and the child—who doesn’t like getting something in the mail? So don’t forget bows, ribbons and tissue paper if you want to make the gift especially unforgettable!

5. Adding Something Extra to Alongside the Message

In addition to being beautiful gifts all by themselves, books are also beautiful packages that can include special mementos. Small envelopes can be attached inside the cover of book to contain special enclosures. Letters with longer messages, money with a note encouraging the reader to buy more books they love, perhaps even a small gift, like jewelry or a gift card can be included to make the book gift even more inspiring.

Books are the ideal gifts for babies and children because they motivate the love of reading and set the stage for a life-long love of learning. It also offers a great way to include something extra to make the book even more fun. Depending upon the subject of the book, there could be wonderful additions to the book gift that underscore all the benefits of reading. For example, if the book is about an animal, a stuffed version of that character would be ideal. If the book is about a place, like a zoo or city, offer to take the gift recipient to that destination. If the book is a fantasy or wild adventure, find an event or excursion that you can show the child, either in person or even online.

So, there you have it! A complete guide to what and how to write in a baby book in order to make your gift truly special. If you’re looking for that perfect baby shower theme, be sure to check out our companion article, Ten Cute Ideas for an Elephant-Themed Baby Shower.

Books are about memories and it’s never too early to give a gift they’ll always remember. Visit Elephant Books for more information on the easiest and most elegant way to send this most perfect of gifts!