PIRATE PLUNDER'S TREASURE HUNT
by Iain Smyth & illustrated by Iain Smyth
Pirate's Plunder Treasure Hunt ($16.99; Sept. 1996; 16 pp.; 0-525-45693-7): Yo-ho-ho! Readers won't find a bottle of rum on this pirate ship, but they will find an empty treasure chest, a hidden parrot, and several pirates (male and female), one of whom has made off with the loot. Readers are supposed to pinpoint the thief, although the clues don't allow for the tracking of one culprit, because a rotating wheel on the last page points to three possible endings. As a mystery, this one is mediocre; as a pop-up, pull-out, flip-open extravaganza, it's awesome! A miniature galleon and tiny pockets of minutiae will be appreciated and played with long after the ruse of doing detective work has faded. (Pop-up. 6-11)