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Is your child learning the alphabet? Sharing alphabet books with children is a great way to introduce the letters of the alphabet.
Plus, reading out loud to your child helps them develop listening comprehension and oral language skills.
Below are more than 20 super awesome alphabet books your kids will love!
Looking for fun, hands-on, and multi-sensory activities to teach the alphabet? Check out my book 101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet!
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
I have to start with this book because it has been one of my favorites for a very long time. Told in a cheerful rhyme, this book features letters racing to the top of the coconut tree. But what happens when too many letters climb to the top? Chick chica boom boom!
LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
This book was another favorite in our family for a while. My kids cracked up at the pictures of peas – as in, the small green food – doing all sorts of jobs corresponding to the letters of the alphabet.
I Spy Letters by Jean Marzollo
Have you seen the I Spy series of books? When I used to teach literacy classes to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders, my students loved the I Spy series of books! If you have a child who is already familiar with the letters, this book is a great way to reinforce letter recognition while also supporting the development of visual discrimination skills.
Eric Carle’s ABC by Eric Carle
Animal lovers as well as fans of the inimitable Eric Carle will enjoy this alphabet book featuring one animal for each letter of the alphabet. Each page shows a letter in both capital form as well as lowercase form as part of the animal’s name. Some of the animals are rather obscure, but that is part of the fun.
Dr. Seuss’s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book! by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss fans will enjoy this zany alphabet book presented in true Dr. Seuss style. The rhyming text is fun and catchy, and I like how each letter is introduced in both its uppercase and lowercase forms. My only quibble is that the example words for some letters do not start with the most common sound made by the letter.
A Is for Angry: An Animal and Adjective Alphabet by Sandra Boynton
When my kids were little we owned a number of Sandra Boynton books, and I have always been a fan of her funny, quirky style. In this book, every letter of the alphabet is paired with an animal and an adjective, along with adorable illustrations. Children will enjoy an Energetic Elephant, Merry Mice, and a Rotund Rhinoceros. In addition to teaching letters, this book is also a great vocabulary builder.
Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson
This wordless book is perhaps more of an art book than an alphabet book, and its clever depiction of letters within everyday objects around New York City will delight both adults and children alike. This is a great book for children who already recognize the letters and who will enjoy the challenge of finding the letter on each page.
Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood
One night, the lowercase letters lay down to sleep when they realize that little ‘x’ has disappeared! The other letters take off on in search of little ‘x,’ and young readers will enjoy the adventure all while learning the letters.
The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta
Children who love construction vehicles will thoroughly enjoy this alphabet book that provides one construction tool for each letter of the alphabet. It would have been better if the author had chosen items to feature that start with the most common sound made by each letter (rather than “cement mixer” for ‘C’ because it does not start with the /c/ sound). Nonetheless, this book will be very engaging for construction enthusiasts.
AlphaOops!: The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis
Z is tired of always being the last letter in the alphabet family, and one day he decides to demand some changes. At first it seems that the other letters will agree, but then other letters begin demanding some changes of their own. Soon pandemonium breaks out, until finally letter A gets the last word in and brings order once again.
TouchThinkLearn: ABC by Xavier Deneux
This best part of this beautiful concept book is the tactile aspect, as every page has raised parts and cutouts that children will enjoy running their hands over. Each letter is paired with an image and word related to the letter.
The Handmade Alphabet by Laura Rankin
As someone who always had an interest in ASL, I love this simple book featuring a diverse variety of hands making the signs for each letter of the alphabet.
Firefighters A to Z by Chris L. Demarest
This alphabet book will hold a lot of appeal for young children who are obsessed with fire fighters, as my own son used to be. They will love going through the entire alphabet paired with events and items related to fighting fires.
Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
This beautifully illustrated book features a variety of foods for each letter of the alphabet. This book is a great way to introduce children to wide selection of produce. Even grownups are likely to learn about a few foods they’ve never heard of before!
The Z Was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts by Chris Van Allsburg
The concept at the heart of the book is that all 26 letters are part of a 26-act play, and something happens to each letter. For example, the ‘A’ gets buried in an avalanche, the ‘B’ was badly bitten, and so on until the end when the ‘Z’ gets zapped. The delightful illustrations make this book a winner.
Animal Alphabet: Slide and Seek the ABCs by Alex A. Lluch
This slide and seek board book will thrill toddlers and preschoolers while also providing a nice introduction to the alphabet. Each page features a durable sliding panel of an animal for each letter of the alphabet. Children will enjoy using the clues to guess what animal will appear on the next page.
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
This is a great alphabet book for kids just beginning kindergarten. It shows a variety of students (in the form of animals) all getting ready for the first day. Each animal’s name begins with a different letter of the alphabet. The illustrations also reveal that each animal also begins with a different letter of the alphabet. The rhyming text and cheerful illustrations will delight young readers.
Paul Thurlby’s Alphabet by Paul Thurlby
This book is a favorite of mine. The vintage illustrations in this book are not just delightful, they also aid children in remembering the shapes and sounds of all the letters.
Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC by June Sobel
The pirates are on the lookout for the letters of the alphabet, and young readers are invited to help spot the letters on each page. With fun pirate humor and a bit of interactivity, this book is a great choice for children who are learning the alphabet.
The Three Bears ABC by Grace Maccarone
This adorable book turns the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears into an alphabet adventure!
Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming
This sweet tale shows a team of mice constructing the alphabet, and each action they take along the way starts with a letter of the alphabet. As such, the mice airbrush the ‘A,’ button the ‘B,’ etc.
Thank you for the list.