Let’s talk about letter J books for preschool! If you’re working through the alphabet with your preschooler, incorporating books starting with J can really help them with recognizing the letter J and learning it’s sound in context. So here is a roundup of books beginning with J and featuring letter J words.
Letter J Books for Preschool
Jeremy Jackrabbit’s Jumping Journey by Barbara deRubertis (Animal Antics A to Z)
I’m a huge fan of this entire series. I love that the letter it’s featuring is so prevailent throughout the story and the stories are so fun with adorable illustrations. I highly recommend including all of them in each of your letter weeks. In this one Jeremy Jackrabbit is excited to enter the jump rope contest. Will he get the jitters―or will his joyful jumping win him a trip to the Jump Rope Hall of Fame?
If Jesus Lived Inside My Heart by Jill Roman Lord
This is such a sweet book about what our lives would look like if we let Jesus lead our actions. It’s told in a sweet whimsical rhyming manner and in a way that toddlers and preschoolers can grasp and enjoy. This would be a great book to use as an introduction to Jesus and a way to discuss the many ways He lives and works within us.
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
A small boy and a big friendly bear embark on a berry-picking extravaganza, looking for blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Their fun adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.
Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi (Keepsake Stories)
This book re-tells the classic tale of Jack as he watches in amazement as his magic beans grow into a beanstalk that reaches beyond the clouds! There are a lot of great re-tellings in this Keepsake Stories series.
Jump! by Scott M. Fischer
When a bug sleeping on a jug is chased by a frog, he has to jump to get away. But then that frog (who’s sleeping on a log) is in for a similar surprise! He’s attacked by a cat…who needs to jump away from a dog…and on it goes, until not even a shark is free from getting a little fright! Building on repetition that’s fun to read and fun to listen to, Jump! is a rip-roaring, read-aloud with simple rhymes and lively illustrations that leap off the pages.
The Giant Jellybean Jar by Marcie Aboff
Ben loves jelly beans, and every week he goes to Jo-Jo’s Jelly Bean Shop hoping to guess the riddle that will win him a whole jar full of them. He always knows the answer to the riddle, but he has never won the prize. It’s hard to speak out loud in front of so many people, but with a little help from his sister, Ben finally learns to say what he’s thinking.
Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole
Building on a rhyme that will be familiar to many children this book creates an enticing guide to creating a garden. ‘This is the garden that Jack planted…’ The final illustration presents a satisfied-looking boy surrounded by a lush, bird-filled flower garden. And a concluding page of gardening suggestions serves as a springboard to books with more specific guidelines.
Jack and Jill Went Up the Hill by R. A. Herman
This book expands upon the original nursery rhyme by building a little backstory about Jack and Jill and their adventures up (and down) the hill to fetch the pail of water. It includes the original nursery rhyme, word-by-word, along the top of each page, along with a story that’s being told along the bottom of each page.
Julius by Syd Hoff
Julius, an enterprising gorilla, leaves the jungle for a circus job. This fun book, written by the author of Danny and the Dinosaur, introduces the reader to Julius’ surprising talents and all the fun he has with the circus people.
The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway
It’s a dark day for Itching Down. Four million wasps have just descended on the town, and the pests are relentless! What can be done? Bap the Baker has a crazy idea that just might work…
The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel
Rhyme follows rhyme as layer after layer of winter clothing (“bunchy and hot, wrinkled a lot, stiff in the knee, and too big for me!”) is first put on and then taken off to the relief of the child bundled inside. Clever rebuses and jaunty illustrations make The Jacket I Wear in the Snow especially fun for prereaders and new readers.
Jellyfish (Under the Sea) by Carol K. Lindeen
This is a non-fiction book about Jellyfish by Pebble Press. Text and photographs introduce jellyfish, their physical characteristics including their soft, bell-shaped body and tentacles, and describes their behavior such as their stinging abilities and eating habits.
Jump!: The Sound of J by Cynthia Fitterer Klingel and Robert B. Noyed
Simple text and repetition of the letter ‘j’ helps young readers learn how to use the letter J sound.
Berries to Jelly by Inez Snyder (Welcome Books: How Things Are Made)
This is a non-fiction book that describes how jelly is made from berries, using strawberry jelly as an example.
Jaguars by Julie Guidone (Animals That Live in the Rain Forest)
Another non-fiction book that describes the jaguar, a powerful cat that lives in the rain forest, and explains that even though it is a hunter, it is also endangered. Beautiful and vibrant photographs really bring this big cat to life.
Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night? by Brianna Caplan Sayres
Have you ever wondered what little airplanes do when it’s time for bed? Jumbo jets, biplanes, helicopters–even Air Force One!–power down, wash up, and listen to stories with mommy and daddy planes beneath a blanket of stars, getting ready to fly to dreamland. Little airplane lovers will be tickled to see how bedtime is the same for their favorite flying vehicles as it is for them, as they come down to earth for sleepy time.
Juna’s Jar by Jane Bahk
Sometimes a simple, everyday object can take you away on great adventures. Juna and her best friend, Hector, have many adventures together, and they love to collect things in empty kimchi jars. Then one day, Hector unexpectedly moves away without having a chance to say good-bye. Juna is heartbroken and left to wonder who will on go on adventures with her. Determined to find Hector, Juna turns to her special kimchi jar for help each night. She plunges into the depths of the ocean, swings on vines through the jungle, and flies through the night sky in search of her friend. What Juna finds is that adventure–and new friends–can be found in the most unexpected places.
Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae
Join this rhyming safari and meet everyone from the elphing elephant to the gangly giraffe, and maybe even the terrible tiger!
Jupiter by J.P. Bloom
Learn about the fifth planet from the sun and the largest planet in our solar system with simple, easy-to-read text alongside striking images and diagrams that will assist young readers in learning. Complete with a table of contents, glossary, index, and More Facts section.
Did I miss any other good letter J books for preschool? Let me know your favorites in the comments below!
