98 books like My Very Own Nursery Rhymes

By Thea Hay, Patricia Pessoa (illustrator),

Here are 98 books that My Very Own Nursery Rhymes fans have personally recommended if you like My Very Own Nursery Rhymes. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of Goodnight Little Me

Maia Haag Author Of My Very Own Name

From my list on personalized bedtime storybooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

Maia Haag is the president and co-founder of I See Me! Personalized Books & Gifts. She had the idea to write her own personalized children’s book while on maternity leave. She and her husband, who is a graphic designer, published My Very Own Name, which launched their company. Maia has written over ten engaging, uniquely personalized stories that make each child feel special. She’s even written a personalized book for dog lovers If My Dog Could Talk—based on her own family pet!

Maia's book list on personalized bedtime storybooks

Maia Haag Why did Maia love this book?

This beautifully illustrated, personalized book features your child’s names in the illustrations and throughout the story. I’ve found that both parents and children are captivated by the fanciful illustrations, and it makes a perfect bedtime story. I frequently give this book as a keepsake new baby gift, and I receive rave reviews from parents.

Book cover of The Magic in Me

Maia Haag Author Of My Very Own Name

From my list on personalized bedtime storybooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

Maia Haag is the president and co-founder of I See Me! Personalized Books & Gifts. She had the idea to write her own personalized children’s book while on maternity leave. She and her husband, who is a graphic designer, published My Very Own Name, which launched their company. Maia has written over ten engaging, uniquely personalized stories that make each child feel special. She’s even written a personalized book for dog lovers If My Dog Could Talk—based on her own family pet!

Maia's book list on personalized bedtime storybooks

Maia Haag Why did Maia love this book?

It’s more important than ever for young children to learn to value and celebrate what makes each of us unique and different. This personalized story teaches your child to value what makes him or her special. The story also teaches your child to love and appreciate the diversity that children across the world bring to make the world a vibrant place: different languages that we speak, hobbies that we have, various skin tones, different hairstyles, and different ways that we love other people. 

By Timi Bliss, Kamala Nair (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Magic in Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of My Little Book of Blessings

Maia Haag Author Of My Very Own Name

From my list on personalized bedtime storybooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

Maia Haag is the president and co-founder of I See Me! Personalized Books & Gifts. She had the idea to write her own personalized children’s book while on maternity leave. She and her husband, who is a graphic designer, published My Very Own Name, which launched their company. Maia has written over ten engaging, uniquely personalized stories that make each child feel special. She’s even written a personalized book for dog lovers If My Dog Could Talk—based on her own family pet!

Maia's book list on personalized bedtime storybooks

Maia Haag Why did Maia love this book?

I give this personalized book as a baptism gift, and both the parents and kids love it. This beautifully illustrated book is a collection of ten daily blessings written in rhyme and personalized with the child’s name. You can also include a photo to be printed in the book, and the story includes up to 8 family members’ names and 4 friends’ names. Parents love reading this bedtime storybook to their children because it is about having gratitude for the blessings of this world.

Book cover of Who Loves Me?

Maia Haag Author Of My Very Own Name

From my list on personalized bedtime storybooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

Maia Haag is the president and co-founder of I See Me! Personalized Books & Gifts. She had the idea to write her own personalized children’s book while on maternity leave. She and her husband, who is a graphic designer, published My Very Own Name, which launched their company. Maia has written over ten engaging, uniquely personalized stories that make each child feel special. She’s even written a personalized book for dog lovers If My Dog Could Talk—based on her own family pet!

Maia's book list on personalized bedtime storybooks

Maia Haag Why did Maia love this book?

This personalized storybook is soothing to young children because it shares the names of everyone who loves the child. When you order the book, you’ll provide the names of family members, relatives, and even the family pet, and the book will feature rhymes about how much those people adore your child. 

By Jennifer Dewing, Maria Carluccio (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Who Loves Me? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Monster Goose

Iza Trapani Author Of Haunted Party

From my list on rhyming Halloween books for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

Born in Poland, I have fond memories of sitting on my Grandma’s lap listening to stories and poems. A favorite poem was about a crow who ate Swiss cheese and only left the holes. The concept made my noggin spin and spurred my imagination. When I immigrated to the U.S. at age seven, I learned English by reading a Mother Goose collection. Captivated by the fun rhyming sounds and art, I dreamed of making children’s books someday. Years later, my dream came true, I became an author/illustrator, with the majority of my books being extensions of the nursery rhymes which inspired me when I was a child. 

Iza's book list on rhyming Halloween books for children

Iza Trapani Why did Iza love this book?

