In their 2008 report on “Developing Early Literacy,” the National Institute for Literacy identified six early literacy skills that are highly predictive not only of kindergarten and first grade reading success, but of later literacy achievement as well. Phonological awareness, or the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language, was one of these six important areas of instruction for children under 5. Because of its importance, parents and early childhood educators have an obligation to teach phonological awareness, including rhyming.
While direct and explicit instruction through games and other activities is necessary to help children understand rhyming, books that play with the sounds of language can be a great introduction. There is no shortage of rhyming picture books for preschoolers. The best have an easy rhythm that makes them suitable for reading aloud and don’t sacrifice plot for the sake of a forced rhyme.
Dr. Seuss’s Classic Rhyming Books
Any discussion of rhyming books for children must include, Dr. Seuss, the master of playing with the sounds of language. His 1957 masterpiece, The Cat in the Hat [Random House] still enthralls children after all of these years. The delightfully subversive Cat entertains a boy and his sister Sally on a boring rainy day with increasingly messy, chaotic, and rambunctious tricks. The Cat finally cleans up and departs, leaving the children, and the reader, to ponder what they will tell their returning mother about their day.
New Takes on Old Classics
In the preface to her re-imagining of the traditional lullaby Hush Little Baby [Chronicle Books, 1997], Sylvia Long explains that she wanted to replace the commercial, consumerist message of the original with something that celebrates the time parents and children spend together. Thus, in her version of the lullaby, a mama bunny shows her baby the wonders of nature and the world as he gets ready for bed. Children will be lulled to sleep by the tale, and parents will be brought to tears by its sweetness.
The Itsy Bitsy Spider, by Iza Trapani [Charlesbridge, 1997] is another reworking of a familiar nursery rhyme. The book starts with the traditional rhyme everybody sings in preschool, and then builds on the original with new verses and new adventures for the spider. The spider climbs walls, rocking chairs, and buckets before finally resting in a web. Children who listen to the story may be inspired to add their own verses to the song.
Of Animals and Rhymes
With its alliteration, rhythmical cadence, and recurring refrain, Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson [Margaret K. McElderry, 2002] reads like a narrative poem. While bear hibernates, other animals enter his den, one by one, to escape the cold. They each bring food or drink to share, until there is a rollicking party in bear’s lair. Everyone, including the reader, holds their breath when bear wakes up. He is disappointed to have missed the fun, but the other animals reassure him that the party goes on.
Duck in the Truck, by Jez Alborough [HarperCollins, 2000], is the first of a series of picture books about Duck, his animal friends, and their predicaments. In this instance, Duck’s truck gets stuck in the muck. Frog, Sheep, and Goat help pull the vehicle out of the mud – but not without getting sucked into the muck themselves. The book has a rollicking rhythm that begs to be read aloud, again and again.
Celebrating Differences and Acknowledging Similarities
Rhyming text in Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, by Mem Fox [Harcourt Children’s Books, 2008], reminds readers that although babies are born in many different places around the world, and although they may look different and have different experiences, all of these babies, “as everyone knows, have ten little fingers, and ten little toes.” The book presents a simple message of diversity, paired with simply expressive pictures, for the very young.
These six books are only a sampling of the wonderful variety of rhyming picture books written for a preschool audience. Use them to listen to and celebrate the sounds of language, and as a jumping off point for creating your own rhymes.
Nicole Fravel - Ms. Fravel is an educator, curriculum developer, and parent with over 15 years of experience in elementary and early childhood ...
Join the Conversation