Best Books for 2 to 5 years old: Alphabet, Rhyming, Alliteration, and Picture Books that Help Toddlers Develop Pre-reading Skills

Looking for the best books for two to five years old to help them develop pre-reading skills?

Reading aloud is a super powerful tool for early literacy. Sharing stories together helps children learn new vocabulary, familiarize with the sounds in words and language patterns, and develop a love for books.

To make it easier for you, I’ve curated a list of favorite books for toddlers and pre-schoolers! Rhyming, alliteration, ABC-focused stories, picture books… These books are designed to capture your child’s interest while supporting essential pre-reading skills.

Every child is different, so whether you are looking for silly rhymes, playful ABCs, or colorful read-aloud stories, there’s something here for every kid from two to five years old!

Let’s go!

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Alphabet & ABC Books

ABC books are a wonderful way to introduce toddlers and preschoolers to letters and sounds in a fun way.

Here are some of my top picks:

Dr. Seuss’s ABC, by Dr. Seuss

This is a beloved classic that has been enjoyed by generations. It’s full of silly rhymes, quirky illustrations, and tongue-twisting fun that keeps kids laughing and engaged.

That said, as someone who spends a lot of time thinking about how children learn to read, I do want to add a small caveat: some of the words chosen as letter examples aren’t ideal for beginners. For instance, the letter C is introduced with camel on the ceiling (which uses the soft /s/ sound for the letter “c”–not the first sound I’d choose to teach for this letter), and the letter E with ear (which, again, doesn’t represent the short /e/ sound most programs start with, and I’d personally begin with).

I don’t rule it out entirely, since I’ve only noticed this issue with a handful of words, and I have to admit it… I am a big fan of Dr Seuss’s playful style! However, I probably wouldn’t rely on it as my one and only ABC book.

The ABC Sound Book: Playful Phonics Stories for Every Letter, by Laura Diaz

What if learning the ABCs became your child’s favorite time of the day?

The ABC Sound Book makes learning letter sounds exciting and memorable. Each letter gets its own rhyming story, highlighting sounds in a fun and catchy way.

With captivating storytelling and beautiful illustrations, children naturally tune into letter sounds and language patterns… all while having fun and bonding with an adult!

Here’s a little taste from the Letter “C” story:

“Calvin the cat loved cookies galore.
He’d curl up and snack,
And then curl up some more.“

While most alphabet books focus more on letter names, this one places special emphasis on the foundation of reading… letter sounds!

On top of that, it also naturally builds your child’s phonological awareness skills thanks to its rhyming style—another key pre-reading skill.

Ok, I know I’m biased (I’m the author, and I’ve poured my heart and soul into this book), but I truly believe it’s a valuable resource for teaching the alphabet and its sounds.

To my knowledge, there really isn’t another ABC book for ages two to five that highlights letter sounds and phonics preparation quite like this one—so I wrote the book I wished existed!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault

A lively, rhythmic story where letters race up a coconut tree!

This book is great for teaching letter recognition and sequencing, with bold illustrations, and a fun read-aloud style that keeps children engaged.

Building alphabet recognition is another important pre-reading skill, and this book does a very good job of helping kids become familiar with the letters of the alphabet.

It doesn’t focus as much on letter sounds as the previous options—it’s more about learning the alphabet itself.

Rhyming books

Rhyming books are more than just fun to read aloud: they play a key role in developing phonological awareness, an extremely important pre-reading skill.

When children hear and predict rhymes, they begin to familiarize with language patterns naturally. This ability prepares them for future reading instruction.

Rhyming also strengthens memory and makes language playful, keeping kids engaged.

So, let’s take a look at some excellent rhyming books for young children!

Oi Frog! Series, by Kes Gray and Jim Field

Simply hilarious!

Their silly rhymes and quirky characters make them wildly funny for children (and parents—at least if you share my sense of humor). We’ve read them over and over… and over!

Beyond the laughter, these books are great for building phonological awareness. The rhyming patterns strengthen children’s ability to hear and play with sounds.

I actually thought we had the entire collection in the series, but while writing this article, I’ve discovered we’re still missing out on a couple of titles…

In our case, we bought the books one at a time, and my kids kept asking for the next one. However, if you are ready for entire series, you normally get a better deal when you bundle up!

The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson

A beloved classic!

With its witty and clever storytelling, this book keeps little ones hooked from start to finish, while the playful rhyming text makes it a joy to read aloud.

The rhythm flows naturally, so children quickly catch on, which is wonderful for building phonological awareness and early pre-reading skills.

Beyond the language play, The Gruffalo also carries valuable life lessons. It teaches children that intelligence, creativity, and resourcefulness can be more powerful than size or strength.

The story follows a clever little mouse on a stroll that encounters a series of hungry predators. The mouse invents the terrifying Gruffalo to scare off danger, and just when the story seems predictable… I won’t tell you anymore! You’ll have to read it!

And if you like Julia Donaldson’s style, this is another great rhyming book by the same author: The Smartest Giant in Town!

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Diary, by Lynley Dodd.

A true classroom favorite in the UK, Australia and New Zealand!

The rhythmic language and repeating patterns used in the story make these doggie adventures enchanting to young readers, while building their phonological awareness skills.

The story is all about dogs being dogs, meeting in the park, and facing their enemy—the toughest tom cat in town, Scarface Claw.

If you like this book , you may also want to explore the rest of the books in the Hairy Maclary and Friends series!

Every read strengthens listening, sound recognition, and memory, all while keeping the experience fun and engaging!

Dr. Seuss’ books

These timeless classics need no introduction!

Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, The Cat in the Hat, Fox in Socks… You know the drill…

With their playful rhymes, tongue-twisters, and lively illustrations, Dr. Seuss’ books are a joy to read aloud, but also an excellent tool for building early literacy skills!