Judy Sierra, author of Wild About Books, is a brilliant rhymer. With a spot-on meter, witty wordplay, and humor, she creates enchanting poems. Monster Goose is a hilarious, slightly eerie but fun poetry collection featuring well-known nursery rhyme characters. The short verses, some of which are a bit gory, are sure to elicit some playful “yuks” and “eews.” Jack E. Davis’s illustrations are a  perfect match with their googly-eyed, silly characters. 

By Judy Sierra, Jack E. Davis (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Monster Goose as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Old Monster Goose has turned Mother Goose's world of nursery rhymes inside out! Here she presents twenty-five deliciously disgusting poems, filled with rodents and maggots, zombies and ghouls, spiders, and of course, monsters.Book Details:Format: PaperbackPublication Date: 9/1/2005Pages: 56Reading Level: Age 5 and Up


Book cover of The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon

Barbara Lehman Author Of Little Red and the Cat Who Loved Cake

From my list on upcycled tales for children all told with a twist.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love the experience of reading a book that combines a known (to me or not!) story combined with elements that make it new again. It could be a parody, a “fractured fairy tale,” or a new retelling, funny or serious. For my book Little Red and the Cat Who Loved Cake, I read so many nursery rhymes and fairy tales in order to populate the town with fun versions of recognizable characters for Little Red to encounter, it makes me appreciate these books even more.

Barbara's book list on upcycled tales for children all told with a twist

Barbara Lehman Why did Barbara love this book?

The author/illustrator of the truly hilarious Traction man is here! answers the burning question I know I have always had: what happened after the dish and spoon ran away? Spirited illustration and a rollicking storyline imagine the fate of the runaway kitchenware, leading to a final redemption after many wild adventures. A reminder that peripheral characters can have complex lives too.

By Mini Grey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

Hey Diddle Diddle
The Cat and the Fiddle
The Cow jumped over the Moon.
The Little Dog laughed
To see such fun
And the Dish ran away with the Spoon

That's the bit we know - but have you ever wondered what happened next? Mini Grey, the creator of such favourites as Biscuit Bear and The Pea and the Princess, has this brilliantly funny and wonderfully inventive suggestion, narrated by one of the principal players - the Spoon himself.

Part love story, part crime caper, The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon is the rags-to-riches and back again tale…


Book cover of The Fourth Bear

Victoria Pearson Author Of Once Upon A Twisted Fairytale

From my list on dark fairytales.

Why am I passionate about this?

GK Chesterton reportedly said that "fairytales are more than true: not because they teach us that dragons are real, but because they teach us dragons can be beaten." This rings true to me; I've been fascinated by the darker side of fairytales since childhood, when I used them to escape and make sense of my own dark experiences. Stories that began as oral traditions are my favourite, a blend of entertainment for long nights around a fire, and cautionary tales that teach us to fear the wolf, and beware of that which seems too good to be true. Old stories teach us what it means to be human. I hope you enjoy these.

Victoria's book list on dark fairytales

Victoria Pearson Why did Victoria love this book?

The Fourth Bear is possibly too light to be included in a list of dark fairytales, but the main character is a classic, almost noir type detective, so maybe it's ok. Nursery Crime Division, to be exact. I think Jasper Fforde may be to blame for my desire to write Jack and the Beanstalk as a dark gritty courtroom drama (maybe one day!), he blends genres together so seamlessly, and I long to be able to do it as well as he does. There's a terrifying serial killer on the loose, and I was as on the edge of my seat as I am with any thriller, even though I knew that killer was The Gingerbread Man. It follows the plot of a standard police procedural/thriller, while including Punch and Judy, Goldilocks, an illegal porridge ring, and a murderous biscuit....or is The Gingerbread Man a cake? I absolutely adore the…

By Jasper Fforde,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Fourth Bear as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Return to the world of the Nursery Crime Division in this novel from Jasper Fforde, the New York Times bestselling author of the Thursday Next series and The Constant Rabbit

The inimitable Jasper Fforde gives readers another delightful mash-up of detective fiction and nursery rhyme, returning to those mean streets where no character is innocent. The Gingerbreadman-sadist, psychopath, cookie-is on the loose in Reading, but that's not who Detective Jack Spratt and Sergeant Mary Mary are after. Instead, they've been demoted to searching for missing journalist "Goldy" Hatchett. The last witnesses to see her alive were the reclusive Three Bears,…


Book cover of Good Night, Sleep Tight

Alys Mendus Author Of Searching for the Ideal School Around the World: School Tourism and Performative Autoethnographic-We

From my list on picture books for a 2.5 year old.

Why am I passionate about this?

With our 2.5-year-old we read all the time. She is a great critic, letting us know if the book is to be read ‘again’ or to be put ‘away!’ As well as a PhD in Education, I am also a trained teacher, having worked with preschoolers running Steiner Waldorf inspired parent and child groups and playgroups, so I am fascinated by the power of story. I try and choose books that are inclusive and age-appropriate, keeping the child in a magical space, as well as allowing for lots of laughs! I also love to share books that I am happy to read three times in a row!

