Wee Society

Our three top picks for International Dinosaur Month include a quirky tale of a Hokey Pokey-playing dino, a laugh-out-loud take on a classic fable, and a beautifully illustrated educational story.

 

Dinosaur Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo by William Joyce

It’s rare that we come across a book that feels truly original, in the the very best kind of quirky way. After the adventurous, vacationing Lazardo family finds Dinosaur Bob, they bring him home to Pimlico Hills. They hope he’ll fit right in — since he can play trumpet, baseball and do the Hokey Pokey. But not everyone in Pimlico Hills agrees. And Bob’s future is at risk, until he becomes the town hero at a baseball game. If your kids are into dinos and baseball, this is a must-read. Bonus: The book ends with sheet music for The Ballad of Dinosaur Bob.

 

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

This completely original take on a classic tale makes us laugh out loud. Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway "went someplace else and were definitely not hiding in the woods waiting for an unsuspecting kid to come by." Cue Goldilocks, a precocious, unsupervised child who barges into their house and helps herself to chocolate pudding of varying temperatures. (Children taste better full of chocolate pudding, apparently.) We won't spoil the ending, but the lesson for kids is clear: never wander into strange homes. And for dinosaurs who want to trap children: get a lock for your back door.


The Wonderful Egg by Dahlov Ipcar

This gorgeously illustrated story, first published in 1958, centers on “one wonderful egg,” and explores what might be inside. An elasmosaurus? A corythosaurus? A pteranodon? Each page provides facts about the creature, which our preschoolers love to learn. We caught a few factual errors — but discussing them is part of the fun. And there’s a pronunciation guide in the back to help with names like Rhanmphorhynchus. (Shwoo.)