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Big Book of Dinosaurs. 1994. London:
DK Publishing.
This oversized book showcases different dinosaurs in illustrations and full-color photos of realistic replicas and contains simple text for early readers.

Danny and the Dinosaur, by Syd Hoff. 1992. New York: HarperTrophy.
On a visit to the museum, Danny is surprised and delighted when one of the dinosaurs comes to life and spends the day playing with him.

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs, by Byron Barton. 1993. New York: HarperTrophy.
A simple introductory book to dinosaurs that uses colorful, non-threatening pictures. The endpapers contain the creatures’ scientific names and a pronunciation guide.

The Dinosaur Who Lived in My Backyard, by B.G. Hennessey. Illus. by Susan Davis. 1990. New York: Puffin.
A small boy imagines what it was like millions of years ago when a dinosaur lived in his backyard.

Dinosaurs Roar! Board Book, by Henrietta Strickland. Illus. by Paul Strickland. 1997. New York: Dutton Juvenile.
This rhyming board book uses colorful dinosaurs to teach preschoolers opposites (“Dinosaur roar / dinosaur squeak / dinosaur fierce / dinosaur meek.”

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen. Illus. by Mark Teague. 2000. New York: Blue Sky.
Humorous illustrations and simple rhymes describe how dinosaur children (and their human parents) prepare for bed. This is one book in a popular series which also includes titles such as How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends? and How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?

The Littlest Dinosaurs, by Bernard Most. 1993. New York: Harcourt.
Boldly illustrated, this book introduces children to the smallest dinosaurs by making comparisons to everyday items that children know.

My Visit to the Dinosaurs (Let’s Read and Find Out Science 2), by Aliki. 1985. New York: HarperCollins.
A small boy visits a natural history museum with his family and learns about fossils, paleontology, and the dinosaurs who lived long ago.

Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp, by Carol Diggory Shields. Illus. by Scott Nash. 2002. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick.
Whimsical dinosaurs shake, move, twist, and tromp at a weekend party. The upbeat rhyming text (“Boomalacka boomalacka! Whack! Whack! WHACK!”) and diagrammed dance steps at the end will inspire preschoolers to dance and move.

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, by Elise Broach. Illus. by David Small. 2007. New York: Simon & Schuster.
A boring day of errands with his mother turns into an exciting adventure when, instead of a sticker or piece of candy, a little boy receives a real-life dinosaur at every store.

Meredith MacMillan, BS, senior editorial associate at NAEYC, compiled this book list.

Read “Dinosaur Adventures of the Best Kind,” by Kathy Sible, in the February 2008 issue of Teaching Young Children,to see what happens when a group of preschool teachers rethink dinosaur play at their school.

 

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