Nursery rhyme books are staples for young children. These simple songs and poems beg to be read aloud! We have our list of favorites right here, so be sure to check them out.
Nursery rhyme books delight the youngest readers
With bouncy rhythms and sing-song tunes, nursery rhyme books are the perfect read-alouds for young kids!
Nursery rhymes have been around for centuries, and for good reason. They are engaging for little ones, with rhythms that captivate young readers. Because they are short, nursery rhymes are the perfect length to read with busy toddlers. Silly rhymes make children giggle, and when kids enjoy the books you share together, it fosters a love of reading.
And don’t forget that many nursery rhymes beg to be acted out. Nursery rhyme books get kids up on their feet, activating listening skills and creativity as they act out their favorite songs and poems. There’s nothing better!
The benefits of reading nursery rhymes books
In addition to being delightful to read aloud, nursery rhyme books offer a host of benefits to young readers. Did you know that nursery rhymes are important for building early literacy skills?
Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re four years old, they’re usually among the best readers by the time they’re eight. –
Mem Fox, Reading Magic.
Nursery rhymes introduce children to language patterns and the rhythms of communication. The repetitive nature of nursery rhymes enhances memory development and listening skills. These catchy poems help with speech development and language acquisition, and they even help with numeracy, giving children a familiarity with numbers and words.
As if this isn’t enough, nursery rhymes are also terrific for introducing complex literary devices like onomatopoeia, alliteration, and imagery.
The nursery rhyme books on our list are broken down into classic compilations and then more “unique” books that have fun with traditional nursery rhymes, making them witty, modern and creative
So what are you waiting for? Grab some of our favorite nursery rhyme books, and share them with the special children in your life!
Frequently asked questions
Depending on who you ask and where you research, the answers vary! However, some of the most famous nursery rhymes include Hickory Dickory Dock, Little Miss Muffet, Jack and Jill, Incy-Wincey Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, and Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Nursery rhyme books have tremendous benefits for young children and are especially important for building early literacy skills. They introduce kids to language development, help enhance vocabulary, activate memory and listening skills, and even help with numeracy.
It’s hard to pick just one! I absolutely love Read to Your Baby Every Day, because it is unbelievably beautiful with each page looking like an embroidered blanket or pillow. I also love The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews for its diverse illustrations and the way it allows more children to see themselves in the pages. Both of these books are featured below.
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We love these classic nursery rhyme books!
Nursery Rhymes are pure magic when read aloud to children. They make for the perfect first stories, boost language development, and help your child fall in love with being read to each night. And if you have an older child at home – Read to Your Toddler Every Day is fabulous too, complete with 20 folk tales to read aloud. These two together are perfection!
Children around the world have forever sung famous nursery rhymes, but never before has a nursery rhyme book reflected our beautiful, multicultural population. This lovely diverse picture book, set in a city neighborhood, includes 41 favorite rhymes and features kids just like your readers in this fresh take on beloved classics.
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I adore this gentle nursery rhyme book. It features famous poems by various authors, and it contains calming illustrations set both in nature and at home. Your children will love the diverse cast of characters and the darling, sleepy animals. This is one you will turn to again and again!
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This simple, classic board book is a perfect introduction to Mother Goose and her most famous nursery rhymes. With lots of white space, clean illustrations, and large text, your little ones will love meeting famous characters in this nursery rhyme book. Even better? This is one you probably recognize from your younger days, too!
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With his trademark and unmistakable artwork, Richard Scarry introduces children to both famous and lesser-known Mother Goose rhymes in this darling collection. Kids fall in love with the animals in each illustration. It is well executed, large in size, and joyous on each page, making this a perfect nursery rhyme book for your child’s collection.
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RELATED: We’ve got a fabulous list of kindergarten read-alouds for you on Happily Ever Elephants, all of which make for great bedtime stories. Be sure to check them out!
