Tse-Tse

K-Gr 2-This distinctive title was originally published in France by editions du Rovergue in 1998. The limited text, which appears on the first page under the heading ""Rules of the Game,""challenges readers to outlast the tsetse fly that has bragged about its ability to stay awake longer than anybody. Children are instructed to study each page intently and, if they manage to reach the end of the book without yawning, they win. But if drowsiness overtakes them, the tsetse fly wins. What follows is a series of wonderful, unique images done in a dark palette that show people, animals, and objects yawning. The fly is represented on each page by the word ""Tse"" in block letters. The illustrations are ingenious enough to hold readers' interest throughout. Although the book is based on a clever, well-rendered concept, it is a slight offering and may be most appropriate for larger collections only. Maria Otero-Boisvert, ""Criticas""