• Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Google Plus
  • Follow us on Pinterest
  • Follow us on Google Plus

Go Reader Go!

Expert Advice, Strategies and Resources for Raising Readers:

Menu
  • Newborn

    0 to 4 mo

  • Infant

    4 mo to 1 yr

  • Toddler

    1 to 3 yrs

  • Preschool

    3 to 5 yrs

  • Beginner

    5 to 8 yrs

  • Elementary

    8 to 11 yrs

Mini Reviews by Topic: “Bedtime, Funny, Rhyming Books”

Title: The Going-To-Bed Book

Author: Sandra Boynton

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

The Going-To-Bed BookGpoing-to-Bed-Book

What happens when it is time for a batch of zany animals to go to bed on the boat? This short, rhyming book describes the animal’s bedtime routines. The regular meter of the poem ensures that your child will eventually be able to chant along with this funny, yet soothing bedtime story.

Buy
 

Title: Seven Silly Eaters

Author: Mary Ann Hoberman

Illustrator: Marla Fraee

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

seven-silly-eaters-cover

Picky eating in a family full of siblings brings special challenges for Mrs. Peters, the dedicated mother in this rhyming picture book. Young children (and their parents) will delight in seeing how each child’s unique eating habits combine to make a wonderful birthday surprise.

Buy
 

Title: Hairy Maclary From Donaldson’s Dairy

Author: Lynley Dodd

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Hairy-Maclary-

It won’t take many reading before your child happily chants along with the regular metered rhythm of this delightful book. Detailed ink and watercolor pictures work perfectly in delivering the escapades of lovable Hairy Maclary and his canine friends. This is the first in a popular series.

Buy
 

Title: Bear Snores On

Author: Karma Wilson

Illustrator: Jane Chapman

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Bear-Snores-On

Get your child to chant the …”But the bear snores on,” while you read the rhyming words about all of the animals who party on while bear hibernates. Enjoy what happens when bear finally wakes up and finds all of the animals in his cave!

Buy
 

Title: Hippos Go Berserk!

Author: Sandra Boynton

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Hippos-Go-Berserk

Good luck finding a funnier, rhyming counting book than this Sandra Boynton classic. The rich visual detail combined with the consistent rhyming pattern will keep your child’s interest and attention for every reading of this short, colorful board book. A great early concept book for teaching counting, number sense and rhyme..

Buy
 

Title: Each Peach Pear Plum

Author: Alan Ahlberg

Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool, Beginner

Why We Love It:

Each-Peach-Pear-Plum-1

This outstanding rhyming picture book makes use of all the nursery rhymes and fairy tales you’ve read to your children. Colorful and detail-rich pictures combined with rhyming couplets presented in an I Spy format are sure to entertain and hold your child’s interest. This book should be in every child’s library.

Buy
 

Title: Little Blue Truck

Author: Alice Schertle

Illustrator: Jill McElmurry

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Little-Blue-Truck

This book hits the mark with rhyming text, sound words and detailed pictures of trucks and animals throughout. Themes of friendship and helping others delivered with a jaunty rhythm put this on the road to becoming a family favorite.

 

Buy
 

Title: Barnyard Dance

Author: Sandra Boynton

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Barnyard-dance

Stomp, clap, bow and spin along with a variety of barnyard animals in this delightful Boynton book. The rhythm, rhyme and words work perfectly and encourage bouncing and dancing—things that young children love so much.

Buy
 

Title: Llama Llama Red Pajama

Author: Anna Dewdney

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

llama-llama

Settling down for the night can be challenging for many young children including Llama llama.  After a story and kisses, Mama Llama  leaves little llama to sleep.  The separation proves too much for little llama whose imagination goes wild when mama does not immediately appear when called.  Young children will identify with little llama’s dilemma and find reassurance knowing that “ Mama Llama’s always near, even if she’s not right here.” The soothing rhythm and clever rhymes make this a hit and a favorite to recite.