Each read strengthens listening, sound recognition, and memory, all while keeping learning playful and fun.

Dr. Seuss’ wrote and illustrated around 45 children’s books (I say “around” because after checking different sources, I’ve realized they don’t seem to agree on the exact figure).

Anyway, these are my favorite Dr. Seuss’ titles for this early age to help children develop phonological awareness skills:

Dr Seuss’ ABC
Hop on Pop
Green Eggs and Ham
The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
One Fish, Two Fish, Blue Fish, Red Fish
Oh Say You Can Say?
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
Fox in Socks
The Foot Book
What Pet Should I get?
Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

You may have noticed… I am personally a big fan of Dr. Seuss’ style. I appreciate the tongue-twisters, the made-up words, and “surreal” tone. And, in my experience, most kids love Dr Seuss’ stories too!

Giraffes Can’t Dance, by Giles Andredae and Guy Parker-Rees

A sweet feel-good story about self-acceptance and confidence. Gerald the giraffe learns that everyone can dance to their own rhythm…

Full of playful rhymes, beautiful illustrations, and an important lesson to learn: everyone can dance to their own rhythm!

Another great book to build phonological awareness while keeping children engaged!

Alliteration Books

Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of closely connected words, such as “Sally sells seashells by the seashore.”

Alliteration helps children tune into initial sounds, and help build their sound awareness skills!

So, for young children, these playful tongue-twisters are more than just fun… they are a wonderful pre-reading tool!

And the best part? Kids love it! Alliterative stories and poems feel like a game, so children are learning without even realizing it.

The ABC Sound Book: Playful Phonics Stories for Every Letter by Laura Diaz

Again, I have to mention the The ABC Sound Book: Playful Phonics Stories for Every Letter, as it teaches the ABCs through fun and playful alliterative rhyming stories.

You’ll see the letter sounds come to life! The 26 stories in this book are not only full of sound repetition and rhymes, but also laughter, surprises, and gentle life lessons.

Some Smug Slug by Pamela Duncan Edwards

A clever and beautifully illustrated picture book where almost every word starts with the /s/ sound!

It’s a tongue-twisting, giggle-inducing read. Kids will love the surprise ending.

Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss

Again, I need to mention Dr. Seuss in this list! Packed with tongue-twisting alliterative lines. Fun and chaotic… in the best possible way!

Many Marvelous Monsters by Ed Heck​

A colorful and silly book that introduces kids to monsters and new vocabulary through clever alliteration.​

Clara Caterpillar by Pamela Duncan Edwards​

A beautifully illustrated story about courage and individuality, filled with the repetition of the hard /k/ sound for the letter “C.”​

Picture Books

High-quality picture books combine rich language, engaging illustrations, and imaginative storytelling to create an immersive experience for children.

Children begin to understand how stories flow, how print carries meaning, and how books work.

They also help build children’s vocabulary (key pre-reading skill), practice sequencing (beginning, middle, end), and strengthen reading comprehension.

Beyond the academic benefits, picture books nurture creativity and spark curiosity.

There are so many of them that I could never be comprehensive enough, but these are some of my favorite picture books for kids this age (2 to 5 years old).

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen ​

A heartwarming story about kindness, friendship, rule-following (or not!), and the quiet power of libraries…

There’s something about this book that takes me right back to my childhood, and I think that’s part of why I love it so much!

I’ve always loved the unique dynamics of libraries, and maybe that’s why this story resonates with me so deeply.

One of my all-time favorites, no doubt about it!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle ​

This is the ultimate classic with simple repetitive text, days of the week, counting, and a surprise ending…

Perfect for babies, toddlers and preschoolers!

The illustrations are beautiful and bright, and what else can I say? Some books will probably never got out fashion… and that’s the way it should be!

The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland

A funny and enchanting tale about friendship, The Very Cranky Bear introduces children to a grumpy bear whose peace is interrupted by a group of cheerful animal friends.

I could have also included this one in the “Rhyming Books” category, because it’s full of rhythm and writing with a rhyming style.

I love the message this book carries too… true friendship means looking beyond yourself and finding ways to help others!

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

A laugh-out-loud, interactive story that lets kids practice saying “NO!”

The bus driver is on a break, and the pigeon desperately wants to drive the bus… but you can’t let him!

Sound familiar? Children often feel the urge to do something, only to hear a firm NO! NO! NO! Now it’s their turn to say “no” and have fun doing it.

Quirky, hilarious, and full of playful moments, this is the perfect book for laughs, and for teaching kids the power of saying “no.”

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

A clever and creative picture book told from the perspective of tired and frustrated crayons that decide to quit.

This book is great fun, but it’s also meaningful. It encourages conversations about feelings and emotions, all while having a good laugh!

And guess what? The illustrations in the book are all painted with crayons! It couldn’t be any other way!

What’s Next?

The selection of books we’ve covered to today is mainly for ages 2 – 5, or even 2-6, and to be read to.

Remember we’ve seen books to help:

• Learn the Alphabet and the Letter Sounds
• Build Phonological Awareness (Rhyming Books)
• Build Phonemic Awareness (Alliterative Books)
• Foster a love for reading through beautiful and engaging stories.
• Do all of the above!

What are the next steps when it comes to book selection?

Once your child is already set for independent reading, I recommend you start introducing decodable books (books with text that your child can easily read just phonetically, as opposed to guessing words by relying on visual cues or the context), while you still continue to read to your child more complex books.

If you want to learn more about decodable books, I recommend you read this article, or this article for a list of high-quality decodable books.

After finishing with the decodable readers stage, your child should be ready to read beginner readers book independently… but that would be a whole new article!