THREE LITTLE DINOSAURS

Plot plays a minor role at best in this brightly illustrated tale of three cute, stubby-limbed dinos getting a taste of flight.

Scratch, Sniff and Lofty—respectively a tyrannosaur, a ceratopsid and a brachiosaur—lumber energetically about their airy, open landscape, waving big leaves and even jumping off the top of a volcano in fruitless efforts to fly. Discouraged, they’re about to give up when along comes Terry Dactyl to offer them a ride on his back. “We really are flying!” they cry, before being dropped off atop Mrs. Brachiosaurus’ head and sliding down her back (“Whee!”) to the ground. The three prehistoric preschoolers proceed to sit down with slices of pinecone pie to watch Terry and his buddies swoop and soar as the sun sinks, and then it’s off to bed and further airborne dreams. Only carping critics will wonder how the playmates had missed spotting the Pterosaurs before.

A cozy, briefly told wish-fulfillment tale, lit up by pictures whose clear colors and solid-looking figures are easy on the eyes.