Pets in Trumpets: And Other Word-Play Riddles

Though primarily directed toward new readers and prereaders, the essence of this humorous series of 15 riddles is best expressed by Most himself: ``The following pages are dedicated to readers of all ages.'' Finding words within words is the name of the game and Most is expert at identifying and presenting just the right combinations to tickle funnybones. A sample: ``Why did the witch let children hold her broomstick? Because the witch had a very bad itch.'' Best used as a participatory read-aloud, the book uses bold, bright, cartoon drawings to reinforce the concepts in each two-page segment. Particularly winning is a beleaguered dragon struggling with its lengthy tail, then seen with the appendage neatly folded in its claws--``Why is the dragon trying to lift its tail off the ground? The dragon doesn't want to drag it around anymore.'' Ages 3-8. (Sept.)