Exposure to rhyme helps children to develop phonemic awareness, listening and thinking skills, and vocabulary and comprehension skills, and despite all of that important literacy learning potential, rhyming picture books are just GREAT fun to read! With fun word play and often silly story lines, here is a huge list of our pick of the best rhyming books for kids.
30 Best Rhyming Books for Preschool & Kindergarten
Why read rhyming stories to children?
Rhyme is important to language learning. The ability to identify rhyme is important to phonemic awareness – that is the ability to identify and manipulate the sounds within words, in both spoken and written language. Both anecdotal and researched evidence suggests that being familiar with rhyme helps children to detect the small, phonetic components that make up words, and that this detection is an essential skill to learning to read and write.
Rhyming books are wonderful for toddlers (check out our list of toddler rhyming books) through to children in preschool and kindergarten (and even beyond!) From a young age children can learn to recognise that cat sounds like mat. Their detection of the ‘at’ word segment will help them to be able to also hear that hat and bat and fat are also part of this ‘at’ word family.
As words that sound similar are generally spelled similarly, children who make this type pf important connection are in a prime position when it comes time to begin to formally learn to read and write, making inferences about new and unfamiliar words in print as they read and write – for example, if dog and log have an ‘og’ sounds, then so might frog or hog.
30 Rhyming Books for Preschool & Kindergarten
As with all of the lists in our Best Books for Kids collection, each title in this list links to an Amazon and/or Book Depository page (these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you) where you can find more information and reviews for titles you might not be personally familiar with.
Oi Frog (book 1 in a wonderful series) by Kes Gray  “It’s very simple, really. Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas, and frogs sit on logs.” But Frog does not want to sit on a log! With magical rhyming word play, this hilarious series of stories will have children of all ages in fits of laughter. We love them all! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright  Kevin the koala likes to keep things the same. But sometimes change comes along whether we like it or not and, as Kevin discovers, if you step outside your comfort zone and try new things, you might just surprise yourself! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Macca the Alpaca by Matt Cosgrove  When a friendly alpaca comes face-to-face with a meanie llama, llama dram lies ahead. But perhaps the differences that separate the two will be exactly what brings them together in the end. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Noni the Pony by Alison Lester  “Noni the Pony is friendly and funny. Her shimmering tail is the color of honey.” A beautiful rhyming tale about friendship. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey  ‘Hey there guys. Would you like a banana? What’s wrong with you, Brian? You’re a Piranha.’ Can Brian the vegetarian piranha convince his friends to pass on the bums and give fruit a try??! A hilarious story that even children in the lower elementary/primary grades will love. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen  This is the delightful story of five animal friends who decide to go for a row on the bay. Do you know who sank the boat? Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
All of the Factors of Why I Love Tractors by Davina Bell  When Frankie’s mother protests at him borrowing ANOTHER book about tractors from the local library, Frankie launches into all the various, glorious factors that contribute to his love for tractors! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
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There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins  Poor Mouse! A bear has settled in his favorite chair and it just isn’t big enough for two. Nothing Mouse tries will move that pesky Bear! What is Mouse to do? Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Pig the Pug (book 1 of the series) by Aaron Blabey  Children love Pig the very naughty pug! He’s more than a little greedy and selfish (Pig the Pug), tells fibs (Pig the Fibber), cheats and is a very sore loser (Pig the Winner) but his naughty plans never quite work out the way Pig hopes they will, with very entertaining results! A great series shared with the stories shared in catchy rhyme. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
How Many Legs? by Kes Gray  Children of all ages will enjoy the funny rhyme and hilarious animal characters of How Many Legs?, with older children engrossed with the challenge of remembering just how many legs there are! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk  Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast have a beautiful friendship-until they discover that there’s only one drop of maple syrup left! Off they go on a race to claim it, leading to the funniest food fight ever. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
The Rhyming Rabbit by Julia Donaldson  A rabbit who feels lonely and misunderstood as none of the other animals appreciate his poetry. Until one night he meets someone who shares his enthusiasm. Available: Amazon | Book Depository |
