Riddles have been used as teaching tools since the development of language. Kids love to solve them, and even more, they love to challenge their peers with these engaging word puzzles.
Lillian Morrison's interest in poetry resulting from playing rhyming games with her friends such as jump rope and patty cake. As an adult, she wanted to make poetry fun and accessible for children. In her quest to become a writer, she earned one of her bachelor's degrees at Rutgers University in New Jersey and then another at Columbia University in New York.
She worked for many years at the New York Public Library in young adult services and was recognized as the recipient of the American Library Association's Grolier Award in 1987 for her contributions to stimulating the interests of young people through reading. She was particularly interested in folk rhymes, outdoor sports, dance, jazz and film, saying, "I love rhythms, the body movement implicit in poetry, explicit in sports--I am drawn to athletes, dancers, drummers, jazz musicians, who transcend misery and frustration and symbolize for us something joyous, ordered, and possible in life."
She spent nearly fifty years working at the New York Public Library and, during this time, also served as a lecturer at the schools where she developed her education, Rutgers and Columbia Universities.
Full of rhyming riddles with varying levels of difficulty this illustrated book would be an excellent oral language prompt with children aged 7+. I particularly liked the clues hidden in the illustrations designed to help you solve each riddle.
The book “Guess Again!” was written by Lillian Morrison. This book is appropriate for ages 6 to 8 in early childhood classrooms. It talks about two golden-haired children explore the world around them and they are interested in solving problems. This book satisfies children’s curiosity and encourages them to explore the amazing world around them. They will come up their questions and try to solve these problems in their own way. Creativity is a part of children’s daily life. Creativity enables their brains to grow and mature. Children are natural problem solvers. Solving problems is an important skill for children to practice. Solving problems helps develop each child's unique perspective and individual style of creative expression. It helps children to learn to appreciate themselves and be proud of making something of their own. The teachers can provide some activity such as write poems, draw pictures, and play games or use box and paper to make something. Children allow to work with small groups to solve problems. The children have an opportunity to get along with others and to develop social skills, language and communication.