25 Fascinating Children’s Books About Rainbows

25 Children’s Books about Rainbows

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Rainbows have a magical way of capturing children’s attention. One moment, the sky is gray and rainy, and the next—it’s bursting with color! That sense of wonder is the perfect invitation to spark curiosity and introduce important early childhood concepts like colors, weather patterns, the water cycle, and even basic science. Whether you’re teaching a spring theme, exploring weather, or diving into a week all about colors, a rainbow theme can tie it all together in a way that’s fun, meaningful, and easy for young learners to grasp.

This book list is filled with 25 rainbow books for preschoolers and kindergarteners that are perfect for storytime, circle time, or your classroom bookshelf. You’ll find a mix of fiction and non-fiction titles that explore how rainbows form, what causes them, and the beautiful colors that make them so special. Each book was chosen specifically for early learners—with simple language, vibrant illustrations, and developmentally appropriate content that supports what you’re already teaching in your classroom or homeschool. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or librarian, these children’s books about rainbows will make learning about light, rain, and color a joyful experience.

So grab a few favorites, cozy up with your little learners, and let these rainbow stories bring a splash of color to your day! 🌈📚✨

Fun and Engaging Rainbow Books

1. “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rainbow” – Lucille Colandro

In this silly and colorful twist on the classic “Old Lady” series, the old lady is back—and this time she’s swallowing everything she needs to make a rainbow! From clouds to sunshine and all the colors in between, each page builds with playful rhymes and vibrant illustrations. This story is a hit for circle time or storytime during a rainbow or weather theme and helps reinforce color recognition and sequencing in a fun, engaging way.

2. “A Rainbow of My Own” by Don Freeman

This sweet classic follows a child who imagines what it would be like to catch a rainbow and have it as a playmate. The dreamy illustrations and simple storytelling make this a perfect read-aloud, especially on a rainy day. It’s a great way to spark conversations about how rainbows appear after rain and encourage imaginative play.

3. “Raindrops to Rainbow” – John Micklos Jr.

This beautifully illustrated book follows a little girl as a rainy, gray day slowly turns into a colorful rainbow-filled sky. The rhythmic text makes it engaging for little listeners, and the story helps children understand that rain and sunshine work together to make a rainbow. It’s a great choice for introducing simple weather concepts.

4. “All the Colors of the Rainbow” – Allan Fowler

Part of the Rookie Read-About Science series, this non-fiction book explains what rainbows are, how they form, and why they appear in the sky. It’s a great early reader choice for kids who want to dig deeper into the science behind rainbows.

5. “Rainbows Never End and Other Fun Facts” – Laura Lyn Disiena

Did you know no one can ever actually reach the end of a rainbow? This fun, fact-filled book shares kid-friendly science facts about rainbows, making it a perfect pick for little learners who love fun trivia. The engaging format keeps kids interested while sneaking in some learning.

6. “The Rainbow and You” – E.C. Krupp

This book dives into the science of light and color, explaining how and why rainbows appear. With easy-to-follow explanations and colorful illustrations, it helps children understand what’s happening in the sky when they see a rainbow.

7. “Why Do Rainbows Have So Many Colors?” – Jennifer Shand

A great book for curious minds, this one explores why rainbows have seven colors and how they always appear in the same order. The fun illustrations and interactive storytelling make this a great pick for kids who love to ask “why” about everything!

8. “What Makes a Rainbow?” – Betty Ann Schwartz

This unique book uses colorful ribbons that appear as you turn each page, creating a hands-on way to introduce colors and rainbows. The interactive nature makes it a favorite for toddlers and preschoolers!

9. “The Little Raindrop”- Joanna Gray

Follow a curious little raindrop on an exciting journey through the water cycle—from cloud to puddle, stream to ocean, and back again! With sweet illustrations and easy-to-understand language, this book introduces preschoolers and kindergarteners to weather concepts, rain, and how rainbows are formed after a storm. It’s a perfect blend of science and storytelling that brings the wonder of nature and weather to life for young learners. Great for pairing with a weather or rainbow theme, especially if you’re exploring where rain comes from before the rainbow appears!

