This book for two readers is devoted to new slants on nursery rhymes, extending, combining, or decrypting Mother Goose in thirteen rhyming stories. Hoberman echoes the cadences of the rhymes in her own reinterpretations, and Emberley does a good job of amplifying dramatic possibilities. Felicitous rhyming, clear page design, and well-sequenced pictures work together to make this a two-on-a-tuffet treat.

<p>A companion to the two earlier volumes put out by this duo, this venture features original stories based on Mother Goose. Hoberman splits each rhyming story into parts differentiated by the color of the text. One color for one reader, a second for the other and a third color for the two to read together. There are 13 stories plus an introduction and a coda. The characters in these rhymes are recognizable: Simple Simon, Old Mother Hubbard, Little Miss Muffet. However, their antics diverge from the old saws in humorous and inventive ways. Jack Sprat and his wife go on a diet. Old King Cole's fiddlers get a lesson from the Hey Diddle Diddle Cat. Humpty Dumpty does get put back together, but he complains about the doctor's bill. Emberley's happily expressive animals and people are the icing on Hoberman's madcap Mother Goose. Sure to draw giggles from the most reluctant young readers. (Picture book. 4-8)</p>

Gr 1-4-In this third installment in the series, Hoberman and Emberley introduce shared reading experiences that retell and elaborate on Mother Goose rhymes. Consisting of 14 short tales, each story is designed to be read by two voices that, at times, come together for shared lines; different colored type indicates each distinct voice. Told in verse, these stories will appeal to readers who are familiar with the original rhymes. In "Old Mother Hubbard," for example, the woman and her dog determine that since it's cold outside, they'll call the butcher and order in some food. The humor and rhythms in "Jack, Be Nimble" are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham (Random, 1960). The careful word choices are ideal for beginning and reluctant readers; Hoberman introduces simple contractions that easily blend into the rhythmic text. The bright and cheery artwork captures the humor; Little Jack Horner is portrayed as a raccoon sporting a shabby overcoat and fedora and Little Tommy Tucker is a bass-playing gorilla. Both the illustrations and text are set against clean white space for ease of reading. In addition to sharing in two voices, this book is also ideal for choral reading and classroom activities. An author's note provides additional suggestions.-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.