Audio Storytime: Summer 2026

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Hello, friends. It's Miss Cathy from the Mary L. Cook Library. Won't you join me for a story? I'll read and you can use your imagination to see the pictures. Let's get started. Dinosaurs don't have bedtimes. Written by Timothy Knapman, illustrated by Nikki Dyson.

“Dinner time!” said Mommy. “But dinosaurs don't have dinner times,” said Moe. “Really?” said mommy. “They must get very hungry.” “They eat whenever they like,” said Moe. Gobble! Gobble! Crunch. “And do they always make a terrible mess?” “Yes.”

“Bath time,” said Mommy. “But dinosaurs don't have bath times” said Moe. “They must have dirty ears,” said Mommy. “Yes,” said Moe. “They roll around in the swampy water. They do not scrub beneath their claws. They don't put toothpaste on their jaws. They don't want to be clean and shiny.” “Towel!” “Growl!”

“Pajama time,” said Mommy. “But dinosaurs don't wear pajamas, said Moe.” “They must get very cold, " said Mommy. “Dinosaurs don't care.” “Just the bottoms then,” said Mommy “That is not fair. Hmph!”

“Playtime!” said Mommy. “Dinosaurs don't play nicely,” said Mo. “They're much too big for that. They wriggle and they run. And they hide inside the jungle for days and days sometimes. Then they jump out shouting, that's dinosaur fun! Yarl!”

“Milk time!” said Mommy. “Dinosaurs don't drink their milk,” said Mo. “Dinosaurs rampage. They stomp around and knock things down.” Stomp! Bash! Growl! Howl!

“Bedtime,” said Mommy. “Dinosaurs don't have bedtimes,” said Moe. “They're never, ever tired.” “Don't they ever, ever sleep?” “No. Roar! But sometimes,” Moe yawned, “They might just close their eyes and curl up tight and snuggle down. But all of that's pretend.” “And do they get a good night kiss?” said Mommy. “Roar! Roar! Roarrrr… Snore…” “Good night, dinosaur.”

 

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Hello, friends. It's Miss Cathy from the Mary L. Cook Library. Won't you join me for a story? I'll read and you can use your imagination to see the pictures. Let's get started! What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night: A Very Messy Adventure, written by Refe and Susan Tuma. 

To whom it may concern. That means you. You've probably heard stories about toys coming to life when no one's watching. Maybe you don't believe in that stuff, but if you're reading this, it means weird things might have already started happening in your house. It usually starts with a mess you can't explain. Your parents will think you did it. You might try to blame the dog. But it wasn't the dog. It was dinosaurs!

Dinosaurs are always hungry. That means the kitchen is the first place they'll go. They'll lick all the lunch meat, chew up the cheesy puffs and slobber the salsa. If the dinosaurs find your toys, they'll want to play. Next thing you know, they've toppled your block towers. Unstuffed your sock monkey. And trashed your checkers.

Your parents probably don't let you play in the bathroom. But dinosaurs aren't very good at following the rules. The worst is when they get into your parents' stuff. Nothing is safe with dinosaurs around. Whatever you do, keep them out of the laundry room. Dinosaurs are dry clean only. 

Dinosaurs get into the most trouble while you sleep. That scratching sound you hear late at night. It isn’t a three eyed monster or a bunch of clumsy bats. The dinosaurs are up in the attic, trying on your mom's doll clothes and getting into your dad's old comics. 

Don't get too worried. They aren't all bad. Most people don't know this, but some dinosaurs dabble in drawing or playing Picasso with paint. Sometimes they go too far. Pretty soon you'll probably try to stop them. Everybody does. Maybe you'll tie them up with a jump rope or lock them in a closet. When that doesn't work, you'll keep trying. Don't bother. The dinosaurs can get out of anything. Anything!

The dinosaurs will cause more and more trouble until they finally make a mess so big and so messy you won't even be able to believe it. Then one day you'll wake up and your house will be clean. No broken dishes, no spilled milk. No marks on the walls. A few days will pass. Then a few weeks. You'll wonder if the dinosaurs will ever come out again. You might even question whether they were ever really alive to begin with, or if you made the whole thing up. Don't be fooled. That's exactly what they want you to think.

 

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Hello, friends. It's Miss Cathy from the Mary L Cook Library. Won't you join me for a story? I'll read and you can use your imagination to see the pictures. Let's get started. Patrick's Dinosaurs on the Internet, written by Carol Carrick, illustrated by David Milgrim. 

Patrick and his brother Hank were looking up dinosaurs on the internet. “Ask where the dinosaurs are now,” Patrick said, pulling on Hank's sleeve. He loved dinosaurs, but Hank said, “I'm tired and it's time to go to bed.” 