🌈 Books That Introduce Colors Using Rainbows

One of the most magical parts of any rainbow theme is watching kids light up as they discover how colors mix, appear, and shine in the world around them. These children’s books about rainbows are a wonderful way to introduce and reinforce color recognition in fun, creative, and hands-on ways. From animals discovering paint to patchwork elephants chasing rainbows, each story invites little learners to explore the colors of the rainbow through playful storytelling, imaginative artwork, and easy-to-understand concepts.

This section is filled with colorful favorites that are perfect for circle time, storytime, or pairing with a color-based activity. Whether you’re focusing on color mixing, sequencing, or finding colors in nature, these books help children connect what they see in a rainbow to everyday experiences—and they’ll be begging to read them again and again! 🌈📚

10. “Elmer and the Rainbow”- David McKee

When a storm passes and leaves behind a dull, colorless rainbow, Elmer the patchwork elephant sets out to find a way to restore its bright colors. Along the journey, Elmer shows that sharing and giving can bring beauty back into the world. With its bold illustrations and vibrant characters, this story naturally weaves in the colors of the rainbow while encouraging kindness, curiosity, and creativity. A great addition to any rainbow or color theme in the classroom or at home!

11. “Rainbow Bear”- Bill Martin Jr.

In this dreamy, poetic story, a bear falls asleep and dreams of becoming a rainbow-colored bear, journeying through landscapes filled with color and wonder. As he transforms from white to red, orange, yellow, and beyond, young readers are gently introduced to the colors of the rainbow through rich language and imaginative storytelling. The rhythmic text and vivid illustrations make it a calming read-aloud that blends color recognition with storytelling and creativity. A beautiful choice for a quiet moment during a rainbow or color theme week!

12. “Mouse Paint” – Ellen Stoll Walsh

A fantastic book for introducing color mixing, this story follows three white mice who discover jars of red, yellow, and blue paint. As they step into different colors, they accidentally create secondary colors—just like how a rainbow blends colors in the sky!

13. “How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow”- Monica Sweeney

When the sun and clouds have a big disagreement and stop working together, rainbows disappear from the world! But one brave little box of crayons is determined to bring color—and rainbows—back. With bold illustrations and a fun storyline, this book introduces kids to the importance of light and weather in making rainbows, while celebrating color recognition and creativity. It’s a perfect pick for any rainbow theme in the classroom or at home!

14. “White Rabbit’s Colors” – Alan Baker

Similar to Mouse Paint, this story follows a bunny who jumps into paint buckets and watches colors mix. It’s a simple but engaging book for helping little ones understand how colors blend to make new ones.

15. “Planting a Rainbow” – Lois Ehlert

This bright and bold book follows a child and their parent as they plant a garden with flowers in every color of the rainbow. It’s a perfect way to connect colors to nature and seasons.

16. “The Hidden Rainbow” – Christie Matheson

This beautifully illustrated, interactive book invites children to explore a garden blooming with hidden rainbow colors—but they have to help find them! With gentle, rhyming text and vibrant watercolor art, kids are encouraged to spot each color in order as flowers bloom from red to violet. It’s the perfect springtime read-aloud to reinforce color recognition, sequencing, and observation skills, while celebrating the beauty of nature and rainbows all around us.

17. “Curious George Discovers the Rainbow” – H.A. Rey

Curious George learns about rainbows and color mixing in this fun science-themed book. With simple experiments included, it’s a great pick for hands-on learning. Curious George is always a hit with the kids and this book makes a great addition to your collection of children’s books about rainbows!

18. “The Rainbow Fish” – Marcus Pfister

A childhood favorite, this book tells the story of a shimmering fish who learns the joy of sharing. While it’s a story about kindness, the iridescent rainbow scales make it a great book for color discussions!

