Hellobee Boards

I love the babylit board books! Although I've never used them as cards.

I did this for my baby shower. My DD is 1 and she loves the thick cardboard pages do she can turn the page on her own. I really like looking at all the great messages inside the books. Sharpies work pretty well in most books. Oh and I actually got all different books - seemed like everyone got their favorite and it worked out well

At my shower I instructed the organisers to just ask for books, I wasn't really worried about getting other gifts. In the end they asked that people use books as cards and most attendees brought gifts as well.
The two best ones I got were from the organisers themselves, they got "I love you forever" and "The paper bog princess" which were my two favourite books as a kid (they asked my parents). They are for a higher age group and not board books, but they each wrote the most beautiful and heartfelt messages in the front of the books which I still read all the time and cry every time.
A group of 6 other guests each got me two "That's not my...." books which my son loves.

I pick one that my kids love - gossie or moo!

I don't have a go to but I've done I Love You Stinky Face, Little Blue Truck, and Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Usually Giraffes Can't Dance, although more recently I've been gifting people The Wonderful Things You Will Be which is a gorgeous book. I try to stay away from Sandra Boynton, even though I love all her books, because they are so popular among my family and friends. I know others will be gifting those. (We ended up with 4! Moo Baa La La Las, so we have an upstairs, downstairs, car, and diaper bag version!)

Pout Pout Fish! It's fun to read (at least I think so) and it's not one most people would gift

I'd just pick whatever books I like. My favorites are It's Time to Sleep My Love, Snuggle Up Sleepy Ones, and Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You.

I write in them with a dark pen or fine marker.

I also did this for my shower and I loved when people wrote in the books. Showers are so overwhelming it is hard to remember who gave which book so it is nice to have it right there. And I read the inscriptions to LO too.

@runnerd: we have the board book and the longer version with paper pages. I love Pout Pout Fish!

I've been gifting Nancy Tillman's Wherever You Are. The first page says something about wanting you more than you'll ever know. A friend gifted it to me after infertility and it's meant so much.

Little Blue Truck!!

I usually just bring the book and don't write in it until I know it's not a duplicate. I would hate to write in it and not be able to exchange it.

I try to get something a little less common, to avoid duplicates. Last time I got Love Monster by Rachel Bright... Super cute!

I usually do Barnyard Dance or Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton. I actually usually print up a little tag with a note and put it inside so that way if they receive 2 or want to resell it after they are done they are able to do so.

Love you forever is my go-to!

we did this and got a ton of duplicates too. I second not writing in the book and including a gift receipt.

My husband loved Toot by leslie Patricelli, he reads it to DD all the time. We also got a bunch of her other books afterwards.

@californiadreams: same

We do Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (Mem Fox) or That's Not My Dragon.

When we did this at my shower, I got three copies each of Barnyard Dance and Goodnight Moon. I wouldn't write in it if you go with a classic.