Did you know that one of the first phonological awareness skills a child will learn is rhyming? This is also one of the easiest phonological skills and, in my opinion, the most fun!
One of the best ways to help children recognize and learn the concept of rhyming is.. books! Did you already guess it? 😉
There are thousands of options for rhyming books out there. I’ve compiled a list of our family’s favorite rhyming books to help you teach rhyming! Whether you have toddler, preschool, or kindergarten learners, there will be a book in this list that will be great to help you teach them the art of rhyming!
Best Rhyming Book Series
I get SO excited when I find a rhyming book that is including in a series of rhyming books. Here are some of our favorite rhyming books that come in a series:
Llama Llama… Series – This series flows so well with the rhyming. It’s easy for my toddler to remember the words in the stories because the lines are short and the rhymes aren’t trying too hard. Plus, the Llama Llama book series by Anna Dewdney is perfect for teaching life skills such as learning to share and dealing with anger!
- A Petrifying Parody Series – Did you know that you needed parody rhyming stories in your life? I didn’t, but now I know better. This is a smaller series by Michael Rex, but if there are additional books added, I’m 100% buying. Producing parodies of Goodnight Moon, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and The Runaway Bunny, this series is just too cute to only be read on Halloween.
- …Magic Series – With only two books in this autumn/Halloween series, I am totally obsessed! I’ve been reading these rhyming books by Ed Masessa to my daughter since she was a baby. These books are great as the sentences are short and the illustrations are so vibrant!
- The Night Before…Series – Okay, like Llama Llama, I love this book series from Natasha Wing because they’re not only great for teaching rhymes, but they’re also great for teaching life skills and events like going to the dentist, picture day, and starting a new grade! Each book is in the style of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
- Bear… Series – The Bear series by Karma Wilson follows Bear and his friends on rhyming adventures in the forest! These books also teach children about events like losing teeth and feeling scared. If they’re rhyming and teaching life skills, you know I’m going to love them!
- How Do Dinosaurs… Series – Now, my daughter loves dinosaurs, so that’s mainly why we have so many of these books by Jane Yolen; but the stories flow smoothly and my daughter remembers the rhymes and helps me read each time! Oh.. and they also teach important skills like going to bed, having good table manners, and going to the doctor!
- Pig the Pug Series – This is one of the funniest book series that I’ve read thus far. Adam Blabey has found a way to mix rhyming with hilarity as Pig the Pug learns valuable lessons on impulsiveness, sharing, and honesty.
- Nature Stories Series – I’ll be honest, this is my favorite series on this entire list. If you’re looking for some cute and engaging stories about science, these rhyming books will get it done! The short sentences, flow of rhymes, and bright pictures make learning about different life cycles so much more fun! I’ve even learned a few things reading them!
- How to Catch… Series – You might already be familiar with these books by Adam Wallace, but they are a wonderful way to teach your toddler, preschooler, or kindergartener about rhyming! Each story follows an adventure (and generally a failure) at trying to catch different creatures.
- Snowmen… Series – We absolutely love the Snowmen book series by Carolyn Buehner. These rhyming stories depict adventures of snowmen coming to life. The rhymes flow smoothly and the dream of living snowmen is blissful to imagine.
- The Gruffalo Series – These books by Julia Donaldson are special because the rhythm is so much like a song. I was reading The Gruffalo to my daughter when she was a baby. I’m throwing in The Snail and the Whale in this because it’s also by Julia Donaldson and also rhymes. This rhyming book is a sweet story about a snail and a whale, a trip, and the power of someone who cares.
Single Rhyming Stories
I will also obsess over a book that teaches rhyming even when it’s not in a series. Here are my favorites:
- Wild Baby – Okay, Cori Doerrfeld has quickly become one of my favorite authors. My husband recently gifted me her book Wild Baby because we, in fact, have a wild baby. We not only see ourselves in this sweet story about a mom and her wild baby, but we talk about all the rhyming pairs and my daughter completes the rhymes with me as we read.
- I Don’t Care – I found this sweetest story by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal at my local bookstore and was thrilled when I found that it was a rhyming book that teaches about how differences can make friendships all the more beautiful. This book is simply charming.
- Rhyme Crime – This is a fun story by Jon Burgerman about a criminal who replaces objects with a rhyme!
- Sugar and Spice and Everything Mice – We randomly found this quaint story with a rhyming twist and play on cheeses while out and about one day. It’s a cozy tale about a group of mice friends getting caught in a snow storm. Lucy learns that the help from friends is worth taking the pressure of perfection.
- The Tiny Chef: And Da Mishing Weshipee Blook – The Tiny Chef by Adam Reid is a family favorite in our house. We’ve been reading this story since our daughter was around 1. I cannot with how adorable the real-life pictures are (I’m talking bottle cap pans and bottom plates)! This rhyming book is about The Tiny Chef who loses his recipe book and learns to adapt in life’s uncertain moments. Our daughter loves to help us read by filling in the missing rhymes.
I hope the books on this list brings you as much joy teaching your toddler, preschooler, or kindergartener about rhymes as it has brought us!
Wanting More Than Books?
To encourage more independence with rhyming, I created a packet of rhyming activities that includes a lesson on rhymes. These rhyming activities are perfect for preschool and kindergarten students who are learning to identify and produce rhyming words.
