"Sunday Spotlight" A Celebration of Being Yourself: A Children's Book Review

I'm so excited to introduce a brand-new blog series called “Sunday Spotlight.” Each week, I’ll share a children’s book I love, along with my perspective as both a mom and a counselor. My goal is to provide you with a thoughtful, honest review while highlighting an easy-to-spot social-emotional learning (SEL) connection you can naturally weave into storytime.

At the end of each post, I’ll include a link to grab the book if you’re interested. These links are affiliate links, but there is never any pressure to purchase. Clicking and buying through them never adds any extra cost to you; it’s simply one way to support this blog if you choose.

This Week’s Pick: I Don’t Wanna Be a Dino

The very first book in our Sunday Spotlight series is I Don’t Wanna Be a Dino, written by Jonathan Marshall and illustrated by Andraniesta Dann.

Let me start by saying this clearly: I loved this book.

This story follows Dougie, a dinosaur who is absolutely convinced he does not want to be a dinosaur. As Dougie tries again and again to be something, anything, other than who he is, we watch him move through frustration, disappointment, and sadness when he realizes he can’t change himself in the way he hopes.

Thankfully, a caring friend steps in to remind Dougie of all the wonderful things that make him who he is: his strengths, his uniqueness, and the value of being exactly who he is. It’s a gentle, powerful reminder that kids need to hear early and often. Honestly, adults need to hear it too—that who you are is special, meaningful, and enough.

Let’s Talk About Those Illustrations

If you’ve seen the cover, you already know. The bright, bold, vibrant illustrations continue beautifully throughout the entire book. This is the kind of story that pulls you in.

If I were walking through a bookstore with my son, I know he’d make a beeline for this one. The artwork is expressive, playful, and perfectly matched to the humor in Dougie’s journey.

One of my favorite mom-perspective moments? This is absolutely a book that a younger child can “read” just by looking at the pictures. My 2.5-year-old could flip through this and follow along with the story without hearing the words, and that matters.

Books like this foster a love of reading, storytelling, and imagination. When kids want to read a book again and again or retell it in their own way, that’s magic.

From a Counselor’s Chair

From a social-emotional learning standpoint, this book is strong enough to stand on its own during a simple read-aloud. The message is clear, meaningful, and age-appropriate for children ages 3–7.

That said, it also opens the door to deeper conversations about:

• Self-esteem

• Accepting yourself

• Recognizing strengths

• Understanding that differences are valuable

  
  

I can easily see this book being used in classrooms, group counseling sessions, individual therapy, or at-home learning moments. Its versatility is one of the things I love most. Below are a few ways to expand learning beyond the story itself.

5 Ways to Expand Learning with I Don’t Wanna Be a Dino

1. Strength Spotting

After reading, ask your child: “What are some things Dougie is good at?” Then flip it back to them: “What are some things YOU are good at?” Write or draw their answers together.

2. Try-On Feelings

Talk about how Dougie felt when he couldn’t be something else. Ask questions like, “Have you ever wished you were different?” Normalize those feelings while reinforcing self-acceptance.

3. “I Am” Art Activity

Have children draw a picture of themselves and complete the sentence: “I am special because…” Write the words around their self-portrait. This works beautifully for classrooms and counseling sessions.

4. Role-Play With Toys

Use dinosaurs, animals, or dolls to act out parts of the story. Role-play helps children process emotions and practice positive self-talk safely.

5. Build a Strengths Vocabulary

Introduce simple words like kind, brave, funny, creative, or helpful. Encourage kids to notice and name these traits in themselves and others throughout the week.

If you need more ideas, reach out to me!

Want to See a Book Featured for a children's book review?

For “Sunday Spotlight,” my goal is to review 1–3 children’s books each week. If you have a book you’d love to see featured, are a children’s book author yourself, or know an author who might enjoy having their story reviewed, I’d love to hear from you.

Feel free to reach out anytime at guidedbygiggles@gmail.com 💛

Let’s keep celebrating stories that help kids grow, one giggle (and page) at a time.

Click the picture to grab your copy of I Don’t Wanna Be A Dino.