Picture Books to Teach the Months of the Year

Learning the months of the year is a fun and important concept for young children. Appropriate picture books make learning the months of the year easier for young kids and also a lot more fun. As a school librarian and mother of a preschooler I am always using books to teach. Check out these librarian and mom recommended titles for teaching the months of the year.

Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak. This adorable classic by known author and illustrator Maurice Sendak of Where the Wild Things Are fame includes a simple poem for each month of the year. In addition to being a super cute story, Chicken Soup with Rice also has a song that goes along with it. Children who learn best through music may benefit from this added element of this picture book for teaching the months of the year. Just search online for the Chicken Soup with Rice song if you would like to add it to this cute book.

Here Comes the Year by Eileen Spinelli. This picture book for learning the months of the year is more complex than most. The lyrical, rhyming words for each month use descriptive adjectives and verbs to describe each month as it relates to nature. Because of the rhyming words this book is a great read-aloud choice for teaching the months of the year. This book, however, is best for older children that already have a somewhat established idea of months. The wording is too difficult for very young learners.

The Turning of the Year by Bill Martin Jr. Teachers, parents, and just about anyone who knows the first thing about children's books, knows Bill Martin Jr. as the author of the wonderful Brown Bear, Brown Bear picture book series. Martin delivers again with this great book for teaching the months of the year. Cute poems on each page give insight into what each month holds. The illustrations are lovely (though not done by Eric Carle a la Brown Bear, Brown Bear) and add to this great picture book for teaching the months of the year.

Learning the months of the year is an important concept for preschoolers or early school-aged children. Books can really help children learn the names of the months as well as what goes on during each month of the year. Check out these great picture books for teaching the months of year.