Alphabet Riddles

Presents riddles in rhyme for each letter of the alphabet

PreSchool-Grade 2AThis picture book uses poetry and illustrations to engage readers in a game of alphabetical hangman, of sorts. From A to Z, the first and last letter of a word is given, with dashes in between for the other letters, followed by a rhyming hint ("I start with an A and end with an N./I'm something you wear/when you're stuffing a hen"). Simple and colorful graphic images, some realistic and some more abstract, accompany the text. Unfortunately, the book's layout handicaps what is otherwise a worthy effort. The single-page illustrations are not set off by any kind of border and they tend to run together. It is also sometimes difficult to tell what the paintings are supposed to represent. Too bad.ARoxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 5^-8. Just right for children who enjoy reading, spelling, or just plain guessing, these rhyming riddles offer clues to the sense and spelling (first and last letter) of each answer. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a riddle. For the letter "Y" the riddle goes, "I start with a Y and end with an O. / Up, down, all around, / I go fast or slow. / a toy on a string / I'm a round, simple thing. / What in the world can I be? / Do you know?" Often large in scale and including only a part of the object named, the illustrations feature flat colors and bold graphic design. With its picture-book format and playful approach to learning, this well-designed riddle book will find its way into many primary-grade classrooms. Carolyn Phelan