30 Best Children’s Farm Books That Kids Will Love
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Looking for farm books? There are plenty of excellent board books and picture books about life on the farm, farm animals, and farm equipment. I think it’s very important for kids to know where our food comes from and to learn about common ranch animals, don’t you? This is why I recommend reading farm books with young children.
Actually, I get sent a lot of farm books (usually board books.) Every time, I wonder–do we need more books about farms? Maybe, maybe not– because there are so many good choices to read aloud already.
To help you sort through the noise of all the farm books, here are my favorite picks that your kids, ages 1 to 8, will love.
These books will help your children learn about farms and farming. This is important so they can know 1) where their food comes from and 2) rural life.
Farm Books
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
We read this book even MORE than Goodnight Moon— which we read a lot. All that to say, my kids LOVED this read-aloud book as toddlers. Rhythmic, gentle text welcomes readers to the farm during the day– big red barn, the pink pig learning to squeal, the horses, and the hay for children’s play. At the end of the day, the farm and its animals settle down to sleep, making this a perfect bedtime story for your toddlers.
Farm Animals Look & Learn National Geographic Kids
Vibrant photographs with simple text introduce children to farm animals– cows, chickens, sheep, horses, and pigs.
Peekaboo Barn Farm Day by Night and Day Studios
Help and learn about the farm. Move the dial to feed the horse, slide the lever to wash the pig, push the lever to trim the sheep, and wiggle the pieces to milk the cow. Very interactive and interesting.
Teeny Tiny Farmer by Rachel Matson, illustrated by Joey Chou
“In a teeny tiny truck / Full of vegetables and hay // A teeny tiny farmer // Drove along to market day.” So begins this darling rhyming story of a female farmer driving to town with a load of vegetables. But, oh, no! Her truck won’t make it up the hill! And then it gets stuck She needs help, and who should help her? The tiny pig and cow and sheep and chickens! All the farm friends work together to save the day and get the truck unstuck!
Hola, Granja Hello, Farm by Maddie Frost
Written first in bigger Spanish text, then in smaller English translation, the farm is waking up. Say hello to all the animals– the horses, cows, and sheep. Darling.
Sleepy Farm by Joyce Wan
Time to say goodnight to the animals on the farm. When you lift the peek-a-boo flaps, you’ll read the animal’s sound like the animal is saying nighty-night to you as well. Pastel colors and adorable illustrations.
Cuddly Cow by Axel Scheffler
Cuddly Cow is sleepy and looking for a quiet place to go to bed. The cows are too noisy. So are the chickens. Where will she go? The book includes a sound button which while cute, might get slightly annoying.
Farm Block by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Peskimo
This board book resembles a big block — imagine three or four books put together, and that is how wide the book is. Starting with the rooster crowing “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”, this book takes you all around the farm. Feed and count the chicks on a fold-out page. Open the barn doors to milk the cows, brush the horses, feed the goats, and so on.
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Little Blue Truck is one of those books that is practically perfect. Perfect, jaunty rhymes with a fun, silly story that is even better when read aloud. Engaging illustrations. It all adds up to a kid-favorite farm story of friendship.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
The cows want changes — electric blankets and that sort of thing. So they leave Farmer Brown notes with their demands . . . The story is not only very creative but completely funny as well.
Go Sleep In Your Own Bed! by Candace Fleming and Lori Nichols
Kids will love this funny farm bedtime story. Each animal goes to bed and finds another animal sleeping in the wrong bed. “Go sleep in your own bed!” the pig orders the cow, the cow orders the chicken, the chicken tells the horse, well, you get the picture. What will happen with the kitten? She gets to stay and cuddle in the little girl’s bed.
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Good thing for this farming family that their chickens will help with EVERYTHING! Except on Sunday. A delightful adventure that reminds kids of the days of the week, too.
Not Now Cow by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Troy Cummings
Perfect for preschoolers, this funny take on the seasons shows the farm animals celebrating each season…with a clueless Cow dressing in the wrong outfits for each season’s weather. It’s spring and Duck is helping things grow, Sheep is flying a kite, and Cow is wearing a hat, mittens, and scarf. “Oh, Cow. Not now,” Rooster tells him. Each season is the same — the playful animals do seasonal activities and Cow shows up wearing something not quite right. Silly cow.
