Unearth a Story: 2026 Summer Reading Children's Book List

he books are this list are to align with our 2026 summer reading slogan "unearth a Story". It was chosen to align with our high-interest theme of dinosaurs, paleontology, archaeology. This book list was created for kids ages 5 - 12. They include easy readers, fiction and nonfiction picture books as well as DVDs, and VOX audio books for school age children and are available at the Sussex County Library System.

Updated April 2, 2026
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Sussex County Library System (NJ) Sussex County Library System (NJ)
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Unearth a Story: 2026 Summer Reading Children's Book List

he books are this list are to align with our 2026 summer reading slogan "unearth a Story". It was chosen to align with our high-interest theme of dinosaurs, paleontology, archaeology. This book list was created for kids ages 5 - 12. They include easy readers, fiction and nonfiction picture books as well as DVDs, and VOX audio books for school age children and are available at the Sussex County Library System.

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All about fossils : discovering dinosaurs and other clues to the past
Crane, Cody
Paper Book
What kinds of fossils exist, and where are they found? What are fossils and how do they form? This book answers this question and many more about the fascinating world of fossils. From the discovery of dinosaurs to the information fossils reveal about Earth's prehistoric past, everything readers...
Apex predators : the world's deadliest hunters, past and present
Jenkins, Steve
Paper Book
What does it take to be "top dog?" In this illustrated exploration of the animal kingdom, Caldecott Honor winner Steve Jenkins introduces readers to some of the most powerful predators in history, from the Tyrannosaurus rex to the African Siberian tiger. Using his signature cut...
Big words for little paleontologists : the dino dictionary every little explorer needs
Gerry, Lisa M.
Paper Book
This stunningly illustrated picture book will inspire every budding paleontologist with the impressive words that dino-crazy little kids love to learn--and show off! Featuring more than 50 wow-worthy words, with definitions and phonetic pronunciation, this info...
Dinosaur & other prehistoric creatures atlas
Barker, Chris
Paper Book
Who's ready for a round-the-world trip of epic dinosaur proportions? Pack your bags, and let's go! On this adventure, you'll travel back in time to see more than 40 dinosaurs come to life! The geography book for kids explores each continent, revealing fossil sites and stories on...
Dinosaur atlas : when they roamed, how they lived, and where we find their fossils
Paper Book
More than 250 million years ago, our planet looked and felt a lot different from how it does now. The seven separate continents we have today hadn't yet taken shape. Instead, there was only one "supercontinent" called Pangaea. This was the beginning of the time of the dinosaurs. Journey...
The dinosaur book
Woodward, John
Paper Book
Packed with more than 1,000 incredible images and full of fascinating facts, this beautiful children's encyclopedia will bring young readers face to face with some of the most incredible creatures ever to exist! Did you know that archeologists recently discovered the fossils of a...
Dinosaur hunters /
McMullan, Kate
Paper Book
Less than 200 years ago, nobody knew that dinosaurs had ever existed. Now, scientists who study fossils know about many kinds of dinosaurs and where they lived. The hunt is on for new information about our favorite prehistoric reptiles!
Dinosaurs : 400 words for budding paleontologists
Lamm, Ellen-Thérèse
Paper Book
Learn 400 words dinosaur scientists--or paleontologists--use, and learn how to talk like a dinosaur expert! Do you know what pieces of fossilized dinosaur poop are called? (Answer: Coprolites.) How about the large collar at the back of a Triceratops's skull? (Answer: Frill.) Take a deep...
Dinosaurs before dark
Laird, Jenny
Paper Book
The #1 bestselling chapter book is now a graphic novel! Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. Get whisked back in time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie! Where did the tree house come from?      Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious...
The doomsday detectives : how Walter and Luis Alvarez solved the mystery of dinosaur extinction
Jenson-Elliott, Cynthia L.
Paper Book
Father-son scientists Luis and Walter Alvarez piece together one of the greatest mysteries of all time: What really happened to the dinosaurs? Dive into this fun and informative middle grade nonfiction book, which outlines the many important scientific discoveries that aided the Alvarezes in...
The fossil whisperer : how Wendy Sloboda discovered a dinosaur
Becker, Helaine
Paper Book
Wendy has an eye for the unusual and is skilled at finding things that others don't see. On a middle school field trip, she spots one of those unusual things - it's fossilized coral 100 million years old! Wendy's thrilled! And soon, she gets hooked on hunting fossils. She decides to turn her passion...
