A Yellowstone ABC

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Our country's first national park provides the setting for this nature-minded alphabet book. On each page two letters are introduced, accompanied by rhyming couplets that point out a specific feature of Yellowstone beginning with the appropriate letter. These somewhat strict parameters tend to limit the text's effectiveness, however--the rhyme is often forced and the meter sometimes clunky. Young readers may also be confused by the few instances when a highlighted letter of the alphabet is not literally illustrated by the art; for example, X is for the crisscross tracks / of animals in the snow, or P is for Indian Paintbrush / a hardy western flower. Martin's