Best Alphabet Books

Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets – Blog Tour

OWLS ARE GOOD AT KEEPING SECRETS:
AN UNUSUAL ALPHABET

Written by Sara O’Leary

Illustrated by Jacob Grant

(Random House Children’s Books; $17.99, Ages 3-7)

 

 

Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets by Sara O'Leary book cover illustration

 

★Starred Review – Booklist

While I never tire of alphabet books, I do see quite a lot so honestly, the more distinct, the better to catch my eye and then keep me reading. Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets: An Unusual Alphabet fits that bill to a T. Tt: Toads are terrific at tongue twisters. See what I mean?

O’Leary doesn’t waste a minute pulling readers into her adorable, smile inducing descriptions for every animal she’s included. In fact, I bet she had a blast coming up with all their different personality traits and quirks, helping to set this picture book apart from others. Some will catch you off guard: Dd: Dragons cry at happy endings. I love that there are no flames involved, just pure emotion and Pp: Penguins love a big family get-together. Who knew they were such party animals? My fave, the one that gets me laughing out loud, is Rr: Raccoons are always the first to arrive for a party because that sounded just like me. Which letters will resonate with your child? Will it be Ww: Wolves don’t like being told to smile or possibly Yy: Yaks giggle at their own jokes? Find alligators, elephants, meerkats and many more and use the often funny, thought-provoking descriptions to start a conversation about what makes everyone unique.

The choice of animals and their clever corresponding stories will entertain even those who feel they’re too old for alphabet books. Grant’s charming artwork in a warm, muted color scheme with ample white space allows the focus to center on the endearing animals and their actions. From photograph-taking foxes in the field with a parent waiting in the den below to a hedgehog observing the night sky, there is something for everyone in Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets, an especially appealing approach to learning the letters A-Z.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

 

 

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R is for Rocket: An ABC Book by Tad Hills

R is for Rocket: An ABC Book
Written and illustrated by Tad Hills
(Schwartz & Wade Books; $17.99, Ages 3-7)

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A is for alphabet book!

Alphabet books are so important in fostering early literacy by teaching children to recognize letter shapes and their associated sounds, often in very creative ways. In addition, alphabet books, like R is for Rocket: An ABC Book, also help children build vocabulary recognition. We could have children chant “B is for boy,” but I bet they’d enjoy this more:

Bella balances on a ball while
a big blue butterfly watches.

The repetition of a single letter also creates a mood and a rhythmic effect, and, in longer sentences, encourages children to use words to expand beyond “C is for cat” and create sentences that contain multiple alliterative words. These in turn could be used to describe an activity or event:

Owl offers a cookie and a crayon to crow.
“Now will you stop cawing?” she asks.

What might children’s responses be if asked why was the crow cawing? How did this story begin or end? Can they think of other hard “C” words that could be used to tell their story? What a great precursor to creative storytelling/writing.

Tad Hills, the author and illustrator of numerous books, including the Duck and Goose books, depicts his well-known Rocket characters “ …having fun while learning the alphabet.” Unlike basic alphabet books, Hill’s popular Rocket characters are engaged in activities beginning with that letter, and accompanied by a short, alliterative sentence or two:

Rocket paints a picture of a peacock. Owl prefers her pumpkin.

My first and second grade students, already fans of Hills’ earlier titles, squealed with pleasure when I showed them the cover of this book. The students quickly caught on to the alliteration and soon the reading became dynamic and interactive as students discussed which sound they heard and how many times it occurred in each sentence.

While my students enjoyed Hills’ brightly colored and adorable characters, my favorite illustration is a two-page spread uniting letters E and F:

In the evening, Emma finds an egg.

Fred frolics with fireflies

Hills depicts a pleasantly darkening sky, dotted with “starry” fireflies. In the shadowy grass, Emma finds a delicate blue egg while Fred chases after glowing fireflies. This reminded me of a lovely summer’s night.

An extra bonus is that the book jacket doubles as an alphabet poster.

Highly recommended for schools and libraries where this author/illustrator is popular and where alphabet books play an important part in early literacy. Visit Tad Hills to learn more about his books.

  • Reviewed by Dornel Cerro
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B is for Bear: A Natural Alphabet by Hannah Viano

B IS FOR BEAR: A NATURAL ALPHABET
Written and illustrated by Hannah Viano
(Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch Books; $16.99, Ages 2-5)

★Starred Review – Kirkus Reviews

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Hannah Viano dedicates her new alphabet book to “…all of those who let children run a little wild, climbing trees and splashing in puddles. It is worth all the laundry and lost mittens.” It is a delightful sentiment for a book that will inspire a strong appreciation for the natural world in readers both young and old.

IntartOBisforBear
Interior artwork from B is for Bear: A Natural Alphabet by Hannah Viano, Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch Books, ©2015.

The illustrations in B is for Bear are perfectly stunning. Although they appear to be woodcuts at first glance, the process is even more interesting. Viano uses a graceful papercutting technique, carving thick outlines from black paper with an X-ACTO knife. She then adds soft pastel colors digitally in a rich range from gold to olive to amethyst. The look is at once classic and contemporary, as the bold lines capture the energy and motion inherent in her natural subject matter.

IntartRBisforBear
Interior artwork from B is for Bear: A Natural Alphabet by Hannah Viano, Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch Books, ©2015.

The alphabet letters, upper and lowercase, are suspended at the top of each page, punched in a white font onto the thick black border around each illustration. The natural keywords that she selects range nicely from animals (J for Jackrabbit) to natural objects (P for Pebble). Below the bottom border Viano provides clear but poetic descriptions as well as a few additional fascinating facts. For example, from L for Lightning Bug, “Call them fireflies or lightning bugs or Lampyridae. They fill a summer night with magical lights.”

Viano adeptly shows natural objects of all sizes, from massive mountains and soaring waves to tiny dandelion puffs and Queen Anne’s lace florets. The variety keeps the A to Z alphabet format interesting and surprising, with a fair mix of unusual versus familiar subjects for children. The book as an object itself is lovely, with sturdy proportions perfect for small hands. The pages are printed on thick, smooth, semi-matte paper that lends a sophisticated, organic feel.

B is for Bear, and for book, beautiful and breathtaking!

  • Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

Where Obtained:  I reviewed a copy of B IS FOR BEAR from the publisher and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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