Purple bandReady now · Open and print today

Edward Lear's Book of Nonsense

Limericks from Nonsense Books by Edward Lear

Edward Lear (1812–1888) was an English artist and poet famous for his nonsense verse. He wrote these silly limericks—short, five-line poems—to make children laugh. First published in 1846 under the title A Book of Nonsense, his limericks introduced readers to strange Old Men, peculiar Young Ladies, and impossible situations, all told with rhythm and rhyme. Lear's nonsense is joyful, harmless fun, and his poems remain favourites because they celebrate silliness and imagination. This reader selects six of his cheerful limericks about beards, bonnets, boots, and very odd behaviour. This text reflects its era.

Band

Purple · Pre-readers and first readersTypical starting range: ages 4–5

Length

short · about 354 words in 6 sections · 4 pictures

Source

Nonsense Books, Edward Lear

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (6 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Colouring page
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

Report a concern about this reader · What’s in a HummingRead reader