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Dinosaurs!

4/30/2020

I don't know of any kids who do not become fascinated by dinosaurs at some point. As a fourth grade teacher, one of my favorite science units to teach was Dinosaurs & Fossils. Now, as a mom, my son loves to learn more about dinosaurs (his current favorite show is a toss-up between Dinosaur Train on PBS or Word World) & we are always on the look-out for more books! I would say DinoTrux and Tiny T. Rex & the Impossible Hug are his very favorites currently. (You can hear a read-aloud of Tiny T. Rex on my Instagram account under the "Story Time II" bubble.
Also, if you are looking for affordable kids' books, I have tried to find these books on kidsbooks.com & thriftbooks (which I shared about on my Instagram.) Links will be provided after each book summary for the cheapest place you can find these dino classics.
Please enjoy this list of 12 books with your little dino buddy sometime soon! :)
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1. A Dinosaur Named After Me (a book from my husband's childhood.)
by: Bernard Most
(Have you ever wondered if there could be a dinosaur named for you? Or perhaps has a name that could be closely linked to yours? This fun book about dinosaurs is for you then! And a perk-- there's a pronunciation guide too!)
https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Named-after-Me/dp/0152234934/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=A+Dinosaur+Named+After+Me&qid=1588269310&sr=8-1
2. Tiny T. Rex & the Impossible Hug (*There is also one written for kids who might be scared of the dark.)
by: Jonathan Stutzman & Jay Fleck
(I read this one aloud on my Instagram for story time yesterday if you want to preview the whole book. Little T. Rex wants to hug his friend, Pointy, but he's distressed because his typical T. Rex arms are much too short for a normal hug.)
https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-T-Rex-Impossible-Hug/dp/1452170339/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tiny+t.+rex+and+the+impossible+hug&qid=1588274847&sr=8-1
3. Shape by Shape
by: Suse McDonald
(This is definitely a baby-friendly book, especially in board book form, as it presents the different shapes that make up a dinosaur-- a Brachiosaurus.)
https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Suse-MacDonald/dp/1416971475/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=shape+by+shape&qid=1588275057&sr=8-1
4.Revenge of the Dinotrux (+Dig the Beach)
by: Chris Gall
(Creative author-illustrator Chris Gall creates some robotic, metal dinosaur contraptions that break out of a museum & have to go to good dinosaur school in the first book, and then they go to dig/build their own beach in the second one. Each Dinotrux is unique & has its own special abilities.)
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/dinotrux_chris-gall/323394/#isbn=0316405841&idiq=9357798
5.If a T. Rex Crashes your Birthday Party
by: Jill Esbaum
(One never knows what to expect if a T. Rex shows up at your party; he could roar or try to eat you up! What an exciting guest.)
https://www.amazon.com/Rex-Crashes-Your-Birthday-Party/dp/1454915501/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28MFFWTX4XSO0&dchild=1&keywords=if+a+t+rex+crashes+your+birthday+party&qid=1588275227&sprefix=if+a+t+rex+crashes+you%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1
6. Dino Basketball (also look out for: Dino Swimming, Dino Dancing, Dino Football, & Dino Racing!)
by: Lisa Wheeler
(Did you know dinosaurs play sports? Well, these ones do! And there's a tough competition between the GrassClippers & the Heat (or meat eaters.) In addition to learning all the different dinosaur names, the book is written in clever rhyme; it's catchy!)

7. How to Catch A Dinosaur
by: Adam Wallace (author of How to Catch the Easter Bunny)
(Just as you learned how to catch the Easter Bunny, Wallace sets you up again to try & catch your very own dinosaur!)
https://www.amazon.com/How-Catch-Dinosaur-Adam-Wallace/dp/1728234921/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=how+to+catch+a+dinosaur&qid=1588264485&sr=8-1

8. Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp
by: Carol Diggory Shields
(Dinosaurs like to dance to let off steam or entertain themselves! Learn all about what a dinosaur dance looks look in this cute book!)
https://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Night-at-Dinosaur-Stomp/dp/0763638870/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1S1B1JHQA1LVH&dchild=1&keywords=saturday+night+at+the+dinosaur+stomp&qid=1588278620&sprefix=saturday+night+at+the+dinosaur%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-1
9. Count the Dinosaurs
by: Books for Little Ones
(A picture puzzle book with 17 puzzles inside!)
https://www.amazon.com/Count-Dinosaurs-Picture-Puzzle-Book/dp/1728837782/ref=sr_1_1?crid=188189CNA3V3Q&dchild=1&keywords=count+the+dinosaurs&qid=1588278836&sprefix=count+the+dinosaurs%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1

10. Danny & the Dinosaur (series)
by: Syd Hoff
(Danny imagines a dinosaur comes alive at the museum & accompanies him & his friends on many adventures.)
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/danny-and-the-dinosaur-by-syd-hoff/333292/#isbn=0064440028&idiq=7869831
11. Dinosaurs Love Underpants
by: Claire Freedman
(How dinosaurs really became extinct is revealed in this wacky, humorous tale of an underpants war between dinosaurs.)
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/dinosaurs-love-underpants_claire-freedman/301708/#isbn=1416989382&idiq=1114168

12.How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends
by: Jane Yolen (This author has quite a few How Do Dinosaur books, like How Do Dinosaurs Count to 10 & How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night!)
(Playful dinosaurs introduce sharing & how to be a good friend when playing with others.)
https://www.amazon.com/How-Dinosaurs-Play-Their-Friends/dp/043985654X/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3N2RTWIKP30SC&dchild=1&keywords=how+do+dinosaurs+books+by+jane+yolen&qid=1588279015&sprefix=dinosaur+books+by+jane%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-4
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**BONUS READ: All Aboard the Dinotrain, by: Deb Lund
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/all-aboard-the-dinotrain_deb-lund/464078/#isbn=0547248253&idiq=4838125

Sidenote: for our younger readers (babies) texture books are great! Check out this dinosaur touch & feel at a discounted price on kidsbooks.com
Never Touch the Dinosaurs
https://kidsbooks.com/Store/Details/9781788439831B/never-touch-the-dinosaurs