Fun and unique spins on classic nursery rhyme books
There’s nothing like nonsense to win the day and turn a classic nursery rhyme book right on its head! This compilation is nothing short of hilarious, as beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes are completely unraveled and put back together – kind of. Laugh-out-loud funny, this book features thirty-six old rhymes that somehow become zany and new. After all, when Humpty Dumpty sits on a chair and spends his time combing just one hair, do all the king’s horses and all the king’s men really have anything to do? Fantastic!
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If you are looking for a collection of bilingual nursery rhymes, this is your book! We love the Latino spin given to these classic rhymes, and the illustrations by the award-winning Martinez-Neal are cozy and delightful. This is a fabulous multicultural nursery rhyme book that is an important addition to every bookshelf!
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Two former Children’s Laureates from the United Kingdom team up on this adorable nursery rhyme book that includes both popular and lesser-known rhymes. Perfect for reading aloud and complete with darling illustrations, your kids will fall in love with these sweet poems and learn some new rhymes at the same time.
While different from the other nursery rhyme books on this list, this story is so wonderful (and one of my all-time favorites) that I had to include it! How do you get back up when you have been knocked down really, really hard? The fear can be crippling. But if you can muster up the courage to try again, the reward can be liberating. This wonderful story about what happens after Humpty Dumpty’s great fall is nothing short of exquisite. It is the story of how Humpty has become terrified of heights, unable to do the one thing he loves most. It is moving, poignant, and so emotionally resonant, and it is the perfect story to show how we can summon the courage to face our biggest fears. This is a book I actually keep in my own bedroom and reread often because it is incredibly powerful. See our full review of After the Fall here!
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This classic book, both a seek-and-find story and an interactive dream, is a delight for young readers. Each page contains a unique poem and gives children clever clues as to the nursery rhyme or fairy tale that will come on the next page. Part riddle, part fill in the blank, and all fun, this is an interactive book that begs to be read again and again!
If you have babies or toddlers at home and you haven’t yet gotten your hands on the brilliant indestructible books that stand up to little hands and baby teeth, hurry up and change that now! This series is terrific, and there are tons of indestructible books based on nursery rhymes that we simply adore. We were always partial to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for its sweet illustrations. This is a perfect one to share with your baby before bedtime!
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In this twist on the famous Mother Goose poem Mary Had a Little Lamb, young fashionista Mary is a style icon who helps other nursery rhyme characters get their glam on. But will they be too dressed up for recess? This book, with its pitch-perfect rhyme and hilarious illustrations, is a total hoot, especially for your young fashion lovers! For more great children’s books about clothing, click here.
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We love this creative and clever spin on classic nursery rhymes. Girls are damsels in distress no longer. Georgie Porgie will not make any girl cry, Little Bo Peep would never ever lose her sheep, and Humpty Dumpty is fixed by none other than a female doctor, thank you very much. We adore this remixed nursery rhyme book, perfect for all of you raising strong girls!
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Excavators, front loaders, motor graders, oh my! Everyone’s favorite childhood song, Old MacDonald had a Farm, gets a fresh twist in this adorable, sing-sing book for all of you with kids that love construction books. Here, the animals are driving construction equipment and working on a farm at Old MacDonald’s direction. The illustrations are lively and the book will have you and your child singing some new lyrics – such as “E-I-E-I-HOE!” – for hours on end. This is also fabulous for any of your kiddos who can’t get enough books about transportation and vehicles!
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This is one of my favorite nursery rhyme books to share with my youngest students. It’s a fabulous spin on Row, Row, Row Your Boat, inviting young readers to act out the story and mimic all of the animals they see in the book as they row gently down the stream. We absolutely love this one!
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Jack B. Ninja, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the bamboo stick! This is a clever and fun spin on a classic nursery rhyme that will be treasured by your young ninjas. They will love cheering on Jack B. Ninja as he scales walls, swims stealthily through secret tunnels, and uncovers a secret treasure. But when Jack makes a mistake mid-mission, will his ninja skills help him get home undetected?
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RELATED: Do you have big kids getting ready to read at your house? Don’t miss our fantastic list of the best early reader books!
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