Alys' book list on picture books for a 2.5 year old

Alys Mendus Why did Alys love this book?

We adore this book and know it all off by heart! Our 2.5 year old can often be spotted sitting ‘reading’ this book to herself, reciting the poems! The simple repetitive story tells the tale of a babysitter (Skinny Doug – although for some reason he has always been known as Lanky Dave in our house!) singing nursery rhymes to Bonnie and Ben, the children he is looking after. Such a lovely book to share and we have even added in our own extra nursery rhymes for the picture of the moon at the end. Judy Horacek’s bright and cheerful and inclusive artwork makes this a family classic.

By Mem Fox, Judy Horacek (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Good Night, Sleep Tight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Already a bestseller as a picture book, Good Night, Sleep Tight from Mem Fox and Judy Horacek, the creators of Australia's bestseller, Where is the Green Sheep? is now a beautiful board book. Incorporating timeless nursery rhymes, this charming bedtime tale creates a wonderful, whimsical world, which young children will enjoy again and again.


Book cover of What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Amika Kroll Author Of Strut, Baby, Strut

From my list on encouraging girls to pursue self determination.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love getting lost in books because I get to experience more adventures than I could possibly fit into one lifetime. Books invite the exploration of limitless possibilities—for everyone. When a book can fire my imagination, make me feel a connection, or just make me think deeplythat’s magic, whether it was meant to be fiction or not. I want to write books that do that for others. For this list specifically, I wanted to pick books that encourage girls to embrace the notions that they are allowed to dream really big dreams, that the goals they set for themselves are worth pursuing, and that we all deserve room to be our authentic selves.

Amika's book list on encouraging girls to pursue self determination

Amika Kroll Why did Amika love this book?

I found that many of the nursery rhymes in this book are very familiar, except…something is a little different. Georgie Porgie is no longer kissing the girls and making them cry, Little Miss Muffett is a heck of a lot tougher, and Mary, Mary quite contrary is embracing her right to change her mind. That’s right, these classic mini-stories have been revamped to have the female characters taking charge and living their best lives. Some nursery rhymes can be outdated and upsetting, but I say "don’t throw the baby out with the bath water." I think keeping the things about nursery rhymes that promote early literacy but changing up the words to reflect our values is a very cool way to carry the old rhymes into this century.

By Jeanne Willis, Isabelle Follath (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What Are Little Girls Made Of? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Think you know your nursery rhymes? Then think again! In this witty reworking of some nursery rhymes, Georgie Porgie doesn’t dare to make the girls cry, Little Bo-Peep’s sheep are all present and accounted for, thank you, and it’s a female doctor, of course, who fixes Humpty Dumpty. With the combination of clever rhymes and charming, witty illustrations, this remixed nursery rhyme collection is the perfect gift book for any child (or adult!), to read aloud or enjoy alone.


Book cover of Mother Ghost: Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters

Tracy C. Gold Author Of Trick or Treat, Bugs to Eat

From my list on Halloween picture books with cute illustrations.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a huge fan of Halloween and love decorating my porch to greet our neighborhood kids. This past year I gave away a couple dozen copies of my own picture books along with candy, which was a huge hit. I live in Baltimore with my family, including my silly, spooky kid, and love animals, especially dogs and horses. This past Halloween, my daughter wanted to dress up as a dentist, of all things, so my husband and I went along dressed up as giant teeth. She never got the irony of asking for candy while dressed as a dentist. We’ll have to wait until she is older for that. 

Tracy's book list on Halloween picture books with cute illustrations

Tracy C. Gold Why did Tracy love this book?

This book is so darn cute! I love the fresh takes on familiar nursery rhymes. I always chuckle when I read the clever new twists (which are only a little spooky). The illustrations are a teeny bit scary, but mostly super cute. When you read this book, you can go all the way through, or just pick one nursery rhyme at a time to chant with the kids. 

By Rachel Kolar, Roland Garrigue (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mother Ghost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

From "Mary, Mary, Tall and Scary" to "Wee Willie Werewolf," this collection of classic nursery rhymes turned on their heads will give readers the chills--and a serious case of belly laughs. With clever rhyme and spooky illustrations, Mother Ghost is perfect for getting in the Halloween spirit. Boo!


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in nursery rhyme, the United Kingdom, and presidential biography?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about nursery rhyme, the United Kingdom, and presidential biography.

Nursery Rhyme Explore 19 books about nursery rhyme
The United Kingdom Explore 564 books about the United Kingdom
Presidential Biography Explore 18 books about presidential biography