This Level 3 first reader containing scary-silly riddles will get kids laughing and reading.
September 15, 2003
K-Gr. 2. This entry in the Kids Can Read series is a clever alternative to traditional Halloween books. Helmer has collected (or adapted) 30 riddles to fit the silly, scary atmosphere of the holiday. Each conundrum gets its own page, mostly taken up with artwork that's brighter and better executed than pictures usually found in children's joke books. Full of action and populated by witches, monsters, and such well-known frighteners as Frankenstein, they draw kids right in. Some of the riddles are forced, but others are pretty funny: "What does Godzilla eat for breakfast? Bacon and legs." Expect to hear these repeated back to you more than once.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2004
"Spooky" contains riddles about ghosts, mummies, and other scary types ("What do witches put on their bagels?" "Scream cheese"); "Yucky" contains riddles about bad breath and toenail clippings and features punch lines like "Happy Barf-day to you!" Both books include a few groaners, but the presentation--one riddle and loosely drawn color image per page--will lure beginning readers. [Review covers these Kids Can Read titles: "Spooky Riddles" and "Yucky Riddles". ]
(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)