Tractor by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock
With repetition and onomatopoeia, this story introduces the jobs each farm vehicle does, asks the reader a question, and then turn the page to discover the name and picture of the vehicle. FABULOUS illustrations! “Down on the farm, let’s shower the dirt. Whoosh it! Swoosh it! Splish! Splash! Spray! Down on the farm, let’s shower the dirt. What’s watering those fields today? // A sprinkler!”
Ten Horse Farm by Robert Sabuda
Every page features statuesque horses on a farm. You’ll love the simplicity of text paired with evocative, earth-toned illustrations that literally pop up. Enchanting.
Old MacDonald’s Things That Go by Jane Clarke, illustrated by Migy Blanco
In this Old MacDonald version, the farmer loves things that go. “And on that farm, he had a truck. He loved things that go! With a vroom-vroom here and a vroom-vroom there. Here a vroom, there a vroom, everywhere a vroom-vroom.“
Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! by Marlene M. Bell, illustrated by Grace Sandford
Mia cares for an abandoned baby sheep who becomes a comforting friend. When Mia must put Nattie outside in her own pen, it’s hard, but Mia helps her learn to be an ewe…and in Nattie’s calming magic helps the other sheep on the farm, too.
We’re Going to the Farmers’ Market by Stefan Page
Read this simple board farmer’s market book before, during, and after your trip to the Farmers’ Market. See eggs, milk, cheese, fruits, and veggies and take them all home to cook a feast.
Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter by Eugenie Doyle, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander
In this book about a farm, watch as the family works together to cut wood, fix the chicken coop, store equipment, and do these things that get the farm ready for “down quilts of snow.” The evocative words in this picture book give readers a cozy feeling. The author’s repetition of “good night” as the farming family buttons up for winter feels like a lullaby. “Good night, fields, peaceful and still.”
Otis and the Scarecrow by Loren Long
The characters on the farm where Otis, the tractor, lives get a lesson in kindness. They mistakenly think the new scarecrow doesn’t want to be friends since he always has a frown. When they’re proven wrong, everyone learns a valuable lesson about making assumptions.
The Old Truck by Jarret Pumphrey, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey
This is a full-circle story about a truck that works hard and sees the farmer’s daughter grow up and start a farm of her own.
Dinosaur Farm by Penny Dale
Preschoolers will love these busy, hard-working dinosaur farmers who do farming things like plow the stony soil, hammer the wooden posts, fertilize the fields,… all the things before they go to a farm show. What makes this book so wonderful is the repetitive phrases and onomatopoeia on each two-page spread filled with colorful, rich illustrations.”Hay-making dinosaurs rolling, rolling up the long grass. The long grass for the big hay bales! Whir! Whir! Whir!”
The Piñata That the Farm Maiden Hung by Samantha R. Vamos, illustrated by Sebastia Serra
Celebrate culture and family with this cheerful bilingual cumulative story about a farmer, his family, and their animals who all help prepare everything, including the piñata for the birthday party festivities.
This Way, Charlie by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso
A tender, touching, and inspiring friendship story! Just like the Ranch believes in patience and love, the Ranch’s new goat named Charlie befriends a grumpy, blind horse named Jack through love and patience. Jack helps Charlie find his way around the Ranch. They spend their days together but not their nights because Jack is too afraid of barns. One day, a terrible storm traps Charlie outside and it’s up to Jack to go to get help. And, after the Ranch friends rescue Charlie, Charlie is able to help his friend Jack overcome his fear of the barn.
Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter
Lil Alan’s family travels to a family reunion at his great-grandma Granny’s farm. The writing is atmospheric, describing the tractor driving and the love-made southern food. Yet, Alan struggles to enjoy his family because he is worried that he doesn’t have a gift. His daddy says, “Think with your heart.” Eventually, Alan finds the perfect gift– symbols of their family history which he shares at the anniversary celebration.
Amara’s Farm by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Samara Hardy
Learn about pumpkins with Amara, who needs to harvest pumpkins. As she searches the farm, we learn about the features of pumpkins with our own search and find & compare and contrast. For example, “A pumpkin is large and round. Is that a pumpkin? // No. That’s an apple. An apple is round, but not large like a pumpkin.” A good fall read aloud book to read aloud for the fall harvest season.
A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale by Karen Rostoker-Gruber, illustrated by Kristina Swarner
A farmer complains to a wise woman about his small house. She tells him to put all his animals inside. After a while, she tells him to put the animals back outside. When he does that, the farmer feels that his house is spacious and perfect for his family. What a delightful folktale!
