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
S
Sussex County Library System (NJ)
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Baby triceratops
Abery, Julie
Paper Book
Take little ones on a prehistoric adventure with baby dinosaurs! Based on facts we know from paleontology, these poetic rhyming stories imagine what Jurassic and Cretaceous life was like for the youngest dinosaurs. Delightful read-alouds for toddlers and preschoolers, these sturdy board books will...
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...
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. ...
Diggersaurs mission to Mars
Whaite, Michael
Paper Book
Bigger than a digger...hungrier than a dinosaur...it's a DIGGERSAUR! This rhyming mash-up of dinosaurs and trucks will delight dino fanatics and construction fans alike. A dozen dinosaur trucks crunch, scrape, chomp, and rumble through this book as they work on roads and...
First picture encyclopedia of dinosaurs
Gallagher, Belinda
Paper Book
Step back in time to discover the world of prehistory! This beautifully illustrated hardback encyclopedia is packed with fantastic facts about more than 100 dinosaurs and other ancient animals. From tiny, four-winged Microraptor to skyscraping Sauroposeidon, every dinosaur is a source...
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...
How to catch a Daddysaurus
Walstead, Alice
Paper Book
The newest addition in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series--do YOU have the rad skills needed to catch the mystical Daddysaurus? The How to Catch Kids are at it again! This time, they're out to trap the Daddysaurus--a mystical creature capable of such amazing...
Little lost dinosaur
Deer, Will
Paper Book
Get ready for a hilarious adventure with Little Lost Dinosaur, the new title in the successful Search and Find series by Priddy Books. Young children will love helping Little Dinosaur find his mom in this chunky, interactive novelty board book. With tabs to pull...
MIS Zapatos de Dinosaurio / My Dinosaur Shoes
Tassopoulos Wehner, Eleni
Come along with Roscoe & Ivy as Roscoe transitions to a new pair of shoes!  Roscoe really, really loves his puppy shoes. They're so soft! So comfy! So... PERFECT! When his puppy shoes get to be too small, it's time for a new pair of dinosaur shoes. Dinosaur shoes?! Those...
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...
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...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.