Behind the King's Kitchen A Roster of Rhyming Riddles

William Jay Smith and Carol Ra

ISBN 10: 1563970244 / ISBN 13: 9781563970245

Published by Wordsong, Honesdaale, Pennsylvania, 1992

About this Item

Paper-covered boards, in dustjacket. A nice copy with firm binding and intact hinges. Crease in gutter at lower spine-end. Ink notation front pastedown, else no marks. Small bump lower front corner, else little wear. Unclipped dustjacket has some hardly-noticeable sunning along the edges, and a crease on the front flap, else little wear. Some of the dye from the cover has transferred to the inside of the jacket, but is not visible from outside.

Seller Inventory # 208

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Behind the King's Kitchen A Roster of Rhyming Riddles
• Publisher: Wordsong, Honesdaale, Pennsylvania
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1563970244
• ISBN 13: 9781563970245
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Woodcuts by Jacques Hnizdovsky
• Edition: First printing (number line).
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine

About this title

Synopsis

Illustrated with woodcuts, this collection of rhyming riddles--from centuries-old pieces to modern riddles--includes work by such figures as J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Justice, and May Swenson. By the author of Laughing Time: Collected Nonsense.

Reviews

Grade 5 Up-- A collection of over 150 rhyming riddles drawn from sources dating back to the fourth-century, through Anglo-Saxon times to the present day. The slant is heavily British, with many references that will be unfamiliar to American children. Some of the subject headings, such as ``Fire and Water, Earth and Air'' are abstract. Others, which relate to a house, garden, the body, animals, and insects, are more accessible and rewarding. Handsome, meticulously composed woodcuts in black and white add a distinguished look. Of interest more to the adult folklorist or anthologist than to a general readership seeking easy-to-solve riddles, this is a challenging and intriguing collection. It would lend itself well to creative writing and poetry workshops, or classes for the gifted. --Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

An attractive presentation of traditional and other riddles, chosen as much for their poetic quality as for their humor or the challenge of the puzzles; the thematic grouping would tend to suggest solutions even if the answers weren't given. What isn't provided is accessible sourcing; though a list of works like the Opies' volumes is appended, readers must guess, for example, what era described a watch as ``Beloved by men of degree.'' Only entries from known authors are specifically attributed; these include elegant literary translations from Symphosius (fourth century) by Richard Wilbur, nice oddments from Tolkien, Swenson, and Rossetti, and several--mostly doggerel--from the editors. Hnizdovsky's lovely, spare woodcuts, on most spreads, contribute to the handsome format but have little child appeal. Overall: pleasing but not essential. (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.