Poetry, Song & Picture Books

Jumpstart has gathered a list of favorite children’s poetry, song, and picture books. Reading these books with young children is both a fun and engaging way to build their speaking and listening skills. Listening to and repeating poems and songs in picture books offer children and adults playful experiences with the sounds of words which play an important role in children’s literacy development.

Poetry Books

• Give Yourself to the Rain: Poems for the Very Young by Margaret Wise Brown

• Ride a Purple Pelican by Jack Prelutsky

• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

• Noisy Poems by Jill Bennett

Song & Picture Books

• Abiyoyo by Pete Seger

• Mama Don’t Allow by Thacher Hurd

• Over in the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats

• Raffi Songs to Read by Raffi