Hi there, plant-munchers and meat-eaters alike! My name is Spike, and I’m a young Stegosaurus with the most amazing set of plates you’ve ever seen! My body is a warm olive-grey color with a lighter khaki belly, but my special plates are what make me super cool!

Along my back, I have two rows of triangular plates standing up like a row of fancy triangles. They’re usually a dusty sage color, but—and here’s the really neat part—they can change colors! When I get warm, they turn a deep rusty red, and when I’m cool, they become a pale sage. It’s like having my own built-in mood rings!

At the end of my tail, I have four long spikes that my mom calls my “thagomizer.” They’re dark grey- brown and super strong, but don’t worry—I only use them when I really need to stay safe.

I have a pretty short neck, which means I can only eat plants that grow close to the ground. Ferns are my absolute favorite! My mom says I have a special way of munching that makes me look extra cute, but I’m not sure if that’s just a mom thing to say.

One day, I asked my mom why I have these big plates on my back. She took me to a sunny meadow and showed me how they help me in so many ways! First, they help me control my body temperature—like having built-in air conditioning! In the morning sun, my plates warm me up, and when it gets too hot, they help cool me down.

But that’s not all they do! When a hungry young Allosaurus came looking for lunch, my mom showed me how to turn sideways to make myself look bigger and more impressive. Those plates really make a statement! And if that doesn’t work, I can always swish my thagomizer tail to keep predators away.

My plates have even helped me make friends! The other young dinosaurs think it’s amazing how my plates change color with my temperature. We have so much fun comparing our different dinosaur features.

Every night when I curl up to sleep, I feel so proud of my special plates. They keep me at the right temperature, help keep me safe, and make me unique in the prehistoric world!

                                                                                            ‍Stomping with joy, Spike