Meet the Dinosaurs Books in Order
Meet the Dinosaurs is a 9-book series by Don Lessem for ages 5–8, at a grades 3–4 reading level, with gentle content (HootRated intensity 1/5).
- Books
- 9
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle
- HootRated 1/5
Meet the Dinosaurs Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most Meet the Dinosaurs books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horned Dinosaurs (Meet the Dinosaurs) 2004 | Level 4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 2 | Armored dinosaurs 2005 | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 3 | Duck-billed dinosaurs 2005 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 4 | Feathered dinosaurs 2005 | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 5 | Giant meat-eating dinosaurs 2005 | Level 4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 6 | The deadliest dinosaurs 2005 | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 7 | The fastest dinosaurs 2005 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 8 | The smallest dinosaurs 2005 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 9 | The smartest dinosaurs 2005 | Level 4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Meet the Dinosaurs (9 books by Don Lessem) lands at a grades 3–4 reading level, with average content intensity 1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
All Meet the Dinosaurs Books
Horned Dinosaurs (Meet the Dinosaurs)
Don Lessem
Horned Dinosaurs (Meet the Dinosaurs)
Don Lessem
Armored dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Armored dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Duck-billed dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Duck-billed dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Feathered dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Feathered dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Giant meat-eating dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Giant meat-eating dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The deadliest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The deadliest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The fastest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The fastest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The smallest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The smallest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The smartest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
The smartest dinosaurs
Don Lessem
Series Like Meet the Dinosaurs: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- Checkerboard Library; Trees (Abdo) by John F. Prevost 6 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Read Me!; Extreme Dinosaurs by Rupert Matthews 3 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Little Entomologist 4D; Smithsonian Little Explorer by Megan Cooley Peterson 7 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Can You Find It? (Gareth Stevens) by Dee Phillips 4 books · Grades 3–5 · gentle content
- Snakes (ABDO); Checkerboard Library by James E. Gerholdt 9 books · Grades 3–5 · gentle to mild content
- My Favorite Dinosaurs by Emily Kington 3 books · Grade 4 · gentle content
Questions about the Meet the Dinosaurs series
- What reading level is the Meet the Dinosaurs series?
- Meet the Dinosaurs books are at a grades 3–4 reading level (average grade level 4), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 5–8. There are 9 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Meet the Dinosaurs books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most Meet the Dinosaurs books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Horned Dinosaurs (Meet the Dinosaurs) (2004); Armored dinosaurs (2005); Duck-billed dinosaurs (2005); Feathered dinosaurs (2005); Giant meat-eating dinosaurs (2005); and 4 more.
- What age is the Meet the Dinosaurs series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends Meet the Dinosaurs for ages 5–8. Content is gentle (HootRated intensity 1/5). Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.