Roar your way into a preschooler’s heart with these dinosaur books for preschoolers. You’ll find a combo of fictional stories featuring dino characters all the way to informational books about the prehistoric creatures.
Dinosaur Books for Preschoolers
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Dinosaur Stories
Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald is a good one to open a dinosaur unit. Students will guess the animal as it is built shape by shape. After reading, children could also build their own dinosaurs with different shapes.
I love Ryan Higgins’ work and his book, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, is a fun one. Penelope is starting school but she finds it so hard to make friends when they all look so delicious.
Imagine what life would be like if the dinosaurs lived today. Read the classic dinosaur book, If the Dinosaurs Came Backby Bernard Most. If dinosaurs lived today maybe we wouldn’t need lawnmowers or ladders. Students will have fun creating their own pictures of what life would be like with dinosaurs today after listening to the story.
Another classic is Dinosaur Roar! by Paul Strickland. The illustrations are AMAZING and it’s a fun book to work on opposites too.
Brontorina by James Howe is the story of a dinosaur with a dream of being a ballerina. Even though she is big and even though she doesn’t have the right shoes that doesn’t stop her from falling her heart.
I’m Bad! by Kate and Jim McMullan is the story of a hungry T-Rex. It’s a fun one to use a mean bad voice with while reading aloud.
Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman is the story of a small dinosaur on a big quest to learn how to hug. It’s quite a journey but in the end, he makes that hug happen. Preschoolers will be rooting for Tiny all the way through.
The Three Little Dinosaurs by Jim Harris is a longer read aloud but it will keep preschoolers interested because students will love the familiar storyline of The Three Little Pigs. The third little dinos house is pretty impressive.
Keep on the fairy tale theme with Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems. It’s pure Mo Willems fun!
Imagine if all the animals on your farm were dinosaurs. How does a farmer go about caring for dinosaurs? You’ll find out in Dinosaur Farm by Frann Preston-Gannon.
Penny Dale has a whole series of dinosaur on the go books from Dinosaur Dig! to Dinosaur Farm!They are fun and silly.
What happens when a dinosaur checks into a hotel. Where would be the best room in a hotel for a dinosaur? Find out in There’s a Dinosaur on the 13th Floor by Wade Bradford.
Am I Your’s by Alex Latimer is a fun rhythmic read aloud. A lost egg is about to hatch but who does the hatching belong to? Can the dinosaurs figure it out?
Dinosaur Counting Books
Next up is Dinosaur Countdown by Nicholas Oldland can be used to introduce different dinosaurs, practice counting backward from ten to one, and for building vocabulary. This simple short text book packs vocabulary words such as striding, munching, lumbering, and rearing. The kids could even act out each action.
Another counting book that will have kids up and moving is One More Dino on the Floor by Kelly Starling Lyons. Lots of rhyming and rhythm in this read-aloud as the dinosaurs get their groove on.
Dinosaurs and Words
Books and playing can go hand in hand in Doris the Bookasaurus by Diana Murray.
Stegothesaurusby Bridget Heos is one of my favorites on this list. This little dinosaur has a way with words. When the other dinos say something is big, his mind fills with more descriptive words like gargantuan, gigantic, and goliath. And, then one day he meets an Allothesaurus and he says a whole new set of words.
Dinosaurs and Food
Imagine if you invited a dinosaur for a tea party. That is just what happens in Tea Rexby Molly Idle.
Dinosaurs star in Groovy Joe Ice Cream & Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin. Really, what preschoolers doesn’t love the combos of dogs, dinosaurs, and ice cream? This one is highly recommended as a whole group read-aloud for circle time. Students will love to join in singing the repetitive chorus. You can listen and watch the Spanish version.
In Cookiesaurus Rex by Amy Fellner Dominy, Rex thinks he should be decorated first. But, he starts to see all the other decorations going on the other cookies and starts to get a bit jealous. Serving cookies while reading is optional.
Round out the food dinosaur books with Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin. Really who doesn’t love tacos? Also, check out Dragons Love Tacos 2.
Informational Books About Dinosaurs
Roar: A Dinosaur Tour by Michael Paul is a basic introduction to dinosaurs and some of their characteristics.
Dinosaur ABC by Priddy is chock full of dinosaur facts in manageable bites. The book also has an interesting feature that visually compares each prehistoric creature to the size of a human.
Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner can easily be adjusted depending on the attention span of your audience. Read the top section for a simple story about dinosaurs or delve into the supporting text for more information about their bones from their jaws to their tales.
Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones by Byron Barton takes us into the job of a paleontologist.
Even preschoolers like touch and feel books and they will get to know all about dinosaurs in Touch and Explore Dinosaurs by Stephanie Babin.
Jerry Pallotta is famous for his alphabet books and he just happens to have one about dinosaurs. The Dinosaur Alphabet Book is full of information about dinosaurs. Learn all about the sizes of different dinosaurs as they are compared to animals and objects preschoolers will recognize. For example, a Stegosaurus weighed as much as three cows.
Printable Dinosaur Booklist
Ready to grab a printable copy of the books above. It’s perfect for sticking in your lesson plan binder or taking to the library.
Dinosaur Literacy Activities
Keep the literacy fun going with these dinotastic literacy ideas.
Practice fine motor skills with this sensory writing tray that pairs great with Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems.
Grab the fossils for this beginning sound match activity.
Go on a dinosaur beginning sound hunt with this idea from Fantastic Fun and Learning.
Need some literacy center ideas centered around dinosaurs. Pocket of Preschool has lots of ideas.
Create a dino ABC sensory bin with this idea from Teach Me Mommy.
Rainy Day Mum shares a baby dino alphabet match activity.
Turn the letter D into a dino craft with this idea from Fun With Mama.
Enjoy literacy learning with dinos.
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