books about speech delay

100+ Children’s Books for Speech Language Development

Kidmunicate_List_Children's_Books_Speech_Development

100+ Children’s Books for Speech-Language Development

Categorized by target sounds.

Reading to your child is so important, especially if your child has a speech or language disorder. Reading aloud to your child will activate their imagination, expand their understanding of the world around them and help them develop their expressive (talking) and receptive (listening / understanding) language skills. Your child’s brain is developing each and every day from birth, so start reading to your children daily, right away.

Need help finding a book? The speech and language pathologists at Kidmunicate have compiled a growing list of 100+ Children’s books for speech language development. We arranged the list based on sounds. So if your pre-schooler or school age child is having a problem producing a particular sound then choose a book from that sound category and emphasize the sound. It’s important to note that a child practicing a sound incorrectly can be counterproductive. It’s always a good idea to work with a pediatric speech pathologist first. A good pediatric speech pathologist will teach your child how to produce the sound correctly and will also show you how to coach your child.

We also assembled a list of books that build a child’s vocabulary. We have arranged a list of books for animals, clothing, body parts, counting, colors, food, and prepositions. Check them out below.

Here are some tips for reading children’s books for speech-language development:

Tips for reading to infants and toddlers

Read to your child daily because his or her brain is developing every day.
It’s ok to read your child’s favorite book over and over again. The repetition will help, but continue to expose them to other great books.
Chose books with rhymes.
Choose books with a wide variety of vocabulary words. (Animals, colors, body parts, clothing, numbers, etc.)
Build up their reading time tolerance. Start with shorter sessions and continually add time.
Point to and talk about the pictures.
Ask your child questions. Where is the dog?
Read the story and then pause to let them fill in the words. Use real objects like plastic animals, cars or food to allow your child to see, hear and feel the objects you are reading about.
Relate the story to them if you can. The bear is a baby just like you.
For toddlers, follow the words spoken with your finger to connect the words with the sounds.

Tips for reading to pre-schoolers and school children

Read to your child daily. Again his or her brain is developing every day.
Read books that are on their reading level.
Emphasize sounds or syllables that your child may be struggling with. We have listed the books by sounds to help you find some great books to use to practice particular sounds.
Ask your child questions about the sounds. What sound does baby? – Pointing to it to start. What other words start with a /b/ sound?
Relate the story to them if you can.
Encourage them to read as much as they can. When they get tired, you can pick up where they left off.
It is still a good idea to read to them often even after they know how to read.
Read the story and then pause to let them fill in the words. (Emphasize trouble sounds)
Use real objects like plastic animals, cars, or food to allow your child to see, hear, and feel the objects you are reading about.
If you have both an infant or toddler and a school-age kid, it’s ok to read to different stages at the same time because children love stories. Read a book for the school-age child, then have the school-age child help you read a book for the infant or toddler.

The children’s books for speech-language development listed below are linked to Amazon. Full disclosure, if you purchase a book through our site we receive a small commission that we use to run the site and create more content. Thank you for supporting our site with your purchases.

One Comment

Thank you for this wonderful list!

I’ve created a FREE eBook that is perfect for October. It is targeting the “g” sound but all of my K-2 students seem to love it. I hope you’ll check it out and pass along the word: https://www.amazon.com/Ghostly-Night-Jeanette-Stickel-ebook/dp/B01MCSV4KE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1476444928&sr=8-2&keywords=jeanette+stickel

Best Books for Speech Therapy for Toddlers

In my week of making lists, I wanted to add a post with recommendations for the best books for speech therapy for toddlers.

If you need specific therapy ideas, I’ve devoted 3 entire podcasts to this topic and you can find those here:

Making Books Better Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3

Here’s the list of books — along with potential goals to help you plan how to use the books to target language skills in toddlers with language delays.

Please keep in mind that many of the books I’m including are picture books meaning there’s no storyline, but the pictures are engaging and perfect for building a busy toddler’s attention, sharing an experience together (to target joint attention), learning how to link meaning with words, and finally, naming pictures. Some books are listed under multiple goals — which is even better! I’ve included a few more books that I love and use mostly for “just reading” to help a child learn to listen to a whole story at the bottom of the list.

This information is discussed in detail in podcast #415 .

Demonstrate awareness and enjoyment of books measured by attending/listening with joint attention, not mouthing book immediately, righting the picture, and turning pages.

Little Blue Truck

See Touch Feel Books by Roger Priddy

Point at pictures for awareness (not accuracy – that’s coming up!)

Bright Baby Board Books by Roger Priddy

To teach pointing…

Introduce sliding books for kids who need practice isolating their index fingers to point.

For more specific strategies for helping children learn to point, watch this video.

