The premise is strong; a group of imaginative kids welcomes a peer who doesn’t quite “get it.” There’s potential for a great lesson in inclusion, but it doesn’t land as clearly or powerfully as it could have.

Things I enjoyed :

- No matter his attitude or confusion, the kids always answer him with excitement and continue including him in the play.
- Eventually, he’s handed a tool… and then he finally sees what they see.
- It’s a cute story about imagination and adventure and more importantly, about inclusion ( but I know this because as an adult, I can think deeper ) .

The visuals felt just okay, and while the story captures a realistic sense of play, the message needed a bit more clarity and punch to resonate. Overall, a sweet idea that could use sharper execution.

However, I am grateful for the arc. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

I've read a fair few children's books since joining NetGalley, but this might be my favourite so far.

The discovery of a rock or dinosaur seed at the park leads a diverse group of kids on a magical journey of imagination up a dinosaur tree filled filled with dinosaur bugs, up to space, and safely crash landing back in the park.

The way the artwork brings the children's imagination to technicolour life is absolutely magical and made me feel like a kid myself.

This is something special!

The Dinosaur Seed by Lindsey Yankey is a delightful picture book that celebrates the power of creativity & imaginative play. The story follows a group of children who transform an ordinary rock into a fantastical adventure by imagining it as a "dinosaur seed." Their collaborative storytelling, inspired by the improv principle of "yes, and...," encourages imaginative play. This book is engaging and a delightful read for young children, fostering creativity and teamwork.

Awesome book! The main thing that I enjoyed about this book is how creative and carefree all of the characters were. The author perfectly captured the personalities of little kids at a park, and I loved seeing that shine through in how they interacted with each other. Each character was welcoming and kind to the other characters, and it was amazing! It was also ideal for a kids' book because it sets a great example for young readers and subtly teaches them kindness and acceptance through a fun and wildly creative story. Speaking of the story, it was spectacular! The author mixed A LOT of different ideas together, but managed to still have this book feel cohesive and make actual sense. It's clear that the author has immense amounts of creativity, just like the characters that they created. Lastly, the illustrations complemented all of the writing so perfectly, and they also truly brought the book to life. I felt invested in this book from start to finish. Bravo!!

Very cute and lots of fun! The illustration style is very cutesy and the story will definitely appeal to a wide audience. I don't know if I love the storytelling style, personally, but I think this will definitely find a home with some kids! and I love encouraging imagination in our society that is so full of screens.

The Dinosaur Seed had an adorable concept, but I feel like the execution of the storyline and the illustrations missed the mark for me. At times, I felt like the story line didn't make the most sense and deviated too much from the dinosaur seed (why is a robot chasing them?). I don't know that the intended audience will appreciate the illustrations as they didn't really capture the attention of my 4 year old. A bright color scheme could have added an additional boost to the story.

I really did love the concept of this one and thought it was a cute story and a very unique storyline, but could have been better with some tweaks.

The imagination of the a group of kids on the playground runs wild in this book when one finds a cool rock. This was a fun journey with the kids through imaginative play with lovely illustrations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A super colorful picture book that explores the adventures of a child’s imagination. It follows several different children while playing at the park and the different adventures each of them come up with after finding a “dinosaur seed”. This book is simply written and would be a great book for a child learning to read to use as a read aloud!

A beautifully illustrated story that kids will love! The story is fun and imaginative and the characters are vibrant.

This idea was so funny and so well executed. Did they really find a dinosaur seed in the park? What would YOU do if you found a dinosaur seed in the park? The pictures are also so bright and engaging.

I was meh (3 stars) about this one when we first started- the illustrations are GORGEOUS but I wasn't the biggest fan of the spoken style text (and felt like it interrupted the illustrations) but my 7yo and 3yo laughed out loud during parts so I'm bumping up to 4 stars. They thought this was SO cute and silly and wanted to read it again, so clearly it's a hit.

I received an electronic ARC from Broadleaf Books through NetGalley.
Yankey encourages readers to use their imagination as they go on an adventure with these characters. Everyone is enjoying the park when one friend finds a "dinosaur egg." They plant it and a massive tree grows from the seed. We see them set off on an adventures all triggered by the rock they found. The artwork captures their imagination and brings the adventure to life. Readers can add to the fun by adding their own imaginative details to the story. My one concern is how small the font is for younger readers. This will be a joy filled read aloud to share as a family. It could launch readers into their own adventures from dinosaurs to space travel.

This is such a wonderful and beautiful book where you can see children's imagination run wild! I enjoyed the art in each page, and also loved the fact that every sentence is spoken by each character. I am sure a lot of children enjoy reading this, as well as playing like kids in this book.

Thank you for the ARC. I didn’t care for the children’s faces and some of the colors were too muted. The story itself was cute and imaginative.

When Cece and her friends find a mysterious 'dinosaur seed' on the playground, their day quickly turns into a wonderfully imaginative trip to space! With nostalgic, whimsical illustrations, this book totally captures the energy of a childhood day spent with friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.