How to Teach Onomatopoeia with Picture Books

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I love teaching with picture books. They make learning fun for kids of all ages. Even middle and high schoolers aren’t too old to learn from picture books.

One fun language arts topic to teach with picture books is onomatopoeia. First of all, it’s a fun word to say even though it’s a hard to spell. I have to look it up every time I write it.

Just what is onomatopoeia? They’re sound words. Boom. Crash. Bang. Zoom. These are all onomatopoeia words.

Teach Onomatopoeia with Picture Books

While most books that have onomatopoeia are written for young children, they are a great resource to have on hand when discussing this concept with students of all ages. If your older students are put off by this, you could also use comic books or comic strips. They are full of onomatopoeia words.

Dr. Seuss’s Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You is a great introduction to onomatopoeia, and it’s one even older kids are sure to enjoy. Throughout the entire book, Mr. Brown makes the sound of animals and objects around him.

From mooing like a cow to klopping like a horse, kids will enjoy mimicking the sounds Mr. Brown makes as he explores the world around him.

I suggest reading the book aloud first so kids can listen and enjoy the story. On your next read-through, have students listen for each time a sound word is used to describe Mr. Brown’s situation.

Extend the lesson: Older students can write down the sound words they hear. For younger students (pre-writers), give them a list of the sound words from this book and have them circle or cross out the words they hear. Pre-readers could have a page with pictures on it.

more books that teach onomatopoeia

These are just a few books that will help you teach onomatopoeia to your students. You should be able to find them at your local library or bookstore. If you can’t find them locally, you can click each image cover to purchase them on Amazon.