Rhyming makes books even more fun and comes with benefits, such as helping children develop early literacy skills, recognize word patterns, and enjoy the experience of reading. It also keeps kids engaged when listening to read-alouds or reading independently.

Here are our favorite rhyming books to share with your toddler, preschooler, kindergartener, first grader, or second grader!

Toddler Rhyming Books

Use rhyming books at this age to introduce new ideas and encourage language development. As your child’s speech continues to develop, encourage them to chant along with you as you re-read your favorites.

1. There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
   Mouse is pretty bothered by the bear on his chair that just won’t leave. When Bear finally heads home, he’s surprised to find a mouse in his house.

2. Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Ho Baek Lee
   Sweet rhyming text tells the story of a little girl and her mother making their favorite Korean rice dish, bee-bim bop. Recipe included!

3. Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw, illustrated by Margot Apple
   The text and story are simple and fun, but the illustrations really make this read-aloud pop.

4. Night Night Farm by Roger Priddy
   Learn about farm animals in this board book with fun shaped pages that add interest to the experience.

5. Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton
   Boynton’s adorable and silly little books have become childhood classics. This is the one that started it all.

6. Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
   Here’s the starter to another beloved series, which follows a little llama as he deals with a bit of fear about going to bed in the dark on his own.

7. I Love You Like No Otter by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Sydney Hanson
   This heart-warming book is full of rhyming verses and lots of fun animal wordplay too, as the narrator shares all the ways they love the listener.

8. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
   Dr. Seuss was the king of rhyming books, and this is a great starter story for toddlers, full of animal sounds told in clever rhyming verses.

9. Jamberry by Bruce Degen
   Today’s parents likely read this rhyming book for toddlers when they were kids. The simple story of a little boy and his bear friend on their search for berries of all kinds continues to delight.

10. Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
    When Blue, a little truck, gets stuck in the mud, he’d be in a real pickle if it weren’t for all the farm animal friends he’s made along his route!

Preschool Rhyming Books

By preschool age, kids can start to recognize the rhyming words when they hear them. Try asking them to predict the rhyming word that comes next as you read together. Try pairing these engaging rhyming books with our 30+ pre-reading activities for preschoolers to help grow excitement for reading.

11. See You Later, Alligator by Sally Hopgood, illustrated by Emma Levey
    This interactive rhyming book invites children to find their favorite nursery rhyme characters, fostering a love for poetry and enhancing their attention to detail.

12. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
    “A told B and B told C …” This ABC book is a beloved preschool hit, with its catchy rhyming verses that tell the story of alphabet letters climbing (and falling from) a coconut tree.
    

13. La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for los Niños by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
    This rhyming book gives classic nursery rhymes new life with the injection of Spanish words throughout. The author cleverly maintains the rhyme and rhythm of the originals, while offering a welcome bilingual twist.

14. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
    Little ones are often fascinated by construction equipment, so they’ll love the rhyming verses and fun illustrations in this one.

15. The Rhyming Rabbit by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Lydia Monks
    One little rabbit is different from all the rest—he’d rather make up rhymes about grass than eat it! Join him on his quest to find a friend who loves poetry as much as he does.

16. Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss
    Introduce kids to tongue twisters with the fiendishly tricky text of this Seuss classic!

17. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
    Skinny legs, knobby knees, and a neck that stretches on forever all make it hard to learn to dance, but that won’t stop Gerald. Kids will be inspired by his growth mindset.

18. Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman Dr. Seuss was the king of rhyming books, and this is a great starter story for toddlers, full of animal sounds told in clever rhyming verses.

19. Change Sings by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loren Long
    The youngest inaugural poet in history has written several inspirational books for children, showcasing her gorgeous and relatable verses.

20. Chicken Soup With Rice by Maurice Sendak
    Bring on the comfort food! Sendak’s series of rhyming poems include one for each month, because there’s never a bad time for chicken soup with rice!

Kindergarten Rhyming Books

This mix of rhyming books includes those that are good for reading aloud, along with a few that kindergarteners can begin to decode on their own. Invite them to identify words they recognize on the page whenever possible to encourage emerging reading skills.

21. Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
    These four dust bunny friends love to rhyme, but Bob can’t quite seem to get it right. Fortunately, he’s got some other redeeming qualities that his friends learn to value more.

22. Child of the Universe by Ray Jayawardhana, illustrated by Raul Colón
    This lovely book of verse is the perfect meditative bedtime read, linking us all together as part of the greater universe.

23. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
    It’s easy to lose things (like your hat and wand) when you’re riding on a broom. Fortunately, this witch has some animal friends to help her out. But is there room on the broom for everyone to ride?

24. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
    This Seuss book is full of CVC words, making it ideal for kindergartners just learning to read!

25. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans Since 1939, the charming little French schoolgirl Madeline has been delighting audiences for generations. The rhyming verses and beautiful illustrations remain timeless favorites today.

26. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Dan Hanna
    Mr. Fish’s face seems stuck in a permanent pout, but it turns out that even he can learn to be kind and positive.

27. My Cat is Like That by Barbara Pinke
    Everyone’s pet is unique, a fact brought home by the sweet rhyming verses in this tale of a ginger cat named Pizza.

28. Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman
    The crazy thief in this story replaces everything he steals with a rhyme—what a crime!

29. Frog on a Log by Kes Gray, illustrated by Jim Field
    In this tale, every animal must sit on a rhyming object: cats on mats, mules on stools, and so on. When Frog refuses to sit on a log, he throws everything into chaos.

30. All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
    The school in this story is a place where every student finds a space. Readers will enjoy learning about the diverse collection of students who attend.

First Grade Rhyming Books

As your child gains reading confidence, they’ll be able to decode more and more of the words in these rhyming books. Continue reading together so you can offer assistance and encouragement along the way. You can also try adding in these reading worksheets for first graders for extra practice.

31. Nothing Rhymes With Orange by Adam Rex
    Orange desperately wants to join the fruit parade and sing a rhyming verse about himself like all the other fruits. Can the other fruits find a way to help him fit into the song?

32. Silly Tilly by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by David Slonim
    There’s nothing ordinary about Tilly, a goose who takes her baths in juice. Perhaps she’s just a little too silly for the other barnyard animals, though!

33. The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
    A little snail’s life changes when she meets a whale and sets off to explore new lands she never thought she could reach.

34. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
    This classic is just the right reading level for most first graders, making this a book they can read on their own or out loud to you.

35. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
    What child doesn’t love to read about dinosaurs? This book combines fact with fiction for a rhyming good time.

36. Hairy MacLary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd
    Hairy MacLary, an adorable pup, sets off with his rhyming chums to explore the town. The rhythmic text of this charming story makes it incredibly fun to read aloud.

37. Down to the Sea With Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
    Mr. Magee and his dog Dee spend a wonderful day on the sea, until an unexpected encounter sends them flying into a tree!

38. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
    This classic is just the right reading level for most first graders, making this a book they can read on their own or out loud to you.

39. The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Marla Frazee Poor Mrs. Peters … her whole family is full of picky eaters who each demand their own particular food. She’s at her wits’ end until a clever gift from her children solves the problem once and for all.

40. Wild Symphony by Dan Brown, illustrated by Susan Batori
    In addition to the rhyming verses of this engaging book, kids and parents can listen to music written especially for the story by using an interactive smartphone app!

Second Grade Rhyming Books

Second graders will be able to read many of these rhyming books on their own. Ask them to read aloud to you so you can both share in the rhyming fun! Than try these fun reading activities with them.

41. Ricky, the Rock That Just Couldn’t Rhyme by Mr. Jay, illustrated by Erin Wozniak
    When a school assignment tasks kids with writing rhyming stories, Ricky is alarmed to find he can’t seem to make rhymes. Fortunately, his friend Tess the Tin is there to help him out.

42. The Mosquito Burrito by Didi Dragon, illustrated by Lenaska Ti
    Sprinkled throughout with Spanish words, this clever book teaches kids how to rhyme in two languages!

43. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
    This is the original book that spawned the phenomenon! Find out why kids and families all love the Gruffalo so much with this rhyming read.

44. Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
    Inspire a future generation of scientists with this tale of the sprightly Ada and her quest to find the source of an unpleasant odor. Then, check out the rest of the entries in The Questioneers series.

45. I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew by Dr. Seuss
    This lesser-known Seuss book has the same incredibly fun and twisty rhyming text, along with a longer story about a crazy journey that’s perfectly suited for read-alouds to a slightly older audience.

46. Kermit the Hermit by Bill Peet
    A crusty cranky crab prefers to hide from everyone else in Monterey Bay, but when a little boy saves his life one day, Kermit must come out of his shell to repay the favor.

47. “Stand Back,” Said the Elephant, “I’m Going to Sneeze!” by Patricia Thomas, illustrated by Wallace Tripp
    Will an elephant’s sneeze bring all the jungle animals to their knees? Read on to find out!

48. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
    Poetry can be a nice break from stories, since the shorter length means you can squeeze one in anytime. This classic collection of zany and thoughtful poems has been appealing to kids for decades.

49. The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by James Stevenson Here’s another roundup of beloved poems written just for kids, with all sorts of rhymes to engage young readers.

50. Fresh-Picked Poetry  by Michelle Schaub, illustrated by Amy Huntington
    A trip to the farmer’s market inspires this collection of poetry, as two children become friends and explore all the sights and sounds around them.

More Rhyming for Kids

Rhyming Read Alouds

Pre-readers will love listening to the silly rhyming stories of Pet on a Jet and Dan and Jan from ABCmouse.

Rhyming Riddles for Kids

Get loads of giggles with these silly rhyming riddles for kids of all ages.