One, Two, Three, Me

This comical jumble of rhymes, a paper-over-board book first published in Germany, might appeal to the Richard Scarry crowd. Fitzkee's text unfolds as a riff on a dictionary game that matches phrases with sound rather than sense. Each four-line stanza provides labels for three similar creatures paired with an oddball fourth. For example, three polar bears are dressed, ""in a vest/ in a dress/ in a coat"" and stand next to a grumpy ""goat."" On the next page, three goats appear ""in the rain/ in the snow/ in the fog"" with a ""frog"" who stares out at readers. The rhymes vary from prepositional phrases to descriptions of clothing or activities. Three frogs, labeled ""spotted/ plaid/ pale,"" appear next to a large blue ""whale."" Budde's accompanying bright cartoon art features characters with appropriately expressive eyes and goofy expressions, and her artful use of black line and droll characters lend a great deal of humor to the text. A scrawny hound hides behind a sandy hill (""shy""), begs most fetchingly (""tame"") and stands on its head flashing zipper teeth (""wild"")-which rhymes with ""child"" and brings the book back to readers. A hodge-podge of rhymes and appealing characters, this toddler book will provide plenty of silly rhymes and bedtime giggles. Ages 4-8.