Buy
 

Title: Where is the Green Sheep? Donde

Author: Mem Fox

Illustrator: Judy Horacek

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

green-sheep

Engaging and witty illustrations, repetition and rhyme make this book a must-have for any home library! This book introduces the concepts of opposites, adjectives, counting and colors while hunting for the elusive green sheep. The simple words and predictable pattern make it easy for children to finish the sentences as they read together with a parent. And the well-placed Spanish text is an additional bonus for Spanish speakers.

Buy
 

Title: Tumble Bumble

Author: Felicia Bond

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

TumbleBumble

Rhythm and rhyme make this board book so much fun to share with young children. Your little one will soon be chanting and bouncing along with the animals in the story. Simple rhyming couplets and colorful pictures with just enough details for pointing and naming will will make this book a favorite.

Buy
 

Title: Moo Baa La La La!

Author: Sandra Boynton

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

moo-baa-la

The funny pictures and words delivered in a rhythmic rhyming text make this a delightful book to read again and again. Sandra Boynton’s animals make the kind of sounds that young children love and the regular beat lends itself to a variety of activities. First published in 1982, this sturdy board has sold over 3 million copies and is Boynton’s most popular title as you will see.

Buy
 

Title: Jamberry

Author: Bruce Degan

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

jamberry

A bear and a boy go on a magical berry-picking adventure filled with ice skating elephants, a brass band of raspberry rabbits and shooting rockets. Bruce Degan’s lively illustrations, short rhymes and familiar repeats are especially enjoyable to young children.

Buy
 

Title: Guess Again

Author: Mac Barnett

Illustrator: Adam Rex

Stage(s): Preschool, Beginner, Elementary

Why We Love It:

Guess-again

Why We Love It

Four lines of rhyming text set the reader up for guessing who or what is being described in each poem. Illustrations are hilarious with super-silly surprises on every page turn.

Buy
 

Title: I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More

Author: Karen Beaumont

Illustrator: David Katrow

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool, Beginner

Why We Love It:

Ain't-Gonna-Paint

Why We Love It

Don’t be surprised if your young children laugh with delight whenever you open Karen Beaumont’s I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! Little ones giggle to see the cheeky young boy causing mayhem as he coats his house in Technicolor splashes of paint. David Catrow’s brilliant illustrations capture this wild rumpus perfectly. From beginning to end, Beaumont’s story maintains a pulsing beat and makes you want to sing it from the rooftop even after the book has been put away.

Buy
 

Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Author: Bill Martin Jr.

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Brown-Bear

Repetitive lines help children remember and become active participants during read-aloud time. And when the simple line,” …what do you see? I see a …looking at me.” is repeated on every page, it won’t take long before your child is chiming in. First published in 1967, this classic concept book features a bouncy rhyming repetition that has sparked three similarly popular concept books. Eric Carle’s colorful tissue-paper collage allows children to focus on the animal and its color.

Buy
 

Title: A House is a House for Me

Author: Mary Ann Hoberman

Illustrator: Betty Fraser

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool, Beginner, Elementary

Why We Love It:

A-House-is-a-House

“A hill is a house for an ant, an ant.

A hive is a house for a bee.

A hole is a house for a mole or a mouse

and a house is a house for me!”

This  rhythmic rhyming book explores a ride variety of different kind of shelters.  The repetitious finale to every page can be supplied by younger children  who recognize the pattern and are eager to supply the final line — and a house is a house for me! The detailed illustrations perfectly support the text and should provide great launching points for further conversation.  Older children typically enjoy creating their own versions using the books’s format.

Buy
 

Title: Iggy Peck Architect

Author: Andrea Beaty

Illustrator: David Roberts

Stage(s): Preschool, Beginner, Elementary

Why We Love It:

iggy-architect
“Young Iggy Peck is an architect,

and has been since he was two.

When he built a great tower – in only an hour –

with nothing but diapers and glue.”

With its hilarious storyline, clever text, lyrical rhyme and spectacular illustrations this book is a home library must-have. Iggy uses all sorts of unusual objects to build his masterpieces: dirty diapers, dirt clods, underwear and peaches, to name a few, and manages to save the day when a school field trip goes awry. Iggy Peck Architect is a terrific story that encourages children to think outside of the box. It is a fantastic read-aloud for kids and grown-ups alike with lots of post-reading potential for building fun.

