By Dr. Candace Byrd
Did you know that the third Tuesday in May is International Dinosaur Day? To celebrate, I’ve put together a special reading list with books that are big hits with my dino-loving kids.
Try this board book for Dinosaur Day!
First Felt Flaps: Dinosaurs! (Ages 0-2)
This engaging board book gives little one clues about the dinosaur hiding on the next page. They will love lifting the flaps as their grownup reads aloud. Each page features a helpful pronunciation guide, and most importantly, fun dinosaur noises – Grrr! Chomp! Honk! Roar! Swish! Crash! Bash! Grunt! Snap! Stomp!
My First Search and Find Dinosaurs (Ages 3-5)
This search-and-find board book features tabs with different dinosaur habitats to explore. Your child will learn fun dino facts while practicing pointing, counting, and reading! Once you’ve finished the book, take a look at the back cover – there’s one more dinosaur left to find!
What Do Dinosaurs Do? (Ages 3-5)
Push, pull, lift, and slide to bring these dinosaurs to life! Your little one will love making T. Rex chomp and Velociraptor blink. Stegosaurus’s plates will spring up as they turn the page, and Triceratops will shake its head! Iguanodon’s egg will hatch and Ankylosaurus will swish its club-like tail. And finally, your little one can unfold the pages to reveal Brachiosaur’s long neck and tail. This book was an instant favorite at our house!
How to Spot a Dinosaur (Ages 3-5)
This picture book features rhyming text and charming illustrations. The story tells of a brother-sister duo searching the park for dinosaurs. Each time they think they’ve found one, it turns out to be a silly pigeon or some other everyday object. Finally, a man points them in the direction of the Dinosaur Display where they find ALL the dinosaurs. I won’t give any spoilers, but this book has a surprise ending that my little ones absolutely loved!
Dino-Roar! Coloring & Activity Book (Ages 6-8)
This book comes with an adorable marker pouch and tons of fun activities! There are mazes, search-and-finds, coded coloring pages, spot the difference, word searches, connect-the-dots, word scrambles, and more. The book also includes a sticker sheet featuring the cutest dinosaurs and other prehistoric flora and fauna. This is a great activity book to have on hand when you need to keep your little ones busy, like long car rides or waiting at a restaurant.
For more dinosaur fun, check out Build the T. Rex (Ages 6+) and Uncover a T. Rex (Ages 8-12)! Both of these books feature informative text and three-dimensional models of the most fearsome dinosaur that ever prowled the Earth!
Dr. Candace Byrd is a mother of two with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. She has a passion for sharing high quality picture books and promoting early literacy, play-based learning, and social emotional well-being.
Instagram: @nestingwiththebyrds