If you’re reading this, you, like me, probably have a kiddo in your life that loves dinosaurs. (And maybe you, like me, also loved dinosaurs when you were little!) I have three little dino lovers (aged 18 months to 6 years), so we have read our fair share of dinosaur picture books over the years. Here are 10+ of our favorites.
1. Of course, I need to start off this list with my own book – When I Grow Up, I Want to Be A Dinosaur, by Mikayla Ruvalcaba. The boys love this one, and they think it is especially cool that mom wrote it! This book combines cool dinosaurs and fun facts to make an entertaining and educational read.
2. Dinosaurumpus!, by Tony Mitton. This is one of my favorite books to read aloud. The boys and I get so into it, doing the dinosaurumpus along with the dinos in the book. There are times to be loud and wiggly, and times to whisper and be still. We always have a good time with this book.
3. Nibbles the Dinosaur Guide, by Emma Yarlett. We were fans of the original Nibbles book before we found this one. The boys love following Nibbles’ footprints to find what trouble he has gotten into. And this book is filled with dino facts all little boys will enjoy (did you know a diplodocus fart could probably fill an entire hot air balloon?!?).
4. Tiny T. Rex series, by Jonathan Stutzman. There are several books in this series, including both picture books and board books. We love following small but determined Tiny on his adventures. I especially love the bold and bright illustrations.
5. Stuck! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits, by Joyce Uglow. Although this book isn’t about dinosaurs, it is dinosaur adjacent. Learn how animals got stuck in the tar and eventually turned into fossils and were discovered many years later. This is our favorite non fiction dinosaur related book. Plus, I’ve been to the La Brea Tar Pits, so this book is always fun for me to read.
6. How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide, by Ame Dyckman. This humorous book explains all the reasons various dinosaurs went extinct – from things like not wearing a helmet, to scratching bug bites, to eating their boogers.
7. The (Mostly) Nice Dinosaur, by Ashly Curren. The boys love hearing about the pet dinosaur and the trouble he and the little boy get into. Plus, there is a two page spread of a giant grumpy dino face (right before the boy gets eaten) – definitely my boys’ favorite part of the book.
8. How to Bathe Your Little Dinosaur, by Jane Clarke and Georgie Birkett. My boys love bath time, so this board book is a favorite. It is definitely for younger kids, but they like seeing Little Dino’s routine match so closely to their own. Plus, my oldest can read this one on his own.
9. We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, by Ryan T. Higgins. There are other books in this series, but this one is our favorite. Penelope Rex finds that her classmates at her new school are all…human kids! Of course they all look very tasty. We love reading about how the T. Rex and human kids interact. Plus, first day of school nerves is a very relatable topic for this age.
10. Little Dinos series, by Michael Dahl. This is a series we have just discovered. The text is simple and the illustrations are very colorful. Each book has an SEL lesson that comes in handy in our rowdy house. Plus, my oldest can also read these on his own – or to his younger brothers!
All the books on this list can be found at your local independent bookstore. And if you can’t find them on their shelves, I guarantee they will be happy to order it for you! (And of course, they are all also available on Amazon. Links in the post are to Amazon and may earn commissions.)
You can also purchase my book When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a Dinosaur from my website. If you order directly from my website, I will sign your book and include a personalized note if you want. I also usually include little goodies with each book I ship!
