Did you ever try to use an egg in place of a football? Or dress up a live quail in doll's clothes when you didn't have a doll? Or strap rag-dolls onto your feet in place of slippers? In Alphabetter, twenty-six boys and girls find themselves in twenty-six different predicaments when the alphabet refuses to cooperate with them. In the end, the solution turns out to be right on the next page, if only they can find it...
"An original alphabet book that is filled with fun preschool humour. Ross's illustrations capture the whimsical fun nature of the book and will have youngsters laughing out loud."
"Appropriate for early elementary students who enjoy funny stories and look-and-find books."
"Indeed one of the better alphabet books. Highly recommended."
"It is cleverness writ and painted large, and it's delivered with an infectious exuberance and cadence that manifests itself not just in the playful text, but also in illustrator Ross's quirky, kinetic characters."
The dust jacket reads: “Dan Barel believes that the highest compliment a preschool child can pay is to call one silly… Nothing gets a giggle like the absurd.” This is a silly book that will make young students giggle. It works this way: the page for the letter E features Edward who has an egg. However, the illustration shows poor Edward playing football and the egg just doesn’t fit the bill. What he really needs is a…football. Get it? The students will! Alphabetter will actively engage students. Without knowing it, they will learn the alphabet. The illustrations are colourful and humorous. For good measure, and more fun, Ross hides a letter on each page for children to find.
Dan Bar-el is the author of Things are Looking Up, Jack and Things are Looking Grimm, Jill. Graham Ross is the illustrator of By a Thread by Ned Dickens.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2007-2008.
Dan Bar-el’s Alphabetter is a catalogue of youngsters with alphabetical needs: “Hector had a hammer, but he didn’t have ice cream. Ina had an ice cream but she didn’t have a jewel. Joo Pyo had a jewel, but she didn’t have a kite.” At the end of the book, everyone solves their problem as Bar-el quickly works backward through the alphabet, sorting out who should have what. Graham Ross (who also illustrated the wacky and visually challenging By a Thread) uses acrylic paint on Gessoed watercolour paper with watercolour pencil and collage. The result is vivid and lively with just the right amount of kookiness. (For extra fun, Ross has also hidden the letter depicted on each page in the illustration.)
Source: The Canadian Children's Bookcentre. Winter 2007. Vol.30 No.1.
A mixed-up alphabet creates merry mayhem for 26 boys and girls. Preschoolers and parents can work together to find all the hidden letters.
Source: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Canadian Children’s Book News. 2007.