Slide and Find

Cheerios books – to target pincer grasp

Complete simple actions with books.

Watch the show for more specific ideas, but in this phase, you’re modeling an action for a child to imitate such as kissing a baby, patting a puppy, knocking on a door, etc.

Roger Priddy Bright Baby

Follow the directions in the book for imitating actions:

Pat the Bunny

Repeat One Action for the Entire Book

Never Feed a Shark

Modify Books like Moo Baa La La La

Song-Themed Books

5 Little Monkeys

To teach a child to imitate using Peer Modeling:

Shake a Leg

Identify familiar pictures on request.

(We’ll do much more about targeting receptive language with books in the next developmental range in show #416!)

Bright Baby Board Books

In my podcast #416 Making Books Better for Toddlers with Language Delays Part Two, I demonstrated strategies for the following goals with specific books for speech therapy sessions and recommend to parents. Here’s that list for you. For detailed instructions for using these books to meet the following 6 early literacy goals for kids with language delays who are in the 18 to 36 month developmental period, please watch show #416 !

Goal #1… Identify familiar pictures on request.

A child will point to the picture you name as you say, “Show me the ___,” “Where’s the ____?” “Find the ____.” or “I see the ___. You find the ____.”

Begin with simple picture books and when a child is ready, increase your complexity. (more about that in show #417!)

Roger Priddy Books

Here’s the book I use for making “sets” of objects to match with pictures. See details in show # 416 .

Not the same book sound book as I used in the podcast, but very similar:

Goal 2: Match pictures to objects

Select a book with familiar objects and find an object (try for one per page) so that the child can match the object to the picture.

Goal 1: Child will imitate play sounds and exclamatory words while reading books.

Goal 2: Child will imitate familiar words during verbal routines using books.

Goal 6: Child will name pictures.

Select counting books with familiar words and instead of counting the objects name them sequentially. For example, on a page of 3 dogs, you’ll say, “Dog. Dog… (expectant waiting for the child to fill in “dog.”)

In my podcast #417 Making Books Better for Late Talking Toddlers (18 to 36 months), I demonstrated strategies for the following goals with specific books I use in therapy sessions and recommend to parents. Here’s that list for you. For detailed instructions for using these books to meet the following 6 early literacy goals for kids with language delays who are in the 18 to 36 month developmental period, please watch show #417.

Previous books lists for 415 (part 1 of this series) and 416 (part 2 of this series)

Identify pictures of familiar actions or verbs.

Open the Barn Door

Mrs. Wishy Washy

Maisy Goes to Preschool

What Are They Doing?

First 100 Words

2. Identify pictures of first location words or prepositions.

3. Find 2 pictures on request as a prequisite for following two-part commands.

Troubleshooting Ideas:

ACTIVE BOOK – younger – Eric Carle

Make any book active just by giving a job on every page

Design activities around personal preferences to help with attention/participation/and general listening.

4. Identify objects by function.

5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

5. Answer yes/no questions

6. Teach negation “not”

GREAT BOOKS TO HELP BUILD A CHILD’S ABILITY TO LISTEN TO AN ENTIRE STORY!

Subscribe to the Podcast in iTunes

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Speech Therapy Toy Picks for 2024 for Toddlers and Preschoolers with Language Delays

Stage 8 toy list for early roles and pretending with peers from stages of play for toddlers and preschoolers with language delays, stage 7 toy list for new jobs and new events from stages of play for toddlers and preschoolers with language delays, stage 6 toy list for expanding play routines, stage 5 toy list, happy therapists, teachers, parents & children.

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"You are an inspiration! I am truly grateful for the way you put into words and writing how to do what we do as SLPs. At this time in my 13 years of practicing, I find your encouragement keeps me going. As a single mom, I find it a stretch to buy materials these days and I am so thankful for the freebies you so generously share that help me teach my families. I don’t have much time to put together lists or quick references for parents!! Much gratitude!!"

Laura thank you so much. Btw, you have transformed my therapy- I have become such a competent and strong therapist after watching probably like 350 of your videos and podcasts over the past few years. And I am a seasoned therapist with almost 25 years experience. (Yes prob 350 episodes ha!) But there was still a lot I learned from you. I have such a thorough understanding of birth to 3 development and how to properly incorporate appropriate therapeutic goals, techniques and strategies now, thanks to you. Kelly

Hi Laura, I want to thank you so much for the resources you provide, my daughter has delayed speech and though she qualifies for CDS. Honestly the most progress she has made in her speech/language development has been after I implemented your 5 top strategies for delayed talkers! She is now almost 2.5 and her vocabulary is well over 75 (I haven’t counted recently, could be over 100) words when at 2 she barely had four words. Honestly the last few months have been a transformation for her.