From Publishers Weekly
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.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2 --An unsuccessful word-play game. The concept behind a riddle is a reasonable expectation that a solution might be guessed or figured out; another implied feature is that it will be worth the effort. Most poses 15 questions with a single word boldfaced in each. The answers are to be found within the highlighted terms, but the new words are so trumped up or obscure that there's no satisfaction to be gained from ``getting it.'' ``Why did the WITCH let children hold her broomstick? Because the witch had a very bad itch.'' The simple, flat watercolor cartoons explain the responses, but are bland and uneven in their execution. Most's animals are far more charming than his people. Riddle collections and books that use words in a clever way abound. This one will neither engage young readers nor inspire a love of language. Pets in Trumpets sounds a sour note. --Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.