In the last month, we’ve added three dwarf goats, two giant dogs, and nine loud ducklings to our farm. Farm animals are so funny and heartwarming; it’s little wonder that so many children’s classics feature these furry and feathery friends. I thought in honor of all our new animal friends, I’d share some of our favorite farm animal picture books.
These picture books about farm animals combine beautiful illustrations with stories old and new. Enjoy fables and folk tales, funny stories, and classics favorites all about our favorite fuzzy and feathery farm friends.
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Love Garth Williams classic Little House on the Prairie illustrations? Check out Baby Farm Animals for his adorable versions of baby farm animals.
In Charlie the Ranch Dog, meet lovable farm dog Charlie, his friend Susie, the troublesome cattle, and the sneaky chipmunk. There are several equally fun sequels about ranch life, like Charlie and the New Baby in which Charlie and his family rescue a lost calf and reunite it with its mother.
Text from Margaret Wise Brown, and illustrations by award-winning Jerry Pinkney: what could be better? A Home in the Barn follows the coming of winter and all the animals large and small who find shelter in a barn.
Kids love the simple rhythmic text of the Little Blue Truck books. In the original, Little Blue picks up all the farm animals and even does a grumpy passerby a good turn. A celebration of teamwork.
Five o’clock Charlie may be old, but he doesn’t want to just sit in a field all day. He feels useless until one day he finds a new job and new friends at a nearby inn.
Based on the author’s life on an English sheep farm, Days on the Farm is a collection of short stories that capture sheep farm life. Gorgeous watercolor illustrations we just love.
In Tractor Mac Arrives at the Farm, you’ll meet Tractor Mac, Sibley the Horse, Pete and Paul the Pigs, and all the animals on Stony Meadow Farm. One of our favorite farm series, we particularly enjoy the detailed diagrams of farm equipment at beginning and end of each book.
Farm Morning is a simple but lovely story about a father and daughter’s morning routine on their farm.
This is unquestionably a farm animal favorite at our house. Alice and Martin Provenson describe all Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm in a humorous and memorable fashion.
Lois Lenski’s The Little Farm is an adorable board book about Farmer Small and his day on the farm.
Paul Galdone’s memorable illustrations recapture the charm of classic farm animal folk tales like The Little Red Hen and The Three Billy Goats Gruff.
My favorite version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff is Jerry Pinkney’s Caldecott version. The troll in this one is a wee bit scary for very littles though!
If you love Margaret Wise Brown’s well-known Good Night Moon, you’ll also love Big Red Barn, her gentle farm animal story.
You probably know I adore James Herriot’s stories for adults. James Herriot’s Treasury for Children takes some of his gentlest tales and pairs them with lovely illustrations to keep children’s interest. These stories are longer, so best for a child with a good attention span.
Sensitive child warning: in the Christmas story, the mama cat does die in the beginning of the story, though there is a happy ending.
These cute woolies get into all sorts of mischief in Sheep Take a Hike and Sheep in a Jeep. We enjoy the fun frolics and rhythmic text.
Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg are sure to make you and your child laugh. Clyde wants a bath, Dawg sure doesn’t. This is a fun and funny read aloud.
The littlest listeners love the idea of a farmful of animals getting a ride in a dump tuck! The Happy Man and His Dump Truck is one of those good old classic Little Golden Books.
What happens when one boy brings his pet boa constrictor on a field trip to a farm? Find out in The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash.
To find more great book recommendations, check out My Book Lists!
has an amazing nature theme. A mother rabbit soothes her little one to bed by pointing out the natural beauty around them. A great improvement on the mercenary motif in the traditional version of this popular bedtime song!
sails across a sleepy sea in his moonboat, fishing with star bait. A sure recipe for sweet dreams. 
. Animals around the world prepare for bed and coax their babies to sleep. 
, a grandmother teaches her rosy-cheeked grandchild to calm her body and mind by picturing a herd of adorable ponies carrying her off to sweet dreams. 
is a favorite with the boys! Each might machine on a construction site prepares for bed and goes to sleep in this goodnight story. 
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are two adorable books about a bear who can’t sleep (and then oversleeps!) 
by Margaret Wise Brown is the quintessential bedtime classic that children love hearing again and again.
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is a heart-warming story of a community coming together to rebuild a kind but poor neighbor’s house. 
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is chock-full of lovely, detailed nature illustrations and perfectly whiskered mice. We love these peaceful stories, perfect for a summer day. 
and all its sequels.
wants to make the world a more beautiful place. So, apparently, does author and illustrator Barbara Cooney, whose delicate depictions of coastal New England make me want to visit. 
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features a sweet, very young Red Riding Hood and rich woodland scenes. Warning for littler readers: this retelling includes the wolf swallowing both Red and Grandma, and then the Woodsman cutting up the wolf to rescue them. 
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provide a richness and depth seldom found in picture books. In this fairy tale, a mother must rescue her 7 children from an evil witch. 
is the story of a miracle for a lonely old woman. Patricia Polacco captures the Russian flavor of this story with intricate, colorful illustrations. 
A simple description of an American girl’s impressions of the vibrant everyday life in a traditional Italian village. 
, the pictures themselves tell the classic fable. Other beautifully executed Pinkney books include 
is a perfect introduction to poetry, complemented by lovely drawings of the changing seasons and family life. 
. Hughes’ style lends itself well to the detailed beach scenes depicting a family’s day at the seaside. 
is rich and compelling. 
, and have two favorite versions. I appreciate the colorful slavic style in Feodor Rojankovsky’s illustrations. 
. These animals could leap right off the page!
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: This lovely storybook collection has six stories of farm life with delicate, detailed illustrations inspired by life on a sheep farm. 
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is a classic Margaret Wise Brown story paired with gorgeous bright illustrations in sunset shades. 
: This beautiful poem blessing creation is paired with Ashley Wolff’s detailed illustrations. 
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is a new height in alphabet books. Abundant alliteration, vibrant illustrations, and a unique meshing of fantasy and reality make this book memorable. 
depicts a day in the life of a turtle with vibrant, realistic pictures. 
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are perfect for nurturing an appreciation for nature and wildlife. 
is a beautifully illustrated little board book talking about Jesus’ childhood.
is a sweet board book which shows the barn animals preparing for baby Jesus’ arrival.
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are part of a new series of board books from Katie Warner aimed at exposing the littlest Catholics to religious artwork and Catholic teaching! These are quality books that would make great gifts for a Baptism or baby shower.
is a short rhyming board book about a very hungry bear.
, always a favorite with my children, is a fanciful story of some animal friends’ trip.
helps teach little ones about their senses as baby experiences the sounds around him. Lots of onomatopoeic words keep the youngest readers engaged.
is a story about a little boy searching for the perfect gift for his mother with some help from his animal friends.
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stories are somewhat repetitive but so loved by my children that I had to include them!
‘s gentle rhymes and clever illustrations make it another much loved and well worn toddler favorite around here. It is a rollicking little tale of a boy and bear searching for berries.
is a classic Margaret Wise Brown story, less well known than 
is a great early book because it provides sensory stimulation which can engage a reluctant listener. Siblings Paul and Judy explore their house along with your child.