Long Neck and Thunder Foot
by Helen Piers
illustrated by Michael Foreman
Age: 2+
Interests: dinosaurs, fear, friendship
30 pp.
Kestrel Books/Penguin: 1982
Long Neck is a peaceful sort of dinosaur, so when he spots the stegosaurus Thunder Foot he is immediately afraid of him. Thunder Foot, too, becomes terrified when he glimpses Long Neck at a distance. So the two dinosaurs carefully avoid each other, and nervously practice their fighting skills. Thunder Foot even digs a pit to trap his foe, but they both end up falling in it. A friendship is born.
This is a lovely tale of two sweet but foolish creatures, though the dance party ending feels a little odd and tacked-on. Still, the story is beautifully presented, as the delicately gorgeous watercolours mirror the gentleness of the two massive creatures. (I particularly like that you can see the very texture of the watercolour paper.)
Rarest Kind of Best 