Trapani's first children's book effectively combines blithesome, sing-song verse and waggish watercolors to introduce 10 familiar animals. ``Let's play a game. Let's have some fun. / Guess the animals one by one,'' invites an affable youngster. A trio of rhymed couplets offer hints about each animal, and a flip of the page reveals the creature's identity. The animals are pictured cavorting with the child--he snuggles in an armchair with a hippopotamus, is served a fish dinner by a polar bear, has a pillow fight with an owl, takes a turtle for a bicycle ride and plays football with a gorilla in the jungle. Though the book's overall cuteness is occasionally strained, Trapani imbues each animal with considerable personality, giving his work a diverting buoyancy. Ages 4-7. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 1-3-- The ostrich, the hippo, the gorilla, and the owl are just a few of the ten animals introduced through a series of verses that offer clues as to the creature's appearance and/or characteristics. Each rhyme ends with the phrase ``What am I?'' and a picture of the animal appears on the following page. Many of the rhymes are forced and some of the clues are a bit skimpy, but the clever watercolor illustrations compensate somewhat for the textual deficiencies. Librarians are always looking for easy-to-read picture books that invite audience participation, but this isn't one of the better efforts. --Valerie F. Patterson, Queens Borough Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Ten rhyming riddles invite young readers to guess the animals. Each rhyme contains so much telling information that youngsters will have little difficulty guessing the answer. The idea is intriguing, but the text muddies the line between fact and fiction, causing confusion. Watercolors are humorous and somewhat imaginative. From HORN BOOK 1992, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Ages 3-6. This straightforward guessing game will suit preschoolers who may have to stretch just a little for the answers. Six lines of text provide a description of an animal that ends with the question "Who am I?" Among the teasers are: "I live where there is always snow / Up north where cold winds often blow. / My fur is white and very thick. / I see a fish; I snag it quick.20.20.20." The following page shows the answer: a polar bear serving supper to the young boy who wanders through the book in search of the various animals. Though the rhymes are not always the best, and the artwork is stiff in places, this should still provide enjoyment to kids, singly and during story hours. ~--Ilene Cooper