12 Best Dinosaur Books For Kids (2024)
Do your kids love dinosaurs? Yes…Well then, we got a real treat for you today. Here are the 12 best dinosaur books for kids. This list includes both educational books and storybooks where the main character is a dinosaur. If you’re looking to educate your child on dinosaurs or just want a nice bedtime story to read – Then carry on reading this post! We got books about tyrannosauruses, hypsilophodontids, gigantic dinosaurs, cute baby dinosaurs, magical dinosaurs and even pooping dinosaurs!
You might also be interested in these 16 Dinosaur writing prompts and this list of the best picture books about dinosaurs.
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Recommended Dinosaur Books For Kids
We started by recommending educational books about dinosaurs and ended with a few of our favourite storybooks featuring dinosaurs as the main characters. Our list also includes the recommended age for each of the books mentioned:
1. National Geographic Little Kids: First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine D. Hughes
From small dinosaurs to gigantic dinosaurs, this book contains hundreds of fun facts about all sorts of dinosaurs. Its beautiful illustrations, simple wording and pronunciation make it a good read for younger readers. Some nice features we liked about the book were the dinosaur and human comparison charts for each dinosaur as well as the quick and easy facts about the dinosaurs.
Recommended Age: 3 – 5 years
2. My Encyclopedia of Very Important Dinosaurs by DK
This book (or encyclopedia) is jam-packed with information and fun facts about a range of dinosaurs. Not only do you learn facts about various dinosaurs, but you also learn about the prehistoric world, life as a dinosaur and fossils. The things we loved about this book included the nicely laid out fact files on each dinosaur, the pronunciation help text and the funny speech bubble text – Which is cute!
Recommended Age: 3 – 6 years
3. Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up by Matthew Reinhart
This book is the perfect gift for any dinosaur-lover out there. It might not have as much information as the previous books in our recommendations, but it has over 35 stunning pop-ups of dinosaurs to entertain readers. Each pop-up is beautifully illustrated and comes with informative text for educational value. Watch out – As with every page turn, a new dinosaur pops up in a fierce stance.
Recommended Age: 5 – 14 years
4. Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Dinosaurs by Katie Daynes
Dinosaurs – There are so many questions about them. Who, why and when? For a curious child who wants to learn more about these magnificent creatures, this flipbook is the answer. It contains a huge range of common questions about dinosaurs. And the answer to each one is behind a beautifully illustrated flap. The stunning illustrations, along with the flap book style make it a great way to capture the attention of younger readers and educate them on some fun dinosaur facts.
Recommended Age: 3 – 6 years
5. Dinosaur: A Photicular Book by Dan Kainen
This photicular (moving pictures) dinosaur book is great for little kids and big kids alike. As you turn the pages, you’ll see a mini-movie of each of the dinosaurs in action – Which is like having a mini TV in your own hands! Watch two fierce triceratopses attacking each other or experience the cuteness of a pair of parasauropholuses snuggling in Spring. Younger children will be fascinated by the moving dinosaur pictures, while older children will be intrigued by the detailed information on each of the dinosaurs presented.
Recommended Age: 3 – 12 years
6. The Ultimate Dinosaur Encyclopedia by Chris Barker
This is more than just a typical dinosaur encyclopedia, combined with its free app you’ll also get 3D videos of the dinosaurs in action. Simply scan the pages in the book with your mobile phone and watch the dinosaurs leap off the page! Along with the beautiful 3D illustrations, you’re also provided with interesting and detailed facts about each of the featured dinosaurs. With this book, you can watch a Dakotaraptor in action with the free app and read all the fun facts about it with the detailed information provided.
Recommended Age: 8 and up
7. Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman
This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of a baby T-Rex dinosaur who wants to cheer his friend up. And the only way to make his friend happy is by hugging him. But there’s one big problem – The baby T-Rex’s arms are too short. With hard work and persistence, this tiny T-Rex manages to find a way to cheer his friend up and save the day. If you’re looking for a heart-warming and inspirational dinosaur picture book then this is the book for you!
Recommended Age: 3 – 5 years
8. The Girl and the Dinosaur by Hollie Hughes
This is a beautiful tale about a lonely girl who spends her spare time digging for dinosaur bones at the beach. She hopes one day that these dinosaur bones can turn into a real dinosaur. One night the dinosaur bones come to life and the young girl is taken away to a mysterious island of dinosaurs! She finds happiness, friends and more on this island. We love the stunning illustrations used, and the peaceful words make it the perfect bedtime story for young dinosaur lovers everywhere.
Recommended Age: 4 – 6 years
9. The Dinosaur that Pooped a Pirate by Tom Fletcher
Combining all things that kids love, dinosaurs, pirates and poo – This hilarious story will have your children giggling right until the end. Follow Danny and Dinosaur as they head out to sea and end up in all sorts of trouble with mermaids, pirates and more. With its gorgeous illustrations and funny pirate references (and not to forget the pooping dinosaur), this book is sure to be a hit with your children.
Recommended Age: 3 – 6 years
10. Bradley and the Dinosaur by Julian Hilton
Imagine if you encountered a dinosaur in your own backyard! This gentle bedtime read tells the story of a young boy who discovers a dinosaur in his backyard. Through showing kindness and bravery, the boy is taken to a new world where he meets all sorts of amazing dinosaurs. This is the perfect rhyming picture book for any young dinosaur fans out there.
Recommended Age: 2 – 7 years
11. Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Dinosaur by Rhiannon Fielding
Rumble the dinosaur needs to go to sleep. But with so many exciting things in the jungle, it’s really hard to go to bed. Follow Rumble’s journey as he tries to sleep in a busy jungle, in this adorable, rhyming dinosaur picture book. The gorgeous illustrations, relaxing words and beautiful message make this book a great bedtime read for your little ones.
Recommended Age: 3 – 6 years
12. The Dinosaur’s Diary by Julia Donaldson
Written in the form of a diary, each chapter represents a day in the dinosaur’s life. Follow the life of a Hypsilophodon, as she tries to find a safe place to hide her eggs. However, she somehow slips through time and ends up on a modern-day farm. Each chapter is kept short and simple and even includes some pictures to keep more reluctant readers engaged until the end. For this reason, it makes for a great ‘read out loud’ book for children aged 7 and up.
Recommended Age: 7 – 9 years
Our list of recommended dinosaur books will make wonderful gifts for any dinosaur-loving child or for a giveaway at a dinosaur-themed party. Have you read any of our top dinosaur books for kids or maybe you have another recommendation to share? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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