Riddle Mee Ree

Martha Lamon is a freelance writer and researcher based in Huntsville,
Ontario.

Zeena Bachus, writing under the pen name Mary Withers, is a native of
the West Indies who works as an educator in Canada. Riddle Mee Ree is an
adaptation of a curious Caribbean tale that explores how animals cope
with and adjust to the introduction of a human into their environment.
The book includes a few Caribbean idioms that are translated in a short
glossary at the beginning of the book.

It is nightfall and the animals are gathered around a fire. A man has
settled in their jungle, and Chimpanzee uses riddles to keep order among
the animals and teach them about humans. The concept of peaceful
coexistence between animals and humans is promoted.

The story is intriguing and brings to life a mysterious world of
intelligent, complex, talking animals. The use of riddles and Caribbean
idioms will encourage readers to think about the words they are reading
and the images evoked by the riddles. The illustrations by Fiona Yardley
Jones are bold and colourful. Recommended for elementary school
libraries and for use in the classroom.