Great Read Alouds: Dinovember
Dinovember was started by Refe and Susan Tuma, a couple in Kansas City, as a way of keeping magic in their kids’ lives. While their children slept, they set up toy dinosaurs to make it look as if the dinos were coming alive at night and being ornery and messy.
They later shared the idea in their book What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night. Since then, regardless of knowing its origin, educators and parents have been using the term as an excuse to plan dinosaur-themed lessons and read extra dinosaur books in November. Why not? Kids love dinosaurs. They make learning and reading fun!
You'll find dinosaur fact books in the 567.9 nonfiction section in the back of our Kids Library. We also have more than 150 picture books involving dinosaurs. Some of these books depict dinosaurs in their natural, prehistoric settings, while others place them living among humans today or in a fantasy world where dinosaurs talk and act like people.
Dinosaur characters vary from cute to funny to ferocious. At the end of this article I have an extensive list of books with something to offer every young dinosaur fan. But first, roam through some of my favorite dinosaur read alouds.
Am I Yours? by Alex Latimer
This heartwarming book is ideal for children who enjoy a good story and are satisfied with introductory information about dinosaurs. Latimer highlights several different species of dinosaurs who try to help an egg that has rolled out of its nest find its family. As it turns out, it is not a dinosaur egg. This creates the perfect opportunity to discuss the difference between dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Latimer's illustrations are bright and engaging, and his text is rhythmic and compelling.
Dinosaur Feathers by Dennis Nolan
When a family comes into the Kids Library and asks for a storybook with realistic-looking dinosaurs, this is the first one I grab. It is a rhyming, nonfiction picture book focusing on how birds evolved from dinosaurs. This book is ideal for reading aloud once you get the dinosaur names down. Don’t worry, there are pronunciation guides. The illustrations are impressive and there is extra information in the back for those who crave details.
Big Words for Little Paleontologists by Lisa M. Gerry
If you have a serious dinosaur enthusiast who can’t get enough of the science and language of prehistoric study, you need to check out this new National Geographic Kids book. The illustrations are amazingly vibrant and detailed, and there is plenty of dino content to soak up. You'll find pronunciation guides and it is not too much to read aloud in one sitting.
Triceratops Follows Its Herd written by Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia & illustrated by Marie Bollmann
This is one of four books in our collection in the A Dinosaur’s Day series. Each follows a different species of dinosaur from sun up to sun down, providing plenty of dino details within an engaging story. In this delightful story, Little Triceratops munches on plants and interacts with other types of dinosaurs as well as his family. It is well written and illustrated. You can enjoy the other books in the series in any order, but be sure to preview before reading them to your child. The carnivores hunt and eat other animals. Although the images are not graphic, you will want to consider whether your dinosaur fan is ready for this reality. If not, we have plenty of other choices to help you observe Dinovember.
