The 6 Best Children’s Books About Extinct Animals – Ranked

Written by Alan Lemus
Updated: April 22, 2023
© Daniel Eskridge/Shutterstock.com

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How many animals do you know that are extinct? Dinosaurs, of course. But what about others? This blog will help you grab the best books in town that can educate your child about extinct animals

Extinct animals are species that do not exist today on Earth. Due to various unclear and apparent reasons, around 900 species used to roam around the world but are now extinct. This data is calculated after the year 1500. Out of 900 species, 85 are mammals, 159 are birds, 35 are amphibians, and 80 are fish. While children’s books do not carry a lot of knowledge about extinct animals, they can help a child learn about extinction, different extinct species, and even preservation to a small extent. 

So, let’s see which are the few books that you can purchase for an exciting read for your children. 

  1. The Magnificent Book of Extinct Animals
    • Stunning pictorials of animals
    • Fact files of each extinct animal 
    • Kids can learn about preserving the environment 
    Check Amazon
  2. Extinct: An Illustrated Exploration of Animals That Have Disappeared
    • Concise packets of information  
    • Vibrant and colorful graphics 
    • Mainly pictures
    Check Amazon
  3. Extinct Animals Coloring Book: Big Paleofauna Coloring Book
    • Detailed and big illustrations
    • Coloring book and learning book combined
    • Short facts about extinct animals
    Check Amazon
  4. Dinosaurs Funny & Weird Extinct Animals:
    • Fun facts about dinosaurs
    • Information regarding fossils and dinosaur species
    • Clear and high-quality pictures 
    Check Amazon
  5. Weird and Wonderful Extinct Animals
    • Colorful sketches of animals
    • Small fact files of each animal
    • Includes different and unique species 
    Check Amazon
  6. Prehistoric Mammals
    • Written by award-winning author
    • Not only will your kids learn about mammals that have gone extinct, but they can also learn the pronunciation of the animals’ names
    • Phenomenal illustrations to keep your kids engages
    Check Amazon

#1 Best Overall: The Magnificent Book of Extinct Animals by Barbara Taylor (Author), Walerczuk Val (Illustrator)

The Magnificent Book of Extinct Animals is our choice for the #1 Best Overall children’s book about extinct animals. The writer, Barbara Taylor, is a famous author of children’s books who has written more than 120 books for kids. She has also won two awards. The illustrator, Walerczuk Val, is a professional artist with experience from various countries like Poland, the United States, Germany, and the U.K.

The book covers around 36 different species such as the giant moa, the dodo, and the black rhino that are now extinct. It helps kids learn about the reasons why these animals went extinct. In addition, children can learn how to play a role in preserving the environment for animals. You can also find a brief fact file of each animal in the book.

The book’s beautiful illustrations are detailed, vibrant, and engaging. However, the length is comparatively long, with 80 pages total, making it a somewhat long read for kids. Also, unfortunately, it is only available in hardcover at the moment.

Pros and Cons of The Magnificent Book of Extinct Animals by Barbara Taylor (Author), Walerczuk Val (Illustrator)

ProsCons
This children’s book was written by an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Walerczuk Val.At 80 pages, this book is a little long for kids.
The book covers 36 extinct species, including the giant moa, the dodo, and the black rhino. A brief fact file is included for each.It’s only available in hardcover.
Your kids will learn how to play a role in preserving the environment for animals.
The illustrations are beautiful, detailed, vibrant, and engaging.
Best Overall
The Magnificent Book of Extinct Animals
  • Stunning pictorials of animals
  • Fact files of each extinct animal 
  • Kids can learn about preserving the environment 
Check Amazon

2. Best Picture Book: Extinct: An Illustrated Exploration of Animals That Have Disappeared by Lucas Riera

Extinct: An Illustrated Exploration of Animals That Have Disappeared is written by a Spanish writer and illustrator, Lucas Riera. He collaborated with biologist and scientist Carmen Soria, who is a specialist in animal extinction.

