cover image Tick Tock, Lets Rd Clck

Tick Tock, Lets Rd Clck

Bobbi Katz. Random House Books for Young Readers, $8.99 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-394-89399-0

At last someone has combined the lesson of learning a standard clock with digital representations that readers can coordinate through the day. Katz offers a chipper verse (``Tomorrow is another day. It's time to put your toys away. Pull your P.J.'s over your head. Fix the clock and jump into bed'') and Nicklaus's pictures are just as bright. The hands on the clock can be moved, and a rotating wheel with digital numbers helps readers match them up. But that wheel allows for no improvisation; it has only ``4:,'' ``6:,'' ``7:,'' ``8:'' and ``12:'' on the ``hour'' wheel, and on the ``minute'' wheel, either ``00'' or ``30'' (not even ``15'' or ``45''). The clock face, on the other hand, allows for a full range of playing and learning. It's unfortunate that such a small detail comes in the way of a really comprehensive skill-teacher. Ages 4-6. (Nov.)