While looking for R books for articulation, consider these titles to make speech therapy sessions fun! There are tons of fun titles to practice initial, medial, and final sounds and blends in words! Continue reading to learn more!

The Best R Books for Articulation

Often, selecting books to use in therapy can be time-consuming, and productivity is lost. I want to create lists 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 helpful list. There are SO MANY great /R/ books. I only choose books where the sound is of 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.

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.

Initial R Books For Articulation

When working on the initial R sound in words, these repetitive texts are tons of fun. Kids will appreciate you gathering these stories to practice their speech therapy goals. Grab these fun R books for articulation.

• Red, Red, Red by Valeri Gorbachev: This charming book is complete of repetitions of the word “red,” helping young children practice the initial “r” sound. The story follows a turtle hurrying to see something red, which keeps children engaged while allowing multiple opportunities for speech practice. Speech therapists can use this book to focus on articulation and encourage students to produce the “r” sound engagingly.
• Raccoon on His Own by Jim Arnosky: This gentle story about a young raccoon embarking on a solo adventure is filled with “r” sounds in words like raccoon, river, and row. The book’s calm tone makes it ideal for practicing initial “r” without overwhelming young readers. Speech therapists can emphasize these words during read-alouds to reinforce sound production and language development.
• Rocket Writes A Story by Tad Hills: In this book, Rocket, the dog, becomes an eager learner, with plenty of “r” words such as Rocket, read, and writes. This book is perfect for speech therapy sessions because it offers natural ways to practice initial “r” sounds within the storyline while also promoting literacy skills. Therapists can combine speech practice with early writing or reading activities.
• Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty: Rosie, a determined young engineer, provides many chances to practice the “r” sound with words like Rosie, revere, and remarkable. The book’s theme of creativity and perseverance gives speech therapists an excellent opportunity to work on speech sounds and inspire conversations about problem-solving, allowing for both articulation and expressive language development.
• Ruby The Copycat by Peggy Rathman: Ruby’s name and actions as a copycat introduce “r” sounds in a playful context. Speech therapists can use this book to practice initial “r” words while discussing the themes of individuality and confidence. Ruby’s repeated actions offer multiple opportunities for sound repetition, making it a useful tool for articulation practice.
• The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (also on the /SH/ book list): Known for its striking illustrations, The Rainbow Fish offers practice for both the “r” sound (Rainbow, real) and /sh/ sound (shiny, share). For speech therapy, this dual focus makes the book versatile, allowing therapists to work on multiple sounds while exploring themes of kindness and sharing, which can also spark meaningful language development conversations.

Medial R Books For Articulation

Use these fun titles to work with your students on medial r sounds in words. They are fun and have tons of repetition with words that kids are working on. Grab these fun R books for articulation.

• Mercy Watson to the Rescue (series) by Kate DiCamillo: This hilarious story about a pig named Mercy provides several medial “r” sound opportunities, especially in Mercy’s name and words like “rescue.” Speech therapists can use the book to work on articulation while engaging students in a fun narrative with simple vocabulary related to daily life and nature.
• Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes: Wemberly, a little mouse, often worries, which presents repeated opportunities for practicing the medial “r” sound in words like Wemberly and worried. Speech therapists can use this book to focus on articulation while discussing feelings and emotions, creating opportunities for expressive language practice.
• Clark The Shark by Bruce Hale: Clark’s name and the word shark offer practice for the medial “r” sound. This fun and energetic story keeps children entertained while allowing speech therapists to work on the target sound in engaging and repeated contexts. The story also offers themes of friendship and self-control for broader discussions.
• Corduroy by Dan Freeman: The word Corduroy, the name of the main character, gives frequent opportunities for practicing the medial “r” sound. The beloved tale of a teddy bear looking for his missing button is perfect for speech therapy, combining sound articulation with themes of adventure and belonging.
• Firebears by Rhonda Gowler Greene: Words like “fire” and “bears” offer ideal practice for medial “r” sounds. This action-packed story about a firefighting bear team captures children’s attention while providing multiple chances to work on articulation in an engaging context. Speech therapists can also tie in themes of safety and teamwork.
• Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion (series): Harry’s name and words like dirty, furry, and others throughout the story offer excellent practice for medial “r” sounds. This classic story of a dog who doesn’t want a bath is ideal for speech therapy, providing repetition of target sounds and opportunities to discuss hygiene and play.
• The Horse in Harry’s Room by Syd Hoff: With both Harry and the Horse providing medial “r” sounds, this gentle story allows speech therapists to focus on articulation. The quiet, imaginative tale about a boy and his invisible horse offers opportunities to engage students in sound practice without overwhelming them.
• Morris Goes To School by B. Wiseman: The name Morris and other words like store and learning provide good practice for medial “r” sounds. This book’s humorous and straightforward storyline makes it an engaging tool for speech therapy sessions, where students can focus on sound articulation in a lighthearted context.
• Horace and Morris but Mostly Deloris by James Howe: The names Horace, Morris, and Delores provide plenty of practice for medial “r” sounds. The story focuses on friendship and adventure, keeping children engaged, while speech therapists can emphasize sound production during repeated exposures to the target words.
• The Story of Ferdinand by Robert Lawson: The word Ferdinand provides multiple opportunities for practicing medial “r” sounds. This classic story about a peaceful bull who loves flowers is perfect for speech therapy, allowing for sound practice while discussing themes of individuality and non-violence.
• Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt: The name Scaredy Squirrel offers repeated practice for medial “r” sounds, especially in the word “Scaredy.” This fun and quirky book about a squirrel with many fears provides speech therapists with multiple chances to practice articulation while engaging students in discussions about overcoming anxiety.
• Firehouse by Mark Teague: The word firehouse and fire and firefighter provide practice for medial “r” sounds. This exciting story about animal firefighters makes speech sessions fun and engaging, allowing speech therapists to work on articulation in the context of community helpers and safety.

