A long time ago there was dinosaurs. Big dinosaurs and small dinosaurs. Dinosaurs with horns on their heads or spikes down their backs. Dinosaurs with long, long necks and long, long tails.Imaginatively and with a masterful use of color, shape and composition, Byron Barton brings to life unique and endearing vision of what the world may have looked like once upon a time.
本书非常适合作为孩子认识史前猛兽--恐龙的第一本书。作者使用了孩童纯真的口吻及可爱的语调，将整本书的英文焦点着墨在恐龙的外形特征(body parts)和身体大小(size)上，巧妙地回避了认识生物种类构造所须的艰涩专业用语。暖色调的背景安排、粗笔刻画的灵活造型及蜡笔肆意的大块涂色与有趣的画面组合方式，仿佛让人跌入时光机中可爱的恐龙世界里。在孩子们的童年记忆中，恐龙不再是那么可怕，不再具威胁性，让人觉得好容易亲近。

Barton's economical book does not scrimp on details or ebullient hues. In colors straight out of a crayon box he provides children with a genuine "first" dinosaur book. The endpapers provide a vivid glossary of dinosaurs, with names and phonetic pronunciations underneath each picture. And then the sweet text: "A long time ago there were dinosaurs. There were dinosaurs with horns and dinosaurs with spikes . . . . There were fierce dinosaurs and scared dinosaurs." That particular line is illustrated with a black cloudy sky and jagged yellow lightning; the simple expressions of fear on the dinosaurs' faces will reassure readers that even these mightiest of creatures could have been afraid of the same things children are.

不同的恐龙，让孩子认识长短、大小，画面有剪纸风格。孩子现在看到恐龙都会说long neck。