Graphic artist and designer Ido Vaginsky's interactive title will appeal to fans of Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Is that a bird or a fish on the cover? The features of each creature depicted combine to form portraits of two different species, depending on your perspective. With the triangular, tail-like appendage upright, the predominantly red and blue fellow resembles a bird. Spin it so you've tipped the triangle down, and the wing now looks like a fin, and the bird's brow turns into the fish's smile. The riddles that reinforce the creatures' identities may be a bit clunky at times, but the fun is in figuring out which visual characteristics help define the two creatures. (Hint: watch the eyes and nostrils of each.)
The diversity of paper engineering helps to shake things up a bit. A cat-and-mouse hybrid works on a tab that causes a somersault-like effect, giving the illusion of a wrestling match between the two identities. An especially successful achievement uses a page turn to morph a monkey into a duck. Children of all ages will likely be inspired to draw their own creature combinations. In the meantime, this will be a favorite to pass among friends. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness