Favorite Books for Teaching Toddlers and Preschoolers About Colors

When I first started homeschooling my daughter, our first lessons were about the colors of the rainbow. In addition to books focusing on each individual color, she and I also read handfuls color books. Now my son also likes to hear many of these colorful books read aloud. Here are some of my favorite books for teaching toddlers and preschoolers about colors.

Duck & Goose Colors

Duck & Goose Colors (2015) by Tad Hills is a favorite color book for toddlers and preschoolers in my “duck and gook” obsessed household. In the board book featuring the best-selling water fowl duo, Duck and Goose introduce basic colors through characters and objects familiar to little Duck & Goose fans. Both my toddler and preschooler love hearing me read this color book aloud.

Monsters Love Colors

Monsters Love Colors (2013) by Mike Austin is a fun color book that my kiddos and I discovered at the local library. Did you know that monsters love to scribble, mix, dance, and wiggle! All to make new colors! Mixing and discovering color has never been so much fun in this wild and energetic picture book chock full of hilarious monsters. My daughter got a kick out of reading this silly color book.

Bear Sees Colors

Bear Sees Colors (2014) by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jane Chapman is the first title in a concept picture book series from the New York Times bestselling creators of The Bear Books. Colors are everywhere. Can your toddler or preschooler find colors just like Bear? The playful text and adorable illustrations creatively introduce colors to the youngest Bear fans. Both my toddler and preschooler love hearing this color book (and any book starring Bear) read aloud.

Snoopy’s Book of Colors

Snoopy’s Book of Colors (2015) by Charles M. Schulz is a colorful and sturdy board book that offers the perfect introduction for toddlers and preschoolers to learn about colors along with Snoopy and his Peanuts friends. My entire family loves Snoopy, so this color book is a fan favorite in my house!

Mouse Paint

Mouse Paint (1995) by Ellen Stoll Walsh is a color book favorite that is part of the home library in my house. In the sturdy board book for toddlers and preschoolers, three white mice discover three jars of paint: red, blue, and yellow. The bold colors and simple storyline help make learning about colors fun. Mouse Paint was also our gateway book into the entire Mouse series from Ellen Stoll Walsh.

White Rabbit’s Color Book

White Rabbit’s Color Book (1999) by Alan Baker teaches toddlers and preschoolers about colors through the inquisitive little star of the Little Rabbit Books. White Rabbit jumps from bucket to bucket, learning all about colors and mixing primary colors to make secondary colors. My daughter often requests that I check this fabulous little book out from the library.

The Day the Crayons Quit

The Day the Crayons Quit (2013) by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers is a humorous color book in which all the crayons have had enough with coloring as usual. Beige is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking, believing each is the true color of the sun. I got a kick out of this hilarious color book as much as — or maybe even more than — my preschooler.

Red: A Crayon’s Story

Red: A Crayon’s Story (2015) by Michael Hall tells the story of a blue crayon mistakenly labeled as “red” who suffers an identity crisis. The other colors try to help “Red” be red, but, in the end, he discovers that he must find the courage to be true to his inner self. While not strictly a book about colors, this colorful book is fun to read and teaches an important lesson.

Colors: A Bugs Pop-up Concept Book

Colors: A Bugs Pop-up Concept Book (2010) by David A. Carter is another favorite book that my daughter loves to check out from the library. This simple color book features adorable pop-up bugs in every hue of the rainbow. Both my toddler and preschooler love reading this book over and over again!

My Very First Book of Colors

My Very First Book of Colors (2005) by Eric Carle is an interactive color book from the acclaimed creator of the beloved The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Young readers will delight in finding the color in the top half of a page that matches the picture on the bottom half. Both my toddler and preschooler love the fun and surprises in this colorful book.