Patrick said, “Already?” Hank turned off the lights, but Patrick lay awake, watching the little stars on the screensaver. The stars arranged themselves into pictures. Ursa Major, the Great Bear, Pegasus, the winged horse, and Taurus the bull. Patrick sighed. Too bad none of them were dinosaurs. The stars blurred and Patrick closed his eyes. “Dinosaurs. Where are you now?” he asked softly.

He imagined a herd of dinosaurs roaming across the Milky Way. The computer beeped. The screen flickered and Patrick opened his eyes. The freckled face of a dinosaur appeared. It looked right at him and answered in a friendly way. “We're here watching you.” “Hey!” said Patrick. “How did you get on my screen?” “Just keep your eyes on the stars,” the dinosaur said, “and I'll be there soon.” Then the screen went dark and the little stars came out again. This time, one star was growing larger and brighter. Soon Patrick's whole room was bright, but now the light was coming from outdoors. He had to shade his eyes.

A spaceship hovered outside like a giant bumblebee. It gently bumped his window. Its hatch door opened and a sign blinked on: Welcome, Patrick. With a quick look, Patrick checked his brother. Hank was snoring gently. Patrick quietly raised his window. Climbed up on the sill and took one big step onto the spaceship. The cabin was filled with switches, dials and lights. “Have a seat,” said the dinosaur at the controls. It was the same dinosaur who had appeared on Patrick's screen. “I'm Flato,” he said. “It rhymes with Plato.” 

“I'm Patrick,” said Patrick. “It doesn't rhyme with anything.” Patrick fastened his safety belt. “Where are we going?” He asked. “Where else?” Said Plato, pointing to the stars. With a whirring sound. The hatch door closed. The roar of the engine grew deafening. Patrick was afraid it might wake up his parents and they would send him back to bed. The spaceship trembled. It began to rise higher and higher until the earth was a marble that spun beneath them. 

“Would you like to drive?” Plato asked. “Go ahead.” Patrick took the controls. The spaceship swooped past cold, dark stars that snapped and popped like ice. It sped past the hot breath of glowing planets. “Neat,” he said, “Hank will never believe this.” “Here we are!” said Plato, pointing to a small planet. Plato took the controls as they flew over a school building below. Patrick could see classes of young dinosaurs and their teachers lined up on the playground. 

The school band thumped a marching song as Patrick and Flatow climbed out of the spaceship. The cheering squad shook their pom poms. And the youngest class held up a banner that said: We Love You, Patrick. Patrick stared in wonder. They were just like the dinosaurs in his books. “Brontosaurus,” he said. “Stegosaurus! And my favorite, a Triceratops.” 

Patrick was mystified. “How did they know I was coming?” “We found you on the internet,” said Flato. “So I fetched you. You're my ‘show and tell’.” Flato's class was waiting inside. “Class, this is Patrick,” their teacher said. “Patrick? Will you show us on the map where you live.” Patrick had to guess. The dinosaurs wanted to know, “What is it like to be warm blooded?” “Did you hatch from an egg?” “What is your favorite food?” “Hot dogs,” said Patrick, feeling hungry. “Ugh!” said the dinosaurs. “He says he eats dogs.” “In our school we are plant eaters.” the teacher said. 

Then it was time for recess. The dinosaur's favorite game was like soccer. “We play it the way you do,” said Plato. “Only there's a penalty for standing on another player's tail.” Patrick managed to kick the big ball toward the goal. But the goalie, a very fat triceratops, blocked it by sitting down. There was a penalty for flattening the ball, but the goalie said he hadn't squashed it on purpose. The dinosaurs started to argue about that. Suddenly there was a roar from the jungle. Then came the crack and crash of breaking trees. Heavy footfalls shook the ground under Patrick's feet. The little dinosaur scattered, but the teachers herded them back to their classrooms. 

In the confusion, a shadow fell across Patrick. He knew this nightmare creature from his dreams. Tyrannosaurus rex. Patrick wanted to run away, but he couldn't. He shut his eyes and felt the dinosaur's terrible breath on his neck. “FLATO!” he yelled “HELP ME!” 

There was a whoosh, sudden rush of air. Doe's spaceship hovered next to him. Patrick didn't wait for the sign to light up and say, welcome. He jumped right in. He was barely through the door when the spaceship lifted him to safety. “Look down,” said Plato. Below them, the Tyrannosaurus rex disappeared into the jungle and the little dinosaurs ran out onto the field again. They waved to Patrick and shouted, “Come back soon!” Patrick waved back to them. “I was so scared,” he said. 

“Aw, Rex probably wouldn't have hurt you.” Flato answered. “He was just looking for handouts.” Patrick was puzzled. “What do you mean, ‘handouts’?” “Until lately, said Flato, “Tyrannosauruses haven't been a problem. The few that are left stay in the jungle, but campers keep feeding them things like marshmallows and potato chips. So the Tyrannosauruses come out looking for more.” He turned to Patrick. “People tell me you have the same problem with bears in your national parks.” 

