When dinosaurs came with everything

Name: When dinosaurs came with everything
Author: Elise Broach
ISBN: 9780689869228

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Elise Broach

Reading Level 3 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Balanced Read

A Junior Library Guild selection

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible Find on Bookshop.org

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

What if every store gave away a real dinosaur with every purchase? Imagine the surprise when a little boy discovers this amazing offer while out shopping with his mom. But how do you keep a dinosaur at home without causing a big mess?

Themes

DinosaursHumor Family

Quick Assessment

This charming picture book by Elise Broach and David Small follows a young boy who unexpectedly receives a dinosaur as a free gift during errands with his mother. It's a humorous, imaginative story suitable for early readers aged 5 to 8, exploring themes of family bonding and playful fantasy. The book contains light humor and no content concerns, making it appropriate for young children.

Why we rated When dinosaurs came with everything C (Gentle)

When dinosaurs came with everything is written at a Level 3 reading level across 40 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage When dinosaurs came with everything on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate When dinosaurs came with everything as C (Gentle) because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, When dinosaurs came with everything explores dinosaurs, humor, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about dinosaurs, humor, family.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — When dinosaurs came with everything carries an award.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?