English can be a difficult language to learn. There are lots of parts to it, and sometimes it feels like the “rules” are broken almost as often as they are true! When it comes to teaching kids about grammar, punctuation and the rules of the language, it helps to make it fun and memorable. (Tell me you don’t still know the words to some of the Schoolhouse Rocks songs!). I had the opportunity to check out a fun new book about punctuation from Innovation Press, and it inspired me to gather 14 fun children’s books about punctuation and grammar to help you make the language fun!

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received a copy of Semicolons, Cupcakes & Cucumbers in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Children’s Books about Punctuation

Semicolons, Cupcakes, and Cucumbers

Written and illustrated by Steve Newberry

This book takes the average punctuation marks and turns them into fun characters with their own likes, dislikes and personalities! When Period, Comma, Exclamation Point and Question Mark try to figure out what to do for the day, they just can’t seem to agree. Each punctuation mark only speaks in sentences that match their mark. So Exclamation Point gets really excited about everything, while Question Mark only asks questions, etc.

When their disagreement reaches its boiling point, a new friend comes along to save the day. Kids will love the entertaining characters, while learning some important things about the different punctuation marks. The book even includes notes at the end, explaining how each punctuation mark works and when you would use it. The illustrations are made up of simple black and white sketches for the background, while the characters are large and brightly colored, making them leap off the page. This book is a fun way to introduce the different punctuation marks and the various uses for them!

Punctuation Takes a Vacation

Written by Robin Pulver and illustrated by Lynn Rowe Read

What happens when punctuation marks take a break from doing their job? In this funny story, all the punctuation marks in Mr. Wright’s class decide to go on vacation, leaving the class in a bit of trouble. Each type of punctuation mark sends a postcard back to the class, highlighting their uses, but they don’t sign them. This provides a fun way to get kids involved in the story while they see if they can guess who sent them. There are lots of ways for kids to use this book to practice using and editing punctuation, and the back includes information on each mark as well.

More punctuation fun!

Punctuation Celebration

Written by Elsa Knight Bruno and illustrated by Jenny Whitehead

This rhyming story introduces each punctuation mark in it’s own poem, with the featured marks highlighted in red. Each poem shows the different uses for each mark as well. All of the punctuation marks and words are taking part in a field day, and the fun story shows that the best things happen when they all work together! Kids will appreciate the cute illustrations, while also learning some important facts about punctuation usage.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference!

Written by Lynne Truss and illustrated by Bonnie Timmons

This creative book shows why a simple comma can affect the meaning of an entire sentence. Each two page spread shows a sentence made up of the same words, but with commas placed differently throughout them. The humorous illustrations highlight the different meanings of each sentence.

The Girl’s Like Spaghetti: Why, You Can’t Manage without Apostrophes!

Written by Lynne Truss and illustrated by Bonnie Timmons

This book follows the same style as Eats, Shoots & Leaves, but introduces readers to the importance of apostrophes. Each page shows two different examples of a sentence with an apostrophe moved to change the meaning. The illustrations are entertaining, and the sentences are easy for kids to understand.

Vocabulary Books

Big Words for Little People

Written by Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrated by Laura Cornell

This brightly colored rhyming story introduces the reader to lots of big words and the proper ways to use them. Each page uses one or two larger vocabulary words and explains it’s meaning through a funny rhyme that kids and adults will relate to. (The page for “impossible” shows a frazzled mom trying to get everyone out the door for school). The illustrations are large and colorful, and the “big word” on each page is highlighted with different fonts and colors. This is a fun way to help kids increase their vocabulary!

Big Words for Little Geniuses

Written by Susan and James Patterson and illustrated by Hsinping Pan

This book by the bestselling author is full of huge vocabulary words for each letter of the alphabet. Each word is accompanied by the pronunciation and definition, as well as fun and colorful illustrations. Some of the words in this book may even be new words for the adults reading it as well!

Playing with Words

Dear Deer: A Book of Homophones

Written and illustrated by Gene Barretta

Homophones can be difficult to understand, but this funny book gives kids an entertaining way to learn about them. The story introduces readers to homophones through lots of animal silliness. The text uses bold font to highlight the homophones in the sentence, while the illustrations are funny and colorful.

How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones?

Written by Brian P Cleary and illustrated by Brian Gable

This fun introduction to homophones and homonyms is full of funny sentences and tongue twisters. The rhyming text moves quickly and the illustrations are colorful and sure to get kids laughing.

Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective?

Written by Brian P Cleary and illustrated by Jenya Prosmitsky

This bright and colorful book introduces kids to adjectives through fun rhyming text and cartoon illustrations. In addition to teaching kids about the purpose and function of adjectives, the fun rhymes show lots of different examples.

Prefixes & Suffixes

If You Were a Prefix

Written by Marcie Aboff and illustrated by Sara Gray

Prefixes can make big changes to the meaning of a word. This entertaining book teaches kids about the various functions of prefixes, and gives lots of fun examples of the changes that prefixes can make to the meaning of a word.

Happy Endings: A Story about Suffixes

Written by Robin Pulver and illustrated by Lynn Rowe Read

Mr. Wright’s class is studying suffixes at the end of the year. However the kids in his class don’t want to study anymore, so all the word endings run away. The students have to decipher the clues they left behind to find them, and discover how difficult it is to read and write without them. The text highlights the word endings throughout the book, giving kids a better understanding of how important they are.

Letters

The Case of the Incapacitated Capitals

Written by Robin Pulver and illustrated by Lynn Rowe Read

This fun visit to Mr. Wright’s classroom teaches kids about the many ways that we use capital letters in reading and writing. The students in his class have been forgetting to use capital letters, and now they have forgotten Teacher Appreciation Day as well! The text highlights all of the capital letters in the book, and shares lots of explanations for how and why we should use them when we are writing.

The War Between the Vowels and the Consonants

Written by Priscilla Turner and illustrated by Whitney Turner

This story takes a look at the lives of vowels and consonants who used to be sworn enemies. The letters are brought to life through the entertaining illustrations, and the story introduces the importance of vowels and consonants working together.

What are your favorite children’s books about punctuation? Share in the comments below!

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