Dinosaur Chase

``Dinosaur two legs / dinosaur four / up there in the air / dinosaur soar'' are the opening lines of Otto's ( That Sky, That Rain ) somewhat meager rhymed text. The creatures are first seen involved in innocent activities--swimming and fishing. Suddenly three seedy-looking dinosaurs appear, sneak into a house and make off with a glittering necklace. The dino cops give chase, and finally capture the villains. The closing spread shows a daddy dinosaur reading a bedtime story (entitled Three Robbers ) to a tucked-in little dino: ``good night dinosaur / sleep tight dinosaur / dream sweet / dinosaur dreams.'' Though the story is entertaining, it is Hurd's ( Mama Don't Allow ; The Pea Patch Jig ) pictures--as imaginative and humorous as ever--that carry the book. Whether good guys or gangsters, his dinosaurs are entirely engaging. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)