It Begins with an A

This starts with an "N." You know it quite well. It's right on your face. You use it to smell.

In this appealing alphabet book, clever rhyming riddles challenge youngsters to guess the names of familiar objects such as a ball, a hammer, the moon, an umbrella, and a yo-yo. Four rectangular paintings per letter give clues leading up to the riddle's solution.

Calmenson, beloved author of such favorite picture books as Dinner at the Panda Palace and The Principal's New Clothes, has found a worthy teammate in illustrator Russo, whose childlike pictures feature a profusion of animals and smiling, multiethnic children to gently lead readers through the guessing game. Those still uncertain of their choices can find reassurance at the back of the book, where a complete alphabet includes the answer to each letter in both picture and word.