Final R Books For Articulation

The final R sound is fun to practice, and these titles will make it even more fun during speech therapy sessions. Grab these fun R books for articulation.

• Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner: This beautifully written nature book provides final “r” sounds in words like over, under, and water. Speech therapists can use this story to focus on these sounds while exploring the themes of nature and wildlife. The repetitive use of “over” and “under” helps children consistently practice final “r” articulation.
• Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson (series): The word bear is repeated throughout the book, offering great practice for final “r” sounds. The playful rhyming structure and the bear’s quest for food keep children engaged while allowing speech therapists to target the final “r” sound in a fun and rhythmic way.
• We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen: This classic adventure story includes the word bear repeated frequently, offering ample opportunities for final “r” sound practice. The repetitive and rhythmic nature of the story is ideal for helping children focus on articulating final “r” sounds, especially in the context of an exciting and interactive tale.
• Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson (series- also on the L Book list): The name Fletcher and the word “blossoms” both offer chances to practice the final “r” sound. This whimsical story about Fletcher’s adventures with the changing seasons makes speech therapy sessions enjoyable, while providing repeated exposure to the target sound.
• Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman: The word mother is repeated throughout the story, giving speech therapists plenty of opportunities to focus on final “r” sounds. The predictable and repetitive language makes it easy for children to practice articulation while following the little bird’s journey to find its mother.
• Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman (also on the L Book list): The word officer is used frequently, providing consistent practice for final “r” sounds. This humorous book keeps students entertained while speech therapists can focus on helping children articulate the final “r” sound. Additionally, Gloria’s presence adds fun to the session, making sound practice enjoyable.

R Blend Books For Articulation

Find tons of R blends in the words in these stories! Some are classics that students know and hold close to their hearts, and others are new and fresh! Grab these fun R books for articulation.

• Days With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel: The word “frog” and other words like “friend” and “tree” offer great opportunities to practice r blends. This beloved collection of stories about friendship makes speech therapy enjoyable while focusing on r blend articulation in a simple, engaging context.
• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes: The name “Chrysanthemum” and other words like “friends” and “school” provide practice for r blends. Speech therapists can use this touching story about a girl with a long name to help students work on r blends while exploring themes of identity and self-esteem.
• Bread and Jam For Francis by Russell Hoban (series): The word “bread” is central to this story, offering frequent opportunities to practice the br blend. This humorous and heartwarming tale about Francis’ picky eating habits allows speech therapists to target r blends while keeping children engaged with a relatable theme.
• The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson (series- also on the L Book list): Words like “Gruffalo” and “fright” provide strong practice for r blends. The rhythmic, repetitive text of this adventurous tale allows speech therapists to focus on r blends while keeping children entertained by the story’s twists and imaginative characters.
• The Great Gracie Chase by  Cynthia Rylant: Words like “great” and “Gracie” provide straightforward practice for r blends. This story about a naughty dog on the run offers speech therapists a lively way to target r blends in a fun, fast-paced narrative.
• Froggy Builds A Treehouse by Jonathan London (series): The word “Froggy” and r blends in words like “tree” and “brick” are scattered throughout the story. The book’s playful and adventurous tone, combined with Froggy’s relatable character, helps children stay engaged while focusing on r blends in an entertaining way.
• Mother Bruce by Ryan Higgins (series): Words like “Bruce” and “grumpy” provide frequent practice for r blends. This funny and endearing story about a grumpy bear who becomes a reluctant parent is perfect for speech therapy, helping children work on r blends while enjoying the humorous plot and characters.

I hope these R books for articulation list help you! If you have a favorite book to work on R, comment below, and I will update the list! I organized the list by initial, medial, final, and blends. A column on the right allows you to add your 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. Also, if you are interested, I have additional ideas for working on R in my post, Articulation Road Map for the R Sound.

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