Alphabetter

Linda Ludke is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

In this zany addition to alphabet book collections, 26 children are
stuck in activities without the proper equipment: “Alberto had an
alligator, but he didn’t have a bathing suit.” On the next page, a
little boy stands outside a music room blowing into a snorkel: “Benoit
had a bathing suit, but he didn’t have a clarinet.” The mixed-up
predicaments also have Gwendolyn strapping a disgruntled goldfish onto
her tool belt instead of a hammer, and unlucky Hector receiving a hammer
in a waffle-cone instead of ice cream.

Graham Ross’s offbeat acrylic, pencil, and collage illustrations
feature clever details such as the aptly named yoga instructor, U Benda,
and fan mail to Julia Child in a mixing bowl. The featured capital
letter appears in the top left corner of the page. Ross has added a
hide-and-seek game to the book by concealing a letter somewhere in each
picture.

On the final pages, everyone swaps items and enjoys new friendships.
They even pose in an acrobatic human “A” and “Z” for the front
and back covers. This creative collaboration is highly recommended.