Here we go digging for dinosaur bones : sung to the tune of "here we go round the mulberry bush"
Lendroth, Susan
Paper Book
"This is a perfect book for a dinosaur storytime."-School Library Journal This STEM-friendly musical fossil dig will have dinosaur lovers singing along as they learn the science behindpaleontology. Set to the tune of "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush," Here We...
How dinosaurs went extinct : a safety guide
Dyckman, Ame
Paper Book
From author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Jenn Harney comes a hilarious faux-cautionary tale featuring dad jokes and tantrum-throwing dinosaurs!   In this outrageous "safety guide," a child in a museum asks their parents how the dinosaurs all became extinct. Well,...
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
Yolen, Jane
Paper Book
Perfect for bedtime reading, children love the laugh-aloud antics of playful dinosaur children who stomp and fuss and jump on the bed in this award-winning New York Times bestseller! How do dinosaurs say good night? Brimming with humor and familiar good-night...
How do dinosaurs say good night?
Yolen, Jane
Paper Book
Perfect for bedtime reading, children love the laugh-aloud antics of playful dinosaur children who stomp and fuss and jump on the bed in this award-winning New York Times bestseller! How do dinosaurs say good night? Brimming with humor and familiar good-night...
How do dinosaurs say good night?
Yolen, Jane.
Paper Book
Perfect for bedtime reading, children love the laugh-aloud antics of playful dinosaur children who stomp and fuss and jump on the bed in this award-winning New York Times bestseller! How do dinosaurs say good night? Brimming with humor and familiar good-night...
I know dino! : amazing breakthroughs, mega mistakes, and unsolved mysteries in dinosaur science
Ricci, Sabrina
Paper Book
Get the deets on dinos and find out how we know what we know about them, from the hosts of the popular podcast I Know Dino! Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years, but the world of dinosaur science has never been more alive! Over the last few decades, amazing...
The magic school bus : in the time of the dinosaurs
Cole, Joanna.
Paper Book
One twist of the dial and the Magic School Bus transforms into a time machine that travels back to the prehistoric age, making pit stops in the Mesozoic Era and meeting dinosaurs along the way. "It's fun and fine science".--The New York Times Book Review. Full color. Includes perforated bookmark...
Peter Lee's notes from the field
Ahn, Angela
Paper Book
Eleven-year-old Peter Lee has one goal in life: to become a paleontologist. But in one summer, that all falls apart. Told in short, accessible journal entries and combining the humor of Timmy Failure with the poignant family dynamics of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Peter Lee will win readers' hearts....
Sam & Dave dig a hole
Barnett, Mac
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A 2015 Caldecott Honor Book With perfect pacing, the multi-award-winning, New York Times best-selling team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen dig down for a deadpan tale full of visual humor. Sam and Dave are...
We dig fossils
Agostini, Alliah L.
Paper Book
Get out your shovels and fossil brushes for this delightful Step 2 reader following a family's search for fossils! A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Ava loves rocks! But what she really really loves are fossils! Ava and her family are on a mission...
We're All Gonna Die-Nosaur!
Tan, Kon
Paper Book
A 2026 Kids Favorite Pterry the pterodactyl has lots of nightmares--and they always come true! Can Pterry face his fear of flying? If not . . . we're all gonna DIE-nosaur!!! With exciting black-and-white illustrations on every page, this subversively hilarious chapter...
We're All Gonna Die-Nosaur!: Escape of the Apes
Tan, Kon
Paper Book
A 2026 Kids Favorite Pterry the pterodactyl has lots of nightmares--and they always come true! Can Pterry face his fear of flying? If not . . . we're all gonna DIE-nosaur!!! With exciting black-and-white illustrations on every page, this subversively hilarious chapter...
What is an archaeologist?
Romero, Libby
Paper Book
In this Level 3 reader, you can learn all about how archaeologists unearth history, from Egyptian pyramids to Incan roads, and everything in between. Travel around the world and back in time to learn about one of the coolest careers. Discover what archaeologists do, from digging...
What was the age of the dinosaurs?
Stine, Megan
Paper Book
Travel back to the time when the mighty dinosaurs ruled the earth. The Age of Dinosaurs began about 250 million years ago. In the beginning they were quite small but over time they evolved into the varied and fascinating creatures that captivate our imaginations today. What we...
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