The Day I Had a Dinosaur was the winner in the Children’s (Board books and Pre-reading) category in the 2025 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Ashley Wall.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Day I Had a Dinosaur published June 11, 2024
What’s the book’s first line?
My dog, Bobo, and I were playing in the backyard when the ground started to shake. We spun around and saw …
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
A dino-tastic adventure sure to entertain all dinosaur fans.
Have you ever had a dinosaur? Neither had Luke nor his friends … until one day, they each showed up with their very own dinosaurs! While having fun at the park, and playing games like hide and seek, one dinosaur, Rex, had trouble with some of the activities. Luke and his friends didn’t want anyone to feel left out, so they came up with games everyone could play and taught Rex new skills. The outcome … the best-osaurus day ever!
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Playing imaginative games with my two young children inspired this book and the entire series.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The main character, Luke, is a curious and kind young kid who loves his friends and adventures. Luke represents young children with imaginative minds and a love for the outdoors – always exploring and learning while ensure to show kindness and friendship.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The Day I Had a Dinosaur encourages imagination, adventure, and friendship while having fun reading a book. When kids have run reading, they get more out of a book and want to turn to books more often, which builds a foundation for reading. With a world that revolves around screens, getting kids engaged in books and inspiring their imaginations are crucial to their development.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I chose to go for the dream and write my first children’s book in 2022 after years of reading to my children and dreaming of writing my own children’s book.
Is this the first you’ve written?
This book belongs to the first book series I have written that has been published. I have a lot of manuscripts on my computer that were written before this manuscript. But this story took center stage when thinking about which story to pursue.