When Dinosaurs Walked The Earth
Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

It seems young children can’t have too many dinosaur stories; this is a splendidly silly one about three dinosaurs. There’s Smallosaurus, she’s a herbivore; there’s great big Badasaurus who enjoys consuming small dinosaurs that eat a plant-based diet and finally there’s the monstrous meat-eating Worseasaurus.

The action begins with Smallosaurus wandering along with a smile on her face on account of the juicy ferns that she’s spied ahead – just the thing for a delicious breakfast. Hold it there! This is exactly what Smallosaurus does on realising that rather than the peaceful rock she first thought, she’s actually confronting great big Badasaurus whose idea of a good breakfast – ‘a small dinosaur, with a plant-based diet’ – is standing in front of him. Time to activate those little grey cells Smallosaurus; however only possessing a walnut-sized brain, she dashes away – in the wrong direction …

However, it transpires that Badasaurus has a brain even smaller than Smallosaurus and so he too makes an error …

Back to Smallosaurus who now strolls along again, this time between peaceful rocks and large trees, her mind once more of those juicy ferns. Little does she realise that Badasaurus is back, albeit looking slightly frazzled but still eager to sate his appetite with one small dinosaur, with a plant-based diet.

Oh my goodness, this situation requires another round of thinking by Smallasaurus. She decides to take cover behind a large tree but it turns out she’s over-estimated its size. Uh oh! Here comes her’ sad and terrible ending’. Or is it another error – a chomping one – by Badasaurus?

Step forward Worseasaurus, you now have a choice between two meaty dinosaurs for your breakfast. I wonder what SHE goes for …

With a cleverly constructed narrative containing surprises aplenty, Sean Taylor’s prehistoric romp will delight young audiences, as will Zehra Hicks’ bright splodgy scenes of those days When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth.