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Rhyming picture books sometimes get a bad rap. And it’s fair, because so many are kind of…well…bad. The meter and the rhythm can get off. The rhyming words can be forced or not really sound the same without doing a weird accent. The story can seem like it’s playing second fiddle to the rhyme scheme instead of being natural and organic. These books are no fun to read.
But it’s important for kids to hear rhyming words in books that are read aloud to them. It builds phonemic awareness of different words and understanding of the rhythm of sentences. Rhymes also help young listeners with memory and recall of their favorite picture books. Plus, kids often just find rhymes and playing with language really fun. Luckily, there are some amazing rhyming picture books out there. And as a former teacher and new mom, here are five of my favorites that I actually have fun reading. From informative rhymes about backyard bugs and vernal pools to thoughtful poetic text exploring the different stages of a day to a silly tongue twister, I hope you will enjoy reading these rhyming picture books as much as I have.
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee
This Caldecott-winning picture book has the gentlest rhymes describing a beach community moving through the day from morning to night. Family and friends play, work, cook, celebrate, and commiserate together. From the smallest moments of connection to larger philosophical concepts, these simple rhymes are so soothing to read.
Ode to a Bad Day by Chelsea Lin Wallace, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
This book reads like an updated version of the classic picture book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. From itchy clothes, to mushy cereal, to getting the hiccups, there are so many things that can go wrong in a day. Somehow the sing-song rhymes describing the main characters’ very bad day add some humor and silliness while reading this one aloud.
Some Bugs Angela DiTerlizzi, illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
The rhyme scheme in this book describing different kinds of backyard bugs is word perfect. And the onomatopoeias from bugs buzzing, clicking, and making other sounds make it so fun to read. It’s perfect for nature-loving kids and young readers who love categorizing things. And it’s a fast read, unless you get caught up in the list of every bug pictured on the last page.
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The Noisy Puddle: A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons by Linda Booth Sweeney, illustrated by Miki Sato
This is another fantastic book for young naturalists. With paper collage illustrations and rhythmic rhyme scheme, this book describes a pair of siblings observing a vernal pool through all four seasons. And as a nature-loving adult who didn’t fully understand what a vernal pool was, this book was informative for me as well!
A Greyhound, A Groundhog by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Chris Appelhans
This book is a tongue twister full of excellent word plays. If you don’t mind being careful with your words, it is so fun to read. I used to read this to my class as a teacher and the kids would laugh so much as the words got more and more mixed up. There isn’t much of a story here. But there are gorgeous watercolor illustrations and so much fun to be had in the sounds of the words.
Want more books for kids that are fun for grown-ups to read? Try these funny and adorable picture books and these board books you won’t mind rereading (over and over and over again).