This list of animal books for kids is the perfect place to read about animals! Animals are such fascinating creatures, and kids absolutely love learning about their interesting facts and habits.
Whether you’re looking for nonfiction animal fact books, books with pictures of real animals, or animal storybooks that are perfect for a read-aloud, we’ve got you covered! And don’t forget to check out our top picks for the best preschool books!
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Best Animal Books for Kids
Nonfiction Animal Books
Nonfiction animal books are perfect for engaging children with fun facts and information about animals! Learn more about animals you already know and love, and discover some new animal friends.
Wild Animal Babies: An Alphabet Book by Katie T. Christiansen
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books by Catherine D. Hughes
Animals in the Forest by Visiting Fellow John Wood
For more great animal information, check out our lists of fun animal facts for kids!
Ocean Animal Books
Ocean animals are so fascinating to young kids…and with good reason! They live underwater, swim in the open ocean, and there are so many types of ocean animals! These fun ocean stories will have your little one begging for a trip to the sea! For even more ocean books, swim over and check out the best ocean books for kids.
The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner
Baby Beluga (Raffi Songs to Read) by Raffi
The classic Raffi song comes alive in this book with beautiful illustrations and simple song lyrics. It’s a must-have for any Raffi music lover and is such a peaceful story about a baby Beluga whale as the day comes to an end. It’s the perfect story to snuggle up and relax with for winding down at the end of the day. Read along while listening to the song!
Readers will delight in the unique clear/see-thru pages in this book that show the hidden creatures hiding behind the rocks and seagrass. Eric Carle’s classic storytelling comes to life with this vivid look at how ocean fathers care for their eggs and babies. With every turn of the page, we meet a new ocean character and learn about how the father helps the mother nurture them. This book will lead to new learning and questions and foster curiosity about ocean life!
I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
This giant squid has discovered his enormous size! He compares himself to many ocean creatures but he always seems to be the largest, until he finds himself face-to-face with a blue whale! He decides to turn his misfortune into positivity that brings humor and fun to the simple text. An easy-to-retell ocean story that will have your little reader grabbing it off the shelf and enjoying it anytime!
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Fiction Preschool Animal Books
We scoured far and wide to find the best fiction preschool animal books for kids! Full of color, humor, and rhyme, you’ll soon see why these are kid (and adult) favorites!
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do You See? By Bill Martin Jr.
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
The Hiccupotamus by Aaron Zenz
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
A Walk Through the Woods by Louise Greig
This list of best animal books is sure to be a hit with your little ones! We hope you have hours of fun reading together and laughing along with the funny animal antics. Check out our other book lists below for even more great book ideas or check out our entire list of best preschool books!
Best of Books
- Best Farm Animal Books
- Best Ocean Books for Kids
- Best Read-Aloud Preschool Books
- Best Rhyming Books for Kids
- Best Yoga Books for Kids
Books for Social/Emotional Growth
- Powerful Preschool Books that Celebrate and Accept Differences
- Books on Kindness
- Books that Teach Gratitude and Thankfulness for Kids
- Books About School for Kids
Seasonal Books
- Pumpkin Books Perfect for Reading this Fall
- Fantastic Fall Books for Preschoolers
- Not So Scary Monster Books for Kids
- Winter Books
- April Preschool Themes You’ll Love! - March 21, 2023
- March Preschool Themes - February 22, 2023
- Alliteration Activities - August 26, 2022
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