That's Not My Dinosaur...

With one texture patch and one sentence per page, this book is a simple way to teach toddlers texture words. The hidden mouse on every spread adds a second layer of discovery for kids.
That's Not My Dinosaur... by Fiona Watt is estimated to take about 3.5 minutes to read aloud (90 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 0-3.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 3.5 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Estimated word count
- 90Our estimate
- Sentences per page
- 1Sentence per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 4/5repeat friendly
- Vocabulary level
- 2/5everyday words
- Best for
- Ages 0-3Our editorial fit
Our review
The repetitive sentence frame—"That's not my dinosaur, its scales are too bumpy"—makes it very easy for a child to anticipate and join in.
It is a great way to introduce adjectives through touch. Once they've mastered the textures, they’ll likely spend their time hunting for the little mouse hidden in the illustrations.
Before you buy it
This uses the same sentence repeatedly over eight pages. While toddlers might love the repetition, adults often find themselves losing interest much faster than their kids do.
Themes
- textures
- dinosaurs
- adjectives
- first books
Books like That's Not My Dinosaur...
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read That's Not My Dinosaur... aloud?
About 3.5 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 90. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is That's Not My Dinosaur... actually for?
Ages 0-3 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 2 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does That's Not My Dinosaur... survive being read on repeat?
Yes. It survives a fortnight of nightly repeats, which is the real test.
Is That's Not My Dinosaur... a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with, and it asks the child questions to answer out loud. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise That's Not My Dinosaur...?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 4 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read That's Not My Dinosaur... on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 1 sentence a page and plain vocabulary (2 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
Is That's Not My Dinosaur... part of a series?
Yes, it belongs to the That's Not My series. It stands on its own, so you can start here without reading the others in order, then move to the rest if it lands.
What themes does That's Not My Dinosaur... cover?
We tag it with textures, dinosaurs, adjectives and first books. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.