Your kids ages five to eight will adore this book. Even toddlers will enjoy it because the information regarding the extinct animals is in concise manner and it’s visually captivating. The detailed, colorful, and stunning pictures of each animal will tempt your kid to keep turning the pages. Plus, the book is only 50 pages long, making it a short and precise read. It is available in hardcover and paperback formats.

Pros and Cons of Extinct: An Illustrated Exploration of Animals That Have Disappeared by Lucas Riera

ProsCons
This book was written and illustrated by Lucas Riera.None
He collaborated with biologist and scientist Carmen Soria, a specialist in animal extinction.
It’s geared toward kids five to eight, but even toddlers may enjoy it because the information is presented concisely and the colorful illustrations will tempt them to keep turning the pages.
It’s only 50 pages long, so it’s a quick read.
It’s available in hardcover and paperback formats.
Best Picture Book
Extinct: An Illustrated Exploration of Animals That Have Disappeared
  • Concise packets of information  
  • Vibrant and colorful graphics 
  • Mainly pictures
Check Amazon

3. Best Coloring Book: Extinct Animals Coloring Book by Original Publisher

Extinct Animals Coloring Book was published by the Original Publisher, responsible for creating many fun books for children.

If you are looking for a book that will engage your children for hours while teaching them about extinct animals, look no further. It covers around 101 different species that are now extinct, and more than 24 of them are dinosaurs. You will not only find illustrations for coloring, but also fun facts, including when the animals went extinct, compressed into brief paragraphs.

The illustrations are pretty detailed so your child can learn each animal’s features. Plus, each picture covers more than three-quarters of the page, so they’re big enough for your child to color freely. It’s a lengthy book with around 204 pages and is only available in paperback.

A sole reviewer was disappointed that the majority of animals in this book are dinosaurs.

Pros and Cons of Extinct Animals Coloring Book by Original Publisher

ProsCons
This coloring book includes 101 different species on 204 pages, so it will keep your child engaged for hours as they learn about extinct animals.It’s only available in paperback.
Your child will also find brief paragraphs filled with fun facts about when each animal went extinct and more.A sole reviewer was disappointed that the majority of animals in this book are dinosaurs.
The illustrations cover three-quarters of the page so they’re easy to color.
Twenty-four of the species featured are dinosaurs.
Best Coloring Book
Extinct Animals Coloring Book: Big Paleofauna Coloring Book
  • Detailed and big illustrations
  • Coloring book and learning book combined
  • Short facts about extinct animals
Check Amazon

4. Best Fun Facts: Dinosaurs Funny & Weird Extinct Animals by P. T. Hersom

If your kid is obsessed with weird animals, they’ll love Dinosaurs Funny & Weird Extinct Animals. It was written by bestselling author P. T. Hersom, who has written many entertaining books for children to learn about different animals. 

This book presents dinosaurs in a fun, not scary, way. It includes more than 25 dinosaur species plus exciting information about fossils, dinosaur families, and more. 

The book includes high-quality, colorful, and clear illustrations of various dinosaurs. You will also find original photos of fossils from different national parks worldwide. The book is pretty long, with around 74 pages in total. You can purchase it in Kindle or paperback format. 

Pros and Cons of Dinosaurs Funny & Weird Extinct Animals by P. T. Hersom

ProsCons
The author, P.T. Hersom, has written many entertaining animal books for children.None
The book presents dinosaurs in a fun, not scary way.
Your child will learn about over 25 dinosaur species as well as facts about fossils, dinosaur families, and more.
It features colorful, high-quality illustrations of dinosaurs as well as photos of fossils.
It’s 74 pages long and available in Kindle or paperback format.
Best Fun Facts
Dinosaurs Funny & Weird Extinct Animals:
  • Fun facts about dinosaurs
  • Information regarding fossils and dinosaur species
  • Clear and high-quality pictures 
Check Amazon

5. Best Illustrations: Weird and Wonderful Extinct Animals by Cristina Banfi (Author), Rossella Trionfetti (Illustrator)

Weird and Wonderful Extinct Animals was written by Cristina Banfi and illustrated by Rossella Trionfetti. Together, they have collaborated on many fun animal books for children.

