The Sultan's Snakes

Reptiles galore star in this slippery seek-and-find picture book. When the sultan's snakes decide to hide from him, he searches high and low for the prized pets. However, the sultan's not-so-discerning eyes fail to see the serpents that cleverly appear in various guises throughout the palace. Turpin's slight text does little more than set the stage for the game at hand, though young readers up to the challenge won't mind. The illustrations, consisting primarily of tightly rendered geometric patterns, offer plenty of fun for eager oglers. However, children at the higher end of the intended age range will do better with a more complex offering. Ages 3-11. (Jan.)