Order History
Premium Membership & Rewards
Help Center / FAQ
7 Totally Tops Tongue Twister Titles
As a kid, it didn’t matter how many works of classic literature my parents gave me. All I wanted to read was my ripped-up book of silly tongue twisters. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because of the challenge. It’s not often that a book literally dares a kid to read it out loud. (There’s not a lot of action out there for bookworms with competitive streaks.)
And then there’s the sheer goofiness of them. Nothing has to make any narrative sense, as long as it’s hard to say. When kids feel hemmed in by a world of confusing rules beyond their control, silly wordplay feels like total freedom.
So let’s have some fun. Here are 7 titles that will challenge even the nimblest of tongues.
Ships in 1-2 days.
Oh Say Can You Say?, by Dr. Seuss
Published in 1979, after the doctor had had over four decades to hone his craft, Oh Say Can You Say? delivers 25 totally outlandish poems that will tie your tongue in knots. It’s a bit like One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, but with nuttier characters and somehow less of a plot.
Tongue twister to try: I suggest that you chew a few chips and a chop at Skipper Zipp’s Clipper Ship Chip Chop Shop.
Ships in 1-2 days.
Ten-Second Tongue Twisters, by Mike Artell
True to its name, this book hits you with quick, punchy phrases to test your tongue, rather than the longer, poem-style twisters elsewhere on this list. They’re fun for vocal warmups and even more fun to try to repeat five times in a row.
Tongue twister to try: Fresh fried fish filets, fresher fried fish filets, freshest fried fish filets.
Ships in 1-2 days.
Rufus and Friends: Rhyme Time, by Iza Trapani
About as close to a narrative as a tongue-twister book gets, Rufus and Friends is structured around a play being performed by three doggie pals. For some bonus fun, the last page has a list of hidden objects to find in the previous pages.
Tongue twister to try: A bit of better butter would make Betty’s batter better.
Ships in 1-2 days.
Fox in Socks, by Dr. Seuss
Is it cheating, to have another Dr. Seuss book on the list? He’s the master of goofy rhymes, so it’s hard not to. If you’re unfamiliar with this classic already, just think of it as your usual Dr. Seuss book, but on fast-forward. And with way more tweetle beetle battles on noodle-eating poodles.
Tongue twister to try: Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew.
National Geographic Kids Just Joking: 300 Hilarious Jokes, Tricky Tongue Twisters, and Ridiculous Riddles
National Geographic Kids
Paperback
$7.95
Ships in 1-2 days.
National Geographic Kids Just Joking, by National Geographic Kids
It’s got a lot more besides tongue twisters—like corny jokes, puns, and surprising animal facts—but it also has over 100 adorable animal photos. It’s great for animal lovers with a sense of humor, which basically describes every kid ever.
Tongue twister to try: Rolling red wagons race wildly down roads.
Ships in 1-2 days.
Tongue Twisters for Kids, by Riley Weber
Here are 54 pages of short, classic tongue twisters and goofy rhymes, each illustrated with bold green and black art. It’s quick reading if you just want to give your tongue some warm-up stretches. Other books in this series offer tongue twisters with Easter, Christmas, and Halloween themes.
Tongue twister to try: An ape hates grape cakes.
Twimericks: The Book of Tongue-Twisting Limericks, by Lou Brooks
I love a silly book that takes itself too seriously. This one opens with a “surgeon general’s warning” about the dangers of tying your tongue into twists, and what follows are 30 “twimericks” accompanied by absurd, retro graphics.
Tongue twister to try: Flapjack Jack flipped flat flapjacks at Phil.
Share your favorite tongue twister. I promise to (try to) say it out loud.