ABC x 3: English, Español, Français

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

ABC x 3 is an alphabet book with a difference. It is written in not just
one, or even two, but three languages: English, Spanish, and French. The
challenge in such an endeavour is to select representative objects that
begin with the same letter in all three languages. The creators of this
book have accomplished this task admirably, although some examples may
be unfamiliar to young readers. For example, few children will know what
a “quetzal” the entry for “Q,” is, and the “yacht” example
given for “Y” is more likely to be identified as simply “boat.”
Consonants peculiar to Spanish are included: “ch”—chaqueta
(jacket), “ll”—lluvia (rain), and “с”—niсos (children).

The availability of this unique alphabet book is particularly timely in
view of the current popularity of the Latina Dora character in the
children’s program Dora the Explorer. As Dora goes on an adventure,
young viewers are encouraged to play along with whatever she’s doing
on the show, including speaking Spanish.

Over Under, as the title implies, is a book of opposites. Written in
verse, it features a charming cast of animals and objects that teach the
concepts big and little, short and tall, over and under, up and down,
inside and outside, etc.

Both books are simply yet effectively illustrated with cut-paper
collage. The vibrant splashes of primary colours make the animals and
objects pop from the pages. Minimal text in large type make these
excellent choices for preschool readers. Highly recommended.