“People?” Patrick asked. “Other people have been up here?” “Oh yes,” said Plato. “We've brought a few to our planet, but they don't usually mention it back home.” I'd better not tell Hank. Patrick thought. He'd never believe me.

The world was coming into view. How cozy and familiar it looked. “It's just as well that I'm taking you home now,” said Plato. “You look sleepy.” Patrick was feeling sleepy. Maybe it was the hum of the spaceship, or the bright star shine that made his eyelids heavy. Soon they were skimming over his neighborhood. All the lights were still out in his house. 

“I'll be in touch,” said Plato as Patrick climbed through his window. Patrick watched the spaceship leave when it got too far away to see. He followed it on his computer. The stars were blinking and arranging themselves on the screen. The Great Bear, The Winged Horse and The Bull. But Patrick's eyes were already closed. Instead of stars, he was seeing dinosaurs.

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Hello, friends. It's Miss Cathy from the Mary L Cook Library. Won't you join me for a story? I'll read and you can use your imagination to see the pictures. Let's get started. How Do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets? Written by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. 

How does a dinosaur pick out his pet? Does he go on the prowl with a stick and a net? Does he head to the zoo and take home a big cat? And what does his mom have to say about that? Does she drag a huge elephant back in a wagon with both its long trunk and its wee tail a draggin’.

Or speaking of dragons, does she go acquire a high flying beastie who loves to breathe fire? Does he pick out a boa constrictor for play? Does it look at his dog in a very odd way. Does he sneak an iguana inside of a cap or lead home a kangaroo by a long strap? Does he ask for a manatee, maybe a whale, or wish for a shark he can keep in a pail.

Does she carry off tortoises, zebras, a mink giving them hay and a cola to drink? Is that what you think? No, a dinosaur doesn't. She knows what to do. And she never brings anything home from the zoo. He goes to a shelter or pet store or farm. To find a small creature who will do no harm. He brings home a kitten or hamster or pup that he can teach manners as they both grow up. She cares for her pet and gives love even more. Big hugs to your friend, little dinosaur.

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Hello, friends. It's Miss Cathy from the Mary L. Cook Library. Won't you join me for a story? I'll read and you can use your imagination to see the pictures. Let's get started. Never Ask a Dinosaur to Dinner written by Gareth Edwards, illustrated by Guy Parker Rees.

Never ask a dinosaur to dinner. Really, never ask a dinosaur to dinner because a T-Rex is ferocious and his manners are atrocious. And you'll find that if he's able, he will eat the kitchen table. He'll grow fatter while the rest of you grow thinner. So never ask a dinosaur to dinner. 

Please don't share your toothbrush with a shark. Really, please don't share your toothbrush with a shark. They've got so many rows of teeth on the top and underneath. And any self-respecting shark’ll want each little tooth to sparkle. If you rush him, he may make a rude remark. So please don't share your toothbrush with a shark.

Never let a beaver in the sink. Really, never let a beaver in the sink. He’ll block it up with sticks and mud and turn the taps on till they flood. And build a great big beaver dam and fill the whole thing up with salmon. And the water won't be very good to drink. So never let a beaver in the sink.

Please don't use a tiger as a towel. Really, please don't use a tiger as a towel. Because in case you have forgotten, tigers are not made of cotton. And although they're furred quite thickly, they can get mad very quickly and you'll find they have a rather scary growl. So please don't use a tiger as a towel.

Never choose a bison for a blanket. Really, never choose a bison for a blanket. Because although it's warm and woolly, you'll find it as a bully and its hooves will be too clumpy and its horns will make you grumpy. And by morning time, you will not want to thank it. So never choose a bison for a blanket.

Please don't let a barn owl in your bed. Really, please don't let a barn owl in your bed. Because the first thing that you'll learn will be a barn owl is nocturnal. She will hunt for mice and hoot all night. And leave your bed a dreadful sight. You'll wish that owl was in a barn instead. So please don't let a barn owl in your bed.

Now, here's how you can have a lovely sleep. Really, here's how you can have a lovely sleep. Say no to Beaver, shark, and owl. Avoid the tiger and his growl. Steer clear of every dinosaur. Leave bison at the bedroom door. These animals won't help you rest at bedtime. Here is what is best. Stick to one teddy and a flock of sheep. And that's how you can have a lovely sleep.
 

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Hello, friends. It's Miss Cathy from the Mary L Cook Library. Won't you join me for a story? I'll read and you can use your imagination to see the pictures. Let's get started. When Dinosaurs Came with Everything written by Elise Broach, illustrated by David Small. 

Friday is errand day. My mom goes on boring errands and I have to go with her. And this Friday seemed like every other Friday until we got to the bakery. A sign above the donuts read, “Buy a dozen. Get a dinosaur.” I couldn't believe my eyes. Neither could my mom. “They must mean a toy,” she said.

