Fun with Animals

Going in circles can be a lot of fun, if the circles are the four movable dials in each of this trio of ingenious Spinning Wheel books. The left-hand page of each spread depicts objects or animals that in various ways relate to the spinners on the right. In Fun with Animals , for example, one wheel depicts in pie-shaped segments six creature ``residences'' (nest, hutch, basket); little ones can match each with its proper occupant (bird, rabbit, cat). One wheel in Fun with Numbers shows hands holding up fingers from one to five; these provide answers to simple arithmetic problems, opposite (``2 ladybugs plus 1 ladybug equals . . .''). Fun with Shapes might be the least successful effort here--a spread asking ``Which shapes belong together . . .?'' would have children match up a shoe with its lace, and a flower with its stem--not exactly utilizing the customary concept of shapes. Overall, however, the books' covers are inviting, the pictures are colorful and clearly defined, and the spinners seem reasonably sturdy. Perhaps best of all, youngsters who evince proficiency here may graduate to Wheel of Fortune . Ages 3-8. (July)