Raffi
Down By the Bay
A favorite with all children and
great for rhyming. Leave off the last
word of each rhyme as you
sing, and let the children fill it in
(They will know what the word is from the illustration).
Five
Little Ducks
I love the
way this version ends, explaining why the ducks went away!
Spider on the Floor
Fun illustrations with lots of white space, and a good choice for reading
(and singing) with a group
The Wheels on the Bus
Nadine Bernard Westcot
(many have been illustrated by Mary Ann Hoberman
Bill Groagan’s Goat
Down By the Bay
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Miss Mary Mack
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Skip to My Lou
The Eensy Weensy Spider
The Lady With the Alligator Purse
There Once Was a Man Named Michael Finnegan
There’s a Hole in My Bucket
Yankee Doodle
|
Iza Trapani
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
How Much is that Doggy in the Window
I’m a Little Teapot
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
Jingle Bells
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Shoo Fly
The Bear Went Over the Mountain
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Jane Cabrera
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
The Wheels on the Bus
One Two Buckle My Shoe
If You’re Happy and YouKnow It
Old Macdonald Had A Farm
Ten in Bed
Over in the Meadow
Old Mother Hubbard
|
I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a
Fly
There are so many versions of I that they deserve their own list! There’s one for just
about any topic or theme you could
imagine, and having a
familiar melody makes it a popular choice. Most of these are not
on the alphabetical list.
I Know an
Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, by Mary Ann Hoberman
I Know an
Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat, by Lucille Colandro
I Know an
Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, by Alison Jackson\
There Was a
Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea, by Jennifer Ward
There Was
an Odd Princess Who Swallowed a Pea, by Jennifer Ward
There Was
an Old fly Who Swallowed a Lady, by Jason Pierce\
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell, by Lucille Colandro
There was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick, by Lucille
Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover, by Lucille
Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, by Pam Adams (book
with holes)
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose, by Lucille Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell, by Lucille
Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Trout, by Teri Sloat
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books, by Lucille
Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Bugs, by Johnette
Downing
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves, by Lucille
Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow, by Lucille
Colandro
There Was
an Old Lady Who Swallowed the Sea, by Pam Adams
There Was
an Old Monkey Who Swallowed a Frog, by Jennifer Ward
There Was an Old
Monster, by Rebeccas Emberley
There
Was an Old Pirate Who Swallowed a Fish, by Jennifer
Ward
Picture Books Based on
Traditional Songs
(Alphabetically listed)
12 Days of Christmas, by
Rachel Isadora
Set in Africa, this beautiful
rendition of the classic Christmas carol has a unique twist:
colorful icons illustrate the various gifts repeated in each
verse of this cumulative song, creating a rebus-style text that
gives young children a fun way to follow along and chime in with
the lyrics. The gorgeous, wonderfully detailed collage
illustrations, comprised of colorful kente cloth and cut paper,
feature tribal drummers and dancers, traditional clothing and
native wildlife, making every scene as visually striking as the
last.
A Hunting We Will Go, by
John Langstaff
“We'll catch a fox and
put him in a box, and then we'll let him go!”
So begins this rollicking folk song that has delighted
generations of children and inspired them to make up their own
verses. John Langstaff has selected some of the most popular
stanzas, both old and new, that are sure to bring out smiles and
giggles. Nancy Winslow Parker's pictures join in the fun as a
band of intrepid children hunt for the fox, a skunk, and even a
brontosaurus with wildly silly results.- School Library
Journal.
Boy on the Bus by Penny Dale
A comically-crowded bus carries a
furry, feathered cast of characters in a familiar sing-along
with a funny farmyard twist.
Down By the Bay,
illustrated by Nadine Westcott (many others by this illustrator)
A family on quiet a trip as
they row their boat through the rain and stop for a picnic along
the way. Lots of new words, so great for vocabulary!
Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee
The cartoon illustrations are bright
and cheerful, with each new animal being individually introduced
on a double-page spread, then joining the other animals under
"yonder tree" in the succeeding double-page layouta design
device that reinforces the rhythm and balance of the song
itself.
Croaky Pokey by Ethan Long
Don't miss the froggy fun in
this hopping and bopping version of a favorite traditional song
and game.
Five Little Ducks
illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey,
One of Raffi’s “Songs to Read”
Five Little Ducks, by Penny
Ives
Bouncy illustrations, innovative die
cutting and popular rhymes make Books with Holes a must for
every child. Available in three formats, suitable for babies,
toddlers, pre-schoolers and the nursery or classroom.
Go Tell Aunt Rhody illustrated by Aliki (many
others by this illustrator)
Hickory Dickory Dock by
Keith Baker
Keith Baker displays his trademark
flair for color, movement, and rhythm in this vibrant adaptation
of the familiar nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock. This twist
on an old favorite features some serious antics on the part of a
busy little mouse. As a huge grandfather clock strikes each hour
from one o' clock in the afternoon to midnight, a different
animal passes by, and the mouse has a funny interaction with
each of them.
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More,
by Karen Beaumont
A dab of blue here, a splash of red
there, a goopy smear of green . . . everywhere. To the tune of
"It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," one creative kid floods his world
with color, painting first the walls, then the ceiling, then
HIMSELF! Before this feisty artist is through, he'll have
painted his head, back, hands, legs, feet, and . . . Oh no--here
comes Mama!