This book is about an explorer who teaches kids about extinct animals as their turn page by page. It contains a treasury of facts about bizarre animals that no longer exist. For example, they’ll see armadillos that are equal to the size of a car and elephants no bigger than sheep. They’ll also learn why and when these species went extinct. 

But the most exciting part about this book is the detailed illustrations: colorful, vibrant, and even moody sketches of animals that keep kids engaged with the material. The book is 64 pages long and is only available in hardcover.

Pros and Cons of Weird and Wonderful Extinct Animals by Cristina Banfi (Author), Rossella Trionfetti (Illustrator)

ProsCons
This book was written by Cristina Banfi and illustrated by Rossella Trionfetti.It’s only available in hardcover.
An explorer will guide your child through the book as they discover facts about bizarre animals and learn why they went extinct.
The detailed illustrations are a visual treat that will keep your child engaged with the material.
It’s 64 pages long.
Best Illustrations
Weird and Wonderful Extinct Animals
  • Colorful sketches of animals
  • Small fact files of each animal
  • Includes different and unique species 
Check Amazon

6. Best Educational: Prehistoric Mammals by Kathleen Zoehfeld (Author) and Franco Tempesta (Illustrator)

Prehistoric Mammals was written by Kathleen Zoehfeld and illustrated by Franco Tempesta. Zoehfeld is an award-winning author who has written over 90 non-fiction books for children. Many are about animals, but you can also find a few storybooks. 

In this book, you will not only learn about mammals that have gone extinct, but your kid can also learn the pronunciation of the animals’ names. Plus, there are a few jokes to lighten up the mood and help educate the kids in a fun way. You will find many mammals covered in this short book, from mammoths to big cats.

The illustrations in the book are pretty phenomenal and will keep the kids hooked. Plus, the book is a rather short read, with only 32 pages. You can also purchase it in Kindle, library binding, and paperback formats. 

One reviewer reported that the print is too small to read on the Kindle version.

Pros and Cons of Prehistoric Mammals by Kathleen Zoehfeld (Author) and Franco Tempesta (Illustrator)

ProsCons
This book was written by Kathleen Zoehfeld, an award-winning children’s non-fiction book author, and illustrated by Franco Tempesta.One reviewer reported that the print is too small to read on the Kindle version.
Your child will learn about mammals, including mammoths and big cats, that are now extinct as well as how to pronounce each animal’s name.
They’ll also find jokes to lighten the mood and make learning fun.
The illustrations are spectacular and will keep kids engaged with the material.
It’s only 32 pages long.
It’s available in Kindle, library binding, and paperback formats.
Best Educational
Prehistoric Mammals
  • Written by award-winning author
  • Not only will your kids learn about mammals that have gone extinct, but they can also learn the pronunciation of the animals’ names
  • Phenomenal illustrations to keep your kids engages
Check Amazon

How to Choose the Best Children’s Book About Extinct Animals

Extinction is a heavy topic, but the books in our review address it in a light way so it won’t overwhelm kids. But, of course, not all of these books are appropriate for all kids. You’ll want to consider your child’s age and reading level and whether they’re a visual or verbal learner. Let’s consider these factors in more detail.

Age and Reading Level

When you read children’s book reviews on Amazon or other retail sites, you’ll usually see a graphic indicating what age group the book is geared toward, such as six through eight. While this is helpful, you’re undoubtedly aware that not all kids in a given age bracket read at the same level. You may have a precocious four-year-old who is able to read and understand books for much older children…or even for adults! On the other hand, some kids read below their level usually assigned to their peers.

Visual or Verbal Learner

The vast majority of toddlers are pre-literate, so they’ll enjoy and learn from coloring and picture books. Toddlers who are learning to read will probably appreciate books with brief, simple text and ample illustrations such as our Best Fun Facts selection above. And older kids will be able to read and absorb information from more text-heavy choices like our Best Educational selection.

Kids who are visual learners will benefit from illustrations and photos regardless of their reading level. Verbal learners, on the other hand, will be more attuned to the text.

About the Author

Alan is a freelance writer and an avid traveler. He specializes in travel content. When he visits home he enjoys spending time with his family Rottie, Opie.

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