Riot of Riddles

Adele Ashby was the former editor of Canadian Materials for Schools and Libraries.

English Canada’s best-known popular folklorist has put together a small package that is guaranteed to delight children, who, once they get their hands on it, will promptly drive all adults in the vicinity mad with riddles such as, “Why do crocodiles have short legs? ... So that airplanes can’t fly under them.” (Why else?) As well, there are crosswords, alphabet games, comparisons, word searches, sound-alikes, proverb puzzles, scrambled names, and brain teasers, many with distinctly Canadian content. Perky illustrations by Lesley Fairfield add extra giggles.

Parents will grind their teeth; children will love it; and teachers could find it useful for language arts experiences.