Books based on nursery rhymes
Babies and toddlers love songs, especially those with actions. If there are pictures and books involved too, this is even better!
These books feature traditional nursery rhymes, or variations on them. Enjoy sharing them together.
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Quentin Blake's Nursery Rhyme Book
Author: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Red Fox
Interest age: 1+
Reading age: 6+This collection of lesser-known nursery rhymes from the 1950s, with lively illustrations by Quentin Blake, will introduce children to a host of intriguing characters.
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Nursery Rhymes
Author: Roger Priddy
Publisher: Priddy Books
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 4+A large board book of over 20 nursery rhymes.
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Playsongs: Grand Day Out
Author: Compiled by Sheena Roberts Illustrator: Rachel Fuller
Publisher: Playsongs Publications
Interest age: 0-3
Playsongs: Grand Day Out is a really lovely concept: a picture book full of songs and rhymes that is created for grandparents to enjoy with their grandchildren.
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Honey For You, Honey For Me
Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 1-5
A gorgeous collection of nursery rhymes and playground songs which toddlers and pre-schoolers will love joining in with.
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Sing a Song of Kindness
Author: Becky Davies Illustrator: Ciara Ni Dhuinn
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 0-5
Rediscover your favourite nursery rhymes, adapted to celebrate kindness, friendship and compassion. This gorgeous board book is beautifully illustrated by Ciara Ni Dhuinn, and every page could be put in a frame and hung on a nursery wall.
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Sing Along With Me! Five Little Ducks
Author: Yu-hsuan Huang
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 1-3
This super chunky board book edition has lovely bright illustrations for little ones to enjoy. It also has fabulous pull tabs to explore, revealing the next part of the song – the best one being a little wheel that makes the ducks swim round a pond.
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Ten Little Ducklings
Author: Lucy Rowland Illustrator: Aki
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 2-3
A delightful and interactive rhyming book for little ones which uses the Ten Little Ducklings rhyme, but invents a variety of exciting adventures for the ducklings instead, asking readers to play hide and seek with the adorable little ducks.
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The Whales on the Bus
Author: Katrina Charman Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Interest age: 1-3
Most of us might know the nursery rhyme The Wheels on the Bus, but what if there were two whales in a double decker, driven by a goldfish? Or a tiger in a glider – or a sheep in a jeep? A hilarious and gorgeously illustrated update on the best-loved nursery rhyme.
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Dwylo’n Dawnsio
Author: Editor: Erin Meek Illustrator: Sioned Medi Evans
Publisher: Lyfrau Broga
Interest age: 2-3
A fun introduction to traditional Welsh nursery rhymes, showing actions to join in with and including an English translation at the back.
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Baa Baa Black Sheep: Sing Along With Me!
Author: Yu-Hsuan Huang
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Baa Baa Black Sheep is part of the adorable Sing-Along board book series, which takes traditional songs and nursery rhymes and brings them to interactive life with sliders, tabs and QR codes to listen along online.
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Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's Play
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 4+This book is all about signing and singing-along! The clear hand movements encourage signing as well as dancing.
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This Little Piggy
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's Play
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 4+Annie Kubler’s exuberant characters tell the well-known rhyme. One child uses a supported chair.
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Mary Had a Little Lamb - Classic Books with Holes
Author: Marina Aizen
Publisher: Child's Play
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 4+One of Child's Play's delightful early years books which reflect the true diversity of society in a natural and uncontrived way.
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I'm a Little Teapot!
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Childs Play
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 5+A lively board book in which children introduce the popular rhyme and the accompanying actions. One of the children pictured has a hearing aid.
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Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's Play (International)
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 5+This is a happy book for babies and toddlers, one that no-one will be able to listen to and remain sitting still!
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Car, Car, Truck, Jeep
Author: Katrina Charman Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 0-5
Putting a new slant on an old favourite, this colourful rhyming journey to the seaside is sung to the tune of Baa, Baa, Black Sheep and showcases vehicles and transport of all kinds. Joyful, noisy and exciting.
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Pat-a-Cake!
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's play
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 4+Part of a series introducing well loved games and rhymes.
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Incey Wincey Spider
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's Play
Interest age: 1+
Reading age: 3+Part of the Sign and Singalong series of bright, colourful books featuring children showing signs and actions to accompany simple rhymes.
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Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Author: Sophie Fatus
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Interest age: 1+
Reading age: 5+A multicultural take on a familiar old nursery rhyme, which transports each familiar activity into everyday life in Britain, West Africa, India and China.
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This Little Piggy
Author: Jarvis
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 0-3
In this bright, fun counting book, pigs play bongos, eat potatoes, refuse to shower and do a fair amount of mud-swimming. Perfect for toddlers learning to count, but who maybe want a bit of fun along the way.
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Ten Fat Sausages
Author: Michelle Robinson Illustrator: Tor Freeman
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 5+Everything in this sausagey counting book works perfectly: from the big, bold illustration to the satisfying rhyme that works well for preschoolers. It will also entertain adults and older children, who will really get the silly humour.
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Humpty Dumpty
Author: Annie Kubler
Publisher: Child's Play
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 5+A simple board book featuring a well-known nursery rhyme with interactive text
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If You're Happy and You Know It!
Author: Anna McQuinn Illustrator: Sophie Fatus
Publisher: Barefoot Books
This lively and colourful retelling of a favourite action rhyme is accompanied by a fun watch and singalong CD.
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Old MacDonald Had A Phone
Author: Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-5
Part of a series of picture books with an internet safety theme, Old MacDonald Had a Phone tackles the subject of limiting screen time with Jeanne Willis’ and Tony Ross’ marvellous humour and zaniness.
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There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Author: Pam Adams
Publisher: Child's Play
One of the Classic Books-with-Holes that have been around for 30 years. This new edition is perfect for small hands and the holes in the page really draw the child through the book.
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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Author: Nicola Slater
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 0-2
All the animals are off to a jazz festival – the are deer playing clarinets, the tiger is on the trombone and the elephant is twanging a banjo! When it’s time for a singsong under the stars, what better than Twinkle, Twinkle? This musical board book, with Nicola Slater’s delightful 50s retro-feel illustrations is a lovely one whether for bedtime, playti…
