10 Children’s Books about Rainbows

Looking for the best children’s books about rainbows? This post has you covered! This list has 10 of our favorite rainbow books for kids, including picture books and read alouds that the whole family can enjoy together.

It’s spring and that means…it’s time for lots and lots of rain. But, the great thing about rain is that you also get to see plenty of rainbows! As the days get longer and we enjoy more sunlight, we’ll (hopefully) get to observe these beautiful phenomena with our kids.

So, this is a great time of year to talk about rainbows! And what better way to introduce them to our kids than with books? Today, we’re sharing 10 children’s books that are all about rainbows!

What is a Rainbow?

A rainbow is actually an optical illusion that occurs when sunlight is refracted (bent) through water droplets in the air. As you probably know, the colors of the rainbow are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet (ROYGBIV). Do you know why red is always listed first?

It’s because the color red has the longest wavelength of all colors, so it bends the least. As a result, it always appears on top of the rainbow. By contrast, violet bends the most, so it has the sharpest curve. That makes violet the lowest color in every rainbow. Neat, huh? You can find out more about the science of rainbows from the NOAA.

Books about Rainbows for Kids

And now, 10 children’s books about rainbows! These are great for kids of all ages and include fiction and nonfiction selections.

A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman

All the Colors of the Rainbow by Allan Fowler

What Makes a Rainbow? by Betty Ann Schwartz

The Rainbow Book by Kate Ohrt

Chasing Rainbows by Tish Rabe, Aristides Ruiz, and Joe Mathieu

Elmer and the Rainbow by David McKee

Rainbow Stew by Cathyrn Falwell

The Colors of the Rainbow by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos and Marta Fabrega

Geckos Make a Rainbow by Jon J. Murakami

Ruby’s Rainbow by Grosset & Dunlap Books

For even more spring learning fun, check out these related activities:

You can find some free rainbow coloring pages in this post.

Do you have any great children’s books about rainbows to share? Post your suggestions in the comments!