An interesting addition to Jerry Pallotta's series of alphabet books, it's science instruction and puzzle book in one. It features the skulls of mammals from A to Z, but the reader must figure out what the animal is from the full page illustrations and Pallotta's quirky text. It's not too hard...here's an example: "F is for.... Brains are mushy. Skulls protect brains. Skulls also protect the organs of four senses: hearing, smell, taste, and sight. A sly person can identify this skull - there are only three letters in its name." The illustration shows a chicken standing on the skull!
If science and deduction are not enough, you can play "I Spy". The presidents of the United States are hidden in the illustrations. Answers can be found "somewhere in the book". You have to figure that out, too!

This book would be great for children who are studying animals' skeletal systems. The author invites the reader to figure match the animal to its skull. It's intriguing, but a bit spooky too! ( )