If You’re a Monster and You Know It,
by Ed Emberly
Children will stomp their paws,
twitch their tails, snort and growl, and wiggle and wriggle
along with this bright and bold picture book twist on "If You're
Happy and You Know It." Rebecca Emberley has written a
rollicking text, which she has illustrated in collaboration with
her father, Caldecott Medalist Ed Emberley.
I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a
Cello, by Barbara Garriel, illustrated by John
O-Brien This book is a real
tongue-twister filled with orchestral instruments and new words.
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie,
by Alison Jackson
This very silly version of the old
favorite the traditional favorite, and perfect for Thanksgiving.
Jo MacDonald Had a Pond, by
Mary Quattlebaum
Old MacDonald had a . . . pond?
Yes! Come along with Jo MacDonald
and learn about the wild creatures at the farm pond. You'll find
fish, frogs, ducks and a few surprises. This delightful riff on
Old MacDonald Had a Farm playfully introduces youngsters to the
concept of ecosystems.
Old Macdonald Had a Workshop,
by Lisa Shulman
Any tool-loving child will love this
version of the traditional song where Old MacDonald is a
carpenter sheep who get the other animals to help her out with
her projects!
Old MacDonald’s Farm, by
Jessica Sounami
Although this is out of print it’s
totally worth hunting down! Combines vehicles and animals in a
lift-the-flap book of surprises! Bright simple illustraitions
and clear bold text make it perfect for early literacy with one
child on a lap, or a group read-aloud.
Row Row Row Your Boat,
illustrated by Iza Trapani
PreSchool-Gr-1-Clever
additional verses make this classic song splendidly unique. With
soft watercolors, Trapani depicts a cuddly bear family and pet
pup on a boat excursion. They start off leisurely in bright
sunshine but soon encounter fallen oars, rapids, and a beaver
dam. Stopping for a picnic lunch, they enjoy their meal with all
of the forest animals who are "Chomping, snacking, slurping,
smacking/What a noisy bunch!" Returning to the boat, they run
into bad weather and hurry back to shore. "Raining, hailing,
wind is wailing/Hear the thunder roar!" Children will enjoy the
rhyming, alliterative language energized by strings of gerunds.
Every original verse perfectly matches the traditional melody,
and each picture illustrates the action with warmth, excitement,
and humor. The music with all of the verses is printed on the
last page. Trapani has transformed a simple little song into a
delightful adventure.- School Library Journal
She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain,
by Jonathan Emmett
This classic song has brand-new
verses and enough "tee-hees", "toot-toots", and "squish-splats"
to keep kids singin', shoutin', and readin' again and again.
Spider on the Floor,
illustrated by True Kelley One of Raffi’s “Songs to Read”
series.
As the spider moves from the floor
up the character’s body, a variety of improbable animals get
caught on the grwoing web,and children can place their pretend
spiders on their own bodies as they follow along.
The Bear Went Over the Mountain,
illustrated by Iza Trapani
This wonderful and clever
version of the traditional song has additional verses for the
five senses and the fours seasons. Lots of new words, so it’s a
great addition to the classroom and the home.
The Farmer In the Dell,
illustrated by Kathy Parkinson
Illustrations follow but extend the
original lyrics with sweetness and humor.
The Itsy Bitsy Spider, by
Iza Trapani ( many other story song books by this author)
Additional verses take the spider on
a fun adventure until at last he ends up napping in his web in
the sun. A great read to share with a group or one child.
The Lady With the Alligator Purse,
illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
The Spooky Wheels on the Bus,
by J. Elizabeth Mills.
Count from one to ten goofy ghosts
as this Halloween ride races through town picking up a few
unsuspecting passengers along the way.
The Seals on the Bus,
by Lenny Hort
The animals get out of control on
this silly bus ride sung to the familiar tune.
The Wheels on the Bus by Raffi and Sylvie Wickstrom one of the
“Raffi Songs to Read” series
The Wheels on the Bus,
illustrated by Annie Kubler
There Was a Tree, by Rachel
Isadora
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a
Fly, by Pam Adams
12 (Twelve) Days of Christmas,
by Rachel Isadora
Set in Africa, this beautiful
rendition of the classic Christmas carol has a unique twist:
colorful icons illustrate the various gifts repeated in each
verse of this cumulative song, creating a rebus-style text that
gives young children a fun way to follow along and chime in with
the lyrics. The gorgeous, wonderfully detailed collage
illustrations, comprised of colorful kente cloth and cut paper,
feature tribal drummers and dancers, traditional clothing and
native wildlife, making every scene as visually striking as the
last.
Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star,
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
This is an exquisite version of one
of the most important children’s songs of all time. Pinkney has
stayed true to the original lyrics with a couple of minor
execeptions driven by his illustrations). It is my new favorite
version of this sweet and magical song. Be sure to read the
artist note in the back.
Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star,
by Iza Trapani
The magical tale of a young
heroine who wishes upon a mischievous, twinkling star. Granting
her wish, the little star takes her on a dazzling journey
through the swirling, iridescent lights of the night sky.
What Shall We Do When We All Go Out,
illustrated by Shari Halpern
Great book for the youngest
children with simple clear illustrations
ADDITIONAL
TIPS |
Look
online or at your library for the following traditional
songs to find several versions.
Each
version will have unique illustrations and most take the
song beyond the traditional lyrics. |
Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star
The Wheels on the Bus
The Eensy Weensy Spider / The Isty Bitsy Spider |
Mary Had a
Little Lamb
She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
The Ants Go Marching One by One |