The Best /L/ Books for Articulation

Selecting books to use in speech therapy can be time-consuming, and productivity is lost. I wanted to create an L Book List to make articulation therapy more efficient. Using a literacy-based approach to articulation therapy is essential in my therapy room. As you know, many of our kids have language goals as well. Books offer a great way to monitor the carry-over of fluent speech.

I hope you find this L book list useful. There are SO MANY great /L/ books. I only highlight books where the sound is high-frequency throughout, not just in the title. If you have pre-readers, practice a few high-frequency words from the book beforehand, then when you come to that word in the book, pause to let them say it. In addition to many other free book lists, I have free “Road Maps” available to provide guidance and ideas for articulation therapy.

Feel free to print the list at the bottom and take it to the library. Amazon affiliate links are included if you wish to add them to your library. See all the recommended /L/ books on Amazon.

Initial L Book List for Articulation

Use these L Book List ideas to work on the first sounds of words! They’re great for any preschool or kindergarten library!

• Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen: This charming story follows a lion who loves the library, making it a perfect read for practicing the “L” sound with words like lion, library, and librarian.
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes: Lilly’s adventures with her new purse provide an excellent opportunity to focus on the “L” sound in words like Lilly, love, and laugh.
• Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anne Dewdney (series): This beloved series featuring Llama offers plenty of chances to practice the initial “L” sound in words like Llama, little, and lonely.
• Is Your Mama A Llama by Deborah Guarino: This playful rhyming book about a young llama asking questions is perfect for identifying the “L” sound in words like llama and learn.
• Lola At The Library by Anna McGuinn: Lola loves her weekly trips to the library, making it an ideal read for focusing on words like Lola, library, and love.
• Chewy Louie by Howie Schneider: Louie, the mischievous puppy, chews everything in sight, providing a fun way to study the “L” sound in words like Louie and love.
• Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert: As Leaf Man blows in the wind, children can practice the “L” sound in words like leaf, landscape, and leaves.
• Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth: This counting book offers opportunities to practice the “L” sound in words like “little” and “ladybugs.”
• That’s Not My Lion by Usborne Books: This tactile book introduces different lions, allowing children to focus on the “L” sound in words like lion and little.
• Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber: Lyle, the crocodile, gets into adventures around his neighborhood, offering words like Lyle and love to emphasize the “L” sound.
• Lost by David McPhail: This touching story about a boy helping a lost bear is excellent for practicing words like lost and little.
• We’re Going On A Lion Hunt by Margaret Cuyler: This action-packed adventure centers on hunting for a lion, making it ideal for identifying the “L” sound in words like lion and look.

/L blend/ Books for Articulation

Blends are in so many words! Grab the options from this L Book List to work on different l blends.

• Fly Guy by Ted Arnold (series): Fly Guy’s hilarious adventures offer great opportunities to practice “L” blends in words like Fly and flies throughout the series.
• Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (also on R book list): This story about Officer Buckle and his dog Gloria allows students to work on “L” blends in words like Gloria and Buckle.
• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson (series): Fletcher, the gentle fox, provides excellent practice for “L” blends in words like Fletcher and leaves.
• That’s Not My Sloth by Usborne Books: In this interactive story, children can explore “L” blends with words like sloth and fluffy.
• Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton (series): Splat’s adventures help reinforce “L” blends in words like Splat and playful.

Medial L Book List for Articulation

When focusing on the medial /l/ sound in words, this L book list comes in handy!

• The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson (series- also on R book list): In this clever rhyming tale, the creature Gruffalo provides ample practice for the middle “L” sound in words like Gruffalo and tall.
• I Went Walking by Sue Williams: As a child goes on a walk and meets various animals, words like walking and yellow emphasize the middle “L” sound.
• Alexander and the Wind Up Mouse by Leo Lionni: Alexander the mouse befriends a wind-up toy, making it perfect for studying middle “L” sounds in words like Alexander and little.
• A Color Of His Own by Leo Lionni: This beautiful story of a chameleon highlights middle “L” sounds in words like color and chameleon.
• The Lady With The Alligator Purse by Mary Ann Hobermann: This fun, rhythmic story about a quirky lady features the middle “L” sound in lady and alligator.
• Olivia by Ian Falconer: Olivia, the spirited pig, gives readers chances to focus on the middle “L” sound in Olivia and elephant.
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelman (series): The beloved Madeline stories feature the middle “L” sound in Madeline and twelve.
• Silly Tilly by Eileen Spinelli: Tilly, the goofy goose, brings lots of laughs and helps emphasize the middle “L” sound in silly and Tilly.
• Silly Sally by Audrey Wood: Sally’s whimsical journey is full of fun words like Sally and silly to highlight the middle “L” sound.
• Stellaluna by Janell Cannon: This touching tale of a lost bat has plenty of practice for the middle “L” sound in Stellaluna and little.

Final L Book List for Articulation

Add books from this L book list to work on those final sounds in words during speech therapy.

• The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson: This beautiful story of a tiny snail and a big whale highlights final “L” sounds in words like snail, whale, and travel.
• Stop That Ball! by Mike McClintock: In this fun, fast-paced tale about a runaway ball, students can practice final “L” sounds in words like ball and fall.
• Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina: This classic story of a cap seller and mischievous monkeys features final “L” sounds in sale and caps.
• You are (Not) Small by Anna Kang: This charming story about differences emphasizes final “L” sounds in words like small and tall.

Nonfiction L Book List Topics For /L/ Articulation

If you are looking for topics to study, try these ideas! You can find books, articles, and videos about them; kids always love exploring them in fiction or nonfiction! Add the ones you find to your existing L book list!

• lions, llamas, lizards
• police, elephants, alligators, volcanos
• snails, owls, mail
• airplanes, planets, flowers, butterflies

I hope this L book list helps you! If you have a favorite book to work on L, drop a comment below and I will update the list! I organized the list by initial, medial, final, and blends. There is a column on the right for you to add your own notes if needed. I like to write where I can locate the book. For instance, I will label them as “mine,” or “library” if I borrow theirs, etc.

If you’d like to download this L book list, enter your name and email and I will email it to you immediately!

Make sure to follow my Instagram account: @literacybasedspeech where I regularly share books and how you can use them in your sessions.