The Magic Hat by Mem Fox  When a magic hat sails into town it transforms the townspeople, one by one, into a parade of animals. The clever use of rhyming couplets offers the opportunity for children to make a guess at which animal will be next. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg  I’ve long loved this wonderful rhyme featuring a host of well known fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters hiding in the illustrations. Available: The Book Depository |
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The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharrat  Take a trip through a mysterious foggy, foggy forest filled with fairytale fun! There’s a fairy queen on a trampoline and an ogre doing yoga, what else will you see? Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough  “Eddie’s off to find his teddy. Eddie’s teddy’s name is Freddie.” When Eddie heads into the woods to look for his lost teddy bear, he is surprised by what he finds. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson  Julia Donaldson is a master of rhyme and this fabulous romp through a farmyard as the animals band together to stop a team of rascally robbers from stealing the farmer’s fine prize cow. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky  In this very funny tale shared in rhyme, a terrible plopping sound has the forest animals running for their lives but is there really anything to fear? Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
The Very Cranky Bear (book 1 of the series) by Nick Bland  We love this series of books about the adventures of a rather cranky bear and his four new friends. Who will have the answer to help Bear when he’s feeling so cranky? Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith  A hilarious rhyming song introducing a donkey, but not just any donkey! This one is a spunky, hanky-panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky-tonky, winky, wonky donkey! Available: Amazon | Book Depository |
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Don’t Forget the Bacon! by Pat Hutchins  “Six farm eggs, a cake for tea, a pound of pears, and don’t forget the bacon.” I love this classic for its clever and playful use of rhyme. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough  “All dogs walk and jump and run, but dogs don’t fly-it can’t be done.” Or maybe it can. A memorable book with a special secret at the end. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson  The funny, fast paced rhyming tale of Winifred Schnitzel who can’t sleep because of the monsters invading her home! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton  This is such a fun, rhyming story and it is perfect for beginning readers – in fact, it was the first book my big girl decoded independently so it holds a special place in my heart. It’s all about the crazy actions of cats from around the world. Available: The Book Depository |
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Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw  “Beep! Beep! Sheep in a jeep on a hill that’s steep.” When five foolish sheep take a drive in a jeep, the results are a hilarious rhyming story perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles  When Edward the Emu tires of life as an emu he decides to try out the lifestyles of the other animals in the zoo! Will swimming with the seals, lounging with the lions or slithering with the snakes make Edward happy? Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae  “There’s a curious commotion, at the bottom of the ocean; I think we ought to go and take a look. You’ll find every sort of creature, that lives beneath the sea; swimming through the pages of this book.” I love this series of fabulous animal rhyming books by Giles Andreae and just had to include them all! Each page includes a short rhyme about a different creature. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae  “There’s a rumble in the jungle, There’s a whisper in the trees, The animals are waking up, And rustling the leaves …” There are lions, elephants, chimpanzees, zebras, hippos and more, introduced through wonderful, engaging rhyme. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Farmyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andreae  Take a journey through a bright and noisy barnyard with fun animal rhymes that children will enjoying chanting along with you. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Dinosaurs Galore! by Giles Andreae  A funny, rhythmic and fact-filled picture book about the lives of the great dinosaurs. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Looking for more great reads for your preschool or kindergarten classroom? Check out our list of Funny Books for Kids, Best Children’s Books from the 80s and 90s and 101 Books to Help Develop Social Skills.
Or take language learning further with 7 Alphabet Books that Teach Much More Thank ABC and this list of 21 Fun Picture Books About Words.
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Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
I have learnt a lot.Helped in my research for ECD children
From the ones you listed, I am a big fan of Jane Yolen, but I’ll have to disagree on The Pout-Pout Fish. Good rhymes, good vocabulary, but the message… well, I did a short video review of the book on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ja9OZBC71c
I just stumbled across this post. I would like to humbly suggest my rhyming picture book called… ABC A Rhyming Animal Alphabet Book! I’m a first time author / illustrator and my book is available on Amazon. Here is the back cover copy:
“K” kangaroos that can bound and can jump.
Hungry “Q” quails that are quite round and plump.
“P” penguins are birds that like to get wet.
They all look like letters that you won’t forget!
I would love to provide you with a review copy if you are interested. Thanks!