The Dragon ABC Hunt

The creator of A Number of Dragons returns with her 10 rambunctious baby critters; this time they are bored and grumpy, driving Ma Dragon to desperate measures. She hands them an alphabetical list and shoos them off, demanding that they ""bring treasures back to me!'' What follows is a scavenger hunt for fairly basic ABC items (apple, ball, cat, dog), carried out in a fast-paced frolic through grass and woodlands. The dragons, with their expressive eyebrows and cunning grins, track down an iguana (who looks like a distant cousin), rope an ostrich, and fight for a three-toed sock. In a world where a dragon is reduced to helpless giggles by a feather and three others can't find the kite that dangles conspicuously overhead, learning the alphabet is a hilarious event. Back at home, the dragons line up their loot in front of Ma in the correct order. This ABC hunt and the gleeful abandon with which the dragons gather the items should prove a memorable romp for young readers. (36)