19. “Esther’s Rainbow”- Kim Kane

When Esther spots a faint rainbow on her bedroom wall, she becomes fascinated with finding colors in the world around her. Throughout the week, she notices one color at a time—red on Monday, orange on Tuesday, and so on—until the rainbow returns in full. This gentle, lyrical story encourages children to slow down, observe, and appreciate the beauty of color in everyday life. With dreamy watercolor illustrations and a peaceful tone, it’s a lovely book to support color recognition and mindful observation during a rainbow or color theme.

🌈 Books That Feature Rainbows in Nature

20. “Rainbow Stew” – Cathryn Falwell

A heartwarming story about a family picking colorful vegetables after the rain. The bright colors of the garden and the rainbow after a storm make it a fun way to connect colors to real-world experiences. Add it to your collection of children’s books about rainbows today!

21. “Maisy’s Rainbow Dream” – Lucy Cousins

Maisy the mouse dreams about a world filled with rainbow colors, making this a fun, simple read for little ones learning their colors.

22. “Rainbow” – Marion Dane Bauer

Part of the Weather Ready-to-Read series, this book explains how rainbows form and why they always appear in the same order of colors. The simple, engaging text makes it perfect for early readers. Whether you are building a collection of children’s books about rainbows for your classroom or checking it out from the library this is great for capturing the attention of new readers.

23. “Light Makes a Rainbow” – Sharon Coan

A simple early reader book that explains how light interacts with water to create rainbows. The easy-to-read text makes it great for beginning readers and science-loving little ones.

24. “Raindrops ARE Rainbows”- Valerie Bessette

This beautifully illustrated picture book invites children to see the magic in everyday things—especially rainy days! Through gentle, lyrical text, readers learn how raindrops and sunlight come together to create rainbows, turning something gray into something full of color and hope. The book encourages children to look at the world with wonder and curiosity while introducing the basic science behind rainbows in a soft, poetic way. It’s a lovely choice for a cozy read-aloud during your rainbow or weather theme, especially after a real-life rainstorm!

25. “Rainbows”- Martha E.H. Rustad

This non-fiction picture book is a great addition to your collection of children’s books about rainbows. It gives young readers a clear, age-appropriate explanation of how rainbows form. With simple language and bright photographs, it introduces early learners to concepts like light, water droplets, and reflection—breaking down the science of rainbows in a way preschoolers and kindergarteners can understand. It’s part of the Amazing Science: Weather series, making it a perfect pick for your weather or rainbow unit. Kids will love learning the “why” behind the beautiful arcs they see in the sky!

Pair Your Favorite Children’s Books about Rainbow with Fun Activities

Pairing your favorite children’s books about rainbows with hands-on activities is a great way to make learning stick—plus, it’s just plain fun! After reading a colorful story, kids love the chance to create their own rainbows, explore color mixing, or play with rainbow-themed materials. Whether you’re in the classroom or at home, these activities add a multi-sensory layer to your rainbow or weather theme and give little learners the chance to move, create, and experiment.

Below you’ll find a collection of rainbow activities for preschoolers and kindergarteners that are easy to prep, engaging to play, and perfect for reinforcing concepts like color recognition, patterns, early math, and even basic science. They’re a perfect match for the rainbow books you’re already reading and make a great extension for centers, small groups, or at-home learning. 🌈🖍✨

Easy Rainbow Drip Art for Kids

This rainbow drip art process art activity combines glue, salt, and colored water to create beautiful rainbow drip paintings. It’s a fantastic way for children to practice fine motor skills and explore color mixing in a hands-on, creative manner.
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Magic Rainbow Science Experiment for Kids

This captivating magic rainbow experiment allows children to create a rainbow using simple household items. It’s a hands-on way to explore color mixing and the science behind rainbows, making abstract concepts more tangible for young minds.