10 rhyming books to reach for (and how they support speech and language development)

I love reading and writing rhyming picture books. In fact, these days I write almost exclusively in rhyme. I love the interesting rhythms, the bounce, and the way the verses carry the reader through the story. 

Repetition, rhyme and rhythm strengthen memory and focus. They can help children to tune into the patterns of language, supporting them to remember phrases, anticipate vocabulary, and recognise sounds. 

Listening to rhyming books being read aloud helps children to develop their phonological awareness skills – the foundation for later literacy skills like reading and writing. 

Here are 10 rhyming picture books I reach for again and again, along with some of my favourite lines from them. 

‘So swim my oceans, climb my trees.
Kick my leaves into the breeze, 
Marvel at the galaxies 
And love with all your worth. 
You were born to breathe my air, 
So treat me kind and treat me fair. 
These gifts from me are yours to share. 
With all my love, the Earth’ 

‘She raced past the chimneys and took a great leap, 
But… ​“Arrgghh!” shouted Kitty. ​“Too slippy! Too steep! 
Please help me!” she yowled, clinging on by one paw,
As gems tumbled into the hands of the law.’ 

‘We even cleared the table, which I thought was pretty clever – 
Because I asked straight after if Pierre could stay forever. 
Mum stopped and thought and then she smiled… ​“Of course he can, Nabil! 
A helpful little penguin in our family sounds ideal!”

‘Listen up, loosen up to stay on track. 
Two hops forward and one hop back! 
Now challenge your mind and move side to side. 
Come on everybody, let’s do the slide!’ 

‘It hailed and it galed and the winds looped and curled. 
And they whisked Dram away to the End of the World 
Where he thumped and he bumped and went bounce, clatter, CRASH! 
And he fell in a lake with a fountainous SPLASH!’ 

‘This duck has … 9 ducklings. 
Swimming and snacking, 
Practising quacking. 
Who has more babies than that?’ 

‘Packed trains, tea trains, underneath the sea trains, 
Quick trains, slick trains, going super fast. 
Bullet trains, Rocket trains, keep them in your pocket trains. 
Hold on really tight trains, see them flying past!’ 

‘‘‘Visitors, how sweet, now would you like something to eat?” 
​“Yes!” cried the Vikings. ​“Fresh Dragon Stew!” 
They started to attack him and to poke him and to whack him 
And the dragon said, ​“Oh, really, what a NASTY thing to do!”’ 

‘Dad plays guitar with a fabulous flair. 
He ties a black band round his red spiky hair. 
Pops rocks the mic in his big platform boots. 
He certainly isn’t a dad who wears suits.’ 

‘And if the dark feels just too dark, the moon will be our light. 
I’ll be there to keep you safe all through the darkest night. 
For you can make the world light up with just the smallest smile. 
And I’ll be there to watch you shine and love you all the while. 
Yes, I’ll be there to watch you shine and love you all the while.’