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Potty Time Book List

4/16/2020

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Due to the corona-virus quarantine lock down, it seemed like the perfect time to potty train (since we rarely leave the house these days for anything.) But my son has been more than stubborn; maybe that's because he's almost 3.5 years old & requires a good deal of motivation to use the potty and/or leave his comfortable diapers behind. I've been reading parent literature & listening to podcasts for tips for a while now. So, we have embarked on a funny & entertaining literary journey to aid in this quest; I hope this books will both entertain & perhaps help some of you who are also on the potty training journey.
Note: some of this books are more geared towards boys (since that's who I'm working with right now) but there are a good many girl-themed potty training books out there too. (i.e. Big Girl Panties, by: Fran Manushkin.)
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1. The Prince & the Potty
by: Wendy Cheyette Lewison
(The young prince loves parading about the castle in diapers, but his parents are worried he will still be wearing diapers as a king. So they ask for advice & are told to get a dog; once the prince sees the puppy peeing around the castle, he realizes that just like the puppy must learn where to go potty, he too must learn to use the potty when he needs to go.)
https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Potty-Wendy-Cheyette-Lewison/dp/0689878087/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+Prince+and+the+Potty&qid=1587058190&s=beauty&sr=1-1-catcorr
2. Potty Professional
by: Melissa Sue Walker (*Kindle Unlimited)
https://www.amazon.com/Potty-Professional-highly-effective-motivational-ebook/dp/B083FB5H2K/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=potty+professional&qid=1587066507&s=books&sr=1-1
3. The Potty Train
by: David Hochman
(A little boy envisions using the potty as being on a train with his stuffed animals; it even includes an Undie Juction they must drive under & the famous line "chugga-chugga-POO POO!!!" The bathroom humor is spot-on for little boys, at least.)
https://www.amazon.com/Potty-Train-David-Hochman/dp/1416928332/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=potty+books&qid=1587058516&s=books&sr=1-13
4. The Perfect Potty Zoo
by: Agnes Green (*Kindle Unlimited)
(This cute book of zoo animals goes through the alphabet while teaching about potty time.)
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Potty-Zoo-Funniest-Books/dp/1976748631/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=the+perfect+potty+zoo&qid=1587065655&s=books&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVzU2VVFUUEpIMEZYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzgxMDAwMlJRVko1NjMwRDc5OCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTkyMTIyTkVQWFVRRVlBOEw4JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
5. Baby Giraffe Goes Potty
by: Melissa Winn (*Kindle Unlimited)
(Learn about 27 different zoo animals & how they learned to go potty & get rid of their "nappies.")
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Giraffe-Goes-Potty-Funniest-ebook/dp/B07MM26TFV/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=baby+giraffe+goes+potty&qid=1587065727&s=books&sr=1-2
6. Once Upon a Potty (girl or boy version)
by: Alona Frankel
(Written for her son Michael when he was learning about going potty; I believe the author calls it "toilet training." She's rather proper.)
https://kidsbooks.com/Store/Browse?q=+Potty
7. Everybody Potties
by: Cheri Vogel
(It can be reassuring for a child in potty training to realize that everybody and every animal has to go potty; it's just natural.)
https://www.target.com/p/everybody-potties-i-can-do-it-by-cheri-vogel-board-book/-/A-52745518
8. Big Boy Underpants
by: Fran Manushkin & Valeria Petrone
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Boy-Underpants-Fran-Manushkin/dp/0553538616/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=big+boy+underpANTS&qid=1587066107&s=books&sr=1-1
9. P is for Potty
by: Naomi Kleinberg
(Elmo teaches the importance of learning how to go potty.)
https://www.target.com/p/p-is-for-potty-sesame-street-board-books-by-lena-cooper-hardcover/-/A-53742246
10. Daniel's Potty Time
by: Jason Fruchter
(Daniel Tiger is an excellent example of learning to go potty; he even has a catchy song he sings with his mom & dad; "if you have to go potty, STOP & go right away!")
https://www.target.com/p/daniel-s-potty-time-daniel-tiger-s-neighborhood-paperback/-/A-76395008
11. My Thomas Potty Book
by: Random House
(Thomas the Train even learns to go potty...or at least has toddler friends showing how to do it! This book comes complete with reward stickers, so if your kiddo likes stickers as an incentive, that will work!)
https://www.amazon.com/My-Thomas-Potty-Book-Friends/dp/1101934271/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=my+thomas+potty+book&qid=1587066758&s=books&sr=1-1

12. It's You & Me Against the Pee (& the Poop Too)
by: Julia Cook & Laura Jana
(Stanley, a 3-year-old, is too busy playing & having fun to sit down & use the potty. Potty learning is a team effort, from parents & kids alike in this cute story.)
https://www.amazon.com/Its-You-Against-Pee-Poop/dp/1931636753/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=it%27s+you+and+me+against+the+pee&qid=1587067048&s=books&sr=1-1
13. Bloop Bloop Goes the Poop
by: Temara Moore (*Kindle Unlimited) '
(A little boy learns to sit & wait on the potty for the sound that inevitably means he has pooped successfully; "bloop bloop.")
https://www.amazon.com/Bloop-Goes-Poop-ebook/dp/B00ADQR6DU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YII5PAAZV81G&dchild=1&keywords=bloop+bloop+goes+the+poop&qid=1587066289&s=books&sprefix=bloop+bloop%2Cstripbooks%2C335&sr=1-1
14. Pirate Potty
by: Samantha Berger
(Includes a step-by-step for how to start going potty for the first time & has captain's hat & reward stickers for incentives as you go!)
https://www.target.com/p/pirate-potty-by-samantha-berger-mixed-media-product/-/A-77004194
15. Potty Patrol
(Paw Patrol themed, like the Nickelodeon show)
https://www.target.com/p/potty-patrol-paw-patrol-board-book/-/A-77362213

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