 

Buy
 

Title: Silly Sally

Author: Audrey Wood

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Silly-Sally

This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of when “Silly Sally went to town, walking backwards, upside down.” On her jaunt to town, Sally meets some equally silly characters (a pig, dog, loon, sheep, and Neddy Buttercup) and together they have a rollicking good time.  Children will enjoy hearing this classic tale over and over. The repetition and rhyme throughout the story makes it easy for children to remember the words and read or sing along with their favorite parts.

Buy
 

Title: The Piggy in the Puddle

Author: Charlotte Pomerantz

Illustrator: James Marshall

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool, Beginner, Elementary

Why We Love It:

piggypost

Why We Love It

Just try to read this one without laughing. It cannot be done. Pick up the pace and everyone will be in stitches following young bonnet-wearing piggy who just wants to play in the mud. Despite her family’s objections, one by one, they all end up in the squishy-squashy, mooshy-squooshy, oofy-poofy mud.

Buy
 

Title: Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

Author: Sherri Duskey Rinker

Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld

Stage(s): Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

good night  construction site

Why We Love It

Read this simple rhyming story to your truck-loving child at bedtime. A variety of construction vehicles get ready to stop work so they can be ready for another day of construction fun. Detailed illustrations perfectly capture the mood and truck fun in this delightful bedtime story perfect for toddlers and preschool age children.

Buy
 

Title: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?

Author: Jane Yolen

Illustrator: Mark Teague

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool, Beginner, Elementary

Why We Love It:

How-Do-Dinosaurs-Say-Good-Night-

Why We Love It

Colorful full page illustrations with delightful rhyming text describe the bedtime antics of ten misbehaving dinosaurs. Human dinosaur parents of different ages, body types and races are shown in the book. Their reactions to the misbehaving dinosaurs make for a silly, funny and satisfying bedtime read. By story’s end, each dino becomes compliant, loving and bedtime-ready. As an added bonus, children will enjoy finding the dinosaur’s name hidden on every page.

Buy
 

Title: Good Night Moon

Author: Margaret Wise Brown

Illustrator: Clement Hurd

Stage(s): Newborn, Infant, Toddler, Preschool

Why We Love It:

Good-Night-Moon

Why We Love It

Since 1947, generations of children have been soothed to sleep by this classic bedtime tale of a bunny saying goodnight to objects in his room including “a quiet old lady whispering hush”. The language is soothing and slow with a rhyming pattern that makes the story so appealing to young children. In addition, there is a small mouse hiding on each page which is great fun for older babies and toddlers.

Buy
 

Title: Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey

Author: Emily Winfield Martin

Illustrator: By the author

Stage(s): Toddler, Preschool, Beginner

Why We Love It:

DreamAnimals

Why We Love It

Lyrical, rhyming text and luminous illustrations are perfectly paired in this magical bedtime tale. Sleeping children are drawn in black and white while their dream adventures are in dark, rich brush-stroked colors. Each child’s dream animal takes them on a colorful and magical journey in this beauty of a bedtime story.

Buy
 

Get fresh ideas, book recommendations and expert advice on raising a lifelong reader.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Mini Reviews by Topic

  • Bedtime
  • Best Read-Alouds
  • Clearly Classic
  • Concept Books
  • Feelings
  • Funny
  • Graphic Novels
  • Parenting
  • Relationships
    • Friendship
  • Rhyming Books
  • Wordless Books

Recent Blog Posts:

  • Why and How to Master Reading Aloud
  • Enrichment Activities With Children’s Books
  • Valentine’s Day Books and Activities
  • Does Re-reading Favorite Books Help Toddlers?
  • Developing Reading Stamina

Terms of Use  |  © Go Reader Go! 2023 | WPE

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Google Plus
  • Follow us on Pinterest
  • Follow us on Google Plus
  • About GRG
  • Blog
  • Q&A