But when I took the box of doughnuts, the lady behind the counter said, “Hold on, little guy. Don't forget your dinosaur.” And there he was. "Mom!" I yelled. It was a triceratops. “What?” cried my mom. She did not look happy. “How are we supposed to get that home?” The bakery lady smiled. “Oh don't worry. He'll follow you. They always do.” And he did.

All the way to the doctor's office where I had to go for my checkup. My mom shook her head. “What are we going to do with him now?” She looked him up and down. That took a while. “We can't bring him inside,” she said finally. “He'll have to stay in the parking lot.” I told him not to talk to strangers.

After my checkup, I asked for a sticker like usual. “No stickers today, said the nurse. Just dinosaurs with a shot. You get two.” “I want a shot,” I said. The nurse smiled. “Not today, buddy. But you can pick up your dinosaur at the front desk.” “Mom!” I yelled. There at the front desk was a Stegosaurus. “What on earth is going on?” My mom cried. “It's a special day,” the nurse explained. “Today, dinosaurs come with everything.” “Yes,” I said. “No.” My mom groaned.

We walked down the street and my triceratops and my Stegosaurus walked right behind us. Thud, thud, thud. They made friends right away across the street. Other kids had dinosaurs too. I saw an ankylosaur, a duckbill, and a velociraptor. We all waved at each other. Our mothers glared and kept on walking.

“I think we'd better go home now,” my mom said. “But what about my haircut? The barber's waiting for me.” My mom looked at the dinosaurs. Then she looked at my bangs. “The barber always gives you a balloon, doesn't he? A nice balloon?” “Uh huh,” I said. I didn't want a balloon. I wanted a barosaur.

At the barber shop I gave my triceratops and my stegosaurus donuts for a snack. They waited outside and watched through the glass. The barber pumped the chair up high. He cut my hair too short, but I didn't mind because he patted my head and said, “Wait right here, sport.” He was gone for a long time. My mom tapped her foot. “I don't like this,” she said. “Where exactly do they keep the balloons?” Just then the barber came back with something flying over his head. It wasn't a balloon. “Mom!” I yelled. It was a pterosaur.

“This is too much,” my mom protested. “Now listen,” she said to the barber. “I think a balloon will do just fine today. Don't you have any balloons?” "Sorry, lady. No balloons. You get one of these instead.” It was like that everywhere we went at the shoe store. The sign read, “Buy two pair, get dinosaur free.” My mom decided my shoes would last a little longer. At the theater, we could hear the popcorn man shouting, “Butter? No butter? You want a dinosaur with that?” My mom said we'd go to the movies another day. At the diner, I wanted to stop for a hamburger. But then, a girl walked out with a Tyrannosaurus rex. “Okay. That's it.” My mom cried. “We are definitely not having lunch there.” 

She looked at my Triceratops, my Stegosaurus, and my pterosaur. “What are we supposed to do with all of these dinosaurs? We don't have room for them. We can't take care of them.” I hugged her leg. “Don't worry Mom. They can live in the backyard.” My mom shook her head. “Sweetheart, they're not toys. Dinosaurs are a lot of work.” “But, Mom, look, they eat anything and they sleep outside. I'll do everything, I promise. Please, Mom. Please.” My mom sighed. “Well, I suppose we can't just leave them here. Thank heavens we didn't stop at the diner.”

We hurried home and my dinosaurs hurried after us. Thud, thud, thud! Flap, flap, flap. When we were almost there, we saw a little duckbill dinosaur standing alone on the street corner. He looked lost. “Mom! That's a baby hadrosaur. He's all by himself.” “We've already got our hands full.” The hadrosaur followed us. It wasn't my fault.

When we got home, my mom needed to lie down, so I made lunch for the dinosaurs. Then I showed them where to go to the bathroom. I told them to stay out of the neighbor's yard because of his mean dog. And I showed them my slide, my tire swing, and all the toys in the garage. They seemed to be having fun, but they really went wild when I took out my Frisbee.

The hadrosaur had the first throw. The frisbee landed on the roof. I saw my mom watching from the window. “Is everything all right out there?” She asked. “Everything's fine mom. We can get it down.” And my pterosaur flew up and plucked the Frisbee out of the gutter.

My mom kept watching. She looked at him for a long time. The next thing I knew, she had him cleaning the gutters. Then she came out to the backyard with a pile of wet clothes. “These spikes come in handy, don't they?” she said. Pretty soon my mom had thought of chores for all of my dinosaurs. But I knew they didn't mind. It just meant they were part of the family.

When we were finished helping, my mom said I could invite some friends over. It was a bring your own dinosaur party and guess what happened next? I heard my mom on the phone to the bakery. She asked, “Do you have any donuts left?” And that's when I knew everything would be just fine.