cover image I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles

I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles

Carol D. Carson, Walter Wick. Scholastic, $13.99 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-590-45087-4

Following in the footsteps of the Waldo books Where's Waldo and presented in the now-familiar but still arresting Eyewitness Books format, this oversize puzzle book presents a wealth of opportunities for education and entertainment. Dozens of brightly colored objects of all shapes and sizes, some conventional and some not, are scattered helter-skelter across 13 spreads. Balls and skittles spill over racquets; flowers, leaves and stones are set out for a nature picnic; a sandy scene depicts fish, shells and zany sunglasses. A rhyming riddle on each page invites children to dive in and hunt down certain objects, and this is merely the beginning. Variations on the search are limitless, as are the possibilities for learning--colors, numbers, shapes. The challenge is surprisingly great. Excellent, sharp photographic work combined with ingenuity and imagination make this well-conceived book a winner. All ages. (Jan.)