Unearth a Story: 2026 Summer Reading Early Literacy Book List

The 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 our youngest patrons. They include board books and fiction and nonfiction picture books for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and are available at the Sussex County Library System.

Updated April 2, 2026
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Sussex County Library System (NJ)
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Bundle up, Penelope Rex!
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
#1 New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins presents everyone's favorite dinosaur Penelope Rex in her board book debut, perfect for winter time. Penelope Rex wants to play in the snow. Her pet saber tooth cat wants to help her get ready. ...
Dinosaur Day
Murray, Diana
Paper Book
Hooray! Hooray! It's Dino Day! From the best-selling creators of Unicorn Day comes a dino-mite celebration as all sorts of dinosaurs celebrate Dinosaur Day! On Dinosaur Day, dinosaurs love to stomp and chomp. But they like silly singing, rowdy swimming, and yummy desserts too. All this fun...
Here we go digging for dinosaur bones : sung to the tune of "here we go round the mulberry bush"
Lendroth, Susan
Ebook
"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 behind paleontology. Set to the tune of "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush,...
My Dinosaur Shoes
Tassopoulos Wehner, Eleni
★"A strong addition from a neurodivergent author and illustrator that will resonate with many children and families" - School Library Journal, starred review "Through simple narrative, gentle modeling, and expressive character design, the...
My teacher is a dinosaur!
Canterbury, Bill
Paper Book
You think your school is weird? What if your teacher was a Tyrannosaurus rex?! Fans of the unusual creatures in the "How to Catch a" series will love this new super-silly picture book, a perfect back-to-school giggle. Includes two pages of stickers! It...
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...
Stomp, soar, dino roar
Amato, Max
Paper Book
A romping, rhyming, onomatopoeic tale of Terri the Triceratops and the world of dinosaurs! Terri the Triceratops's world is full of strange sounds, from crawling critters and shaking trees to scorching volcanoes and stormy seas. As she embarks on a journey through the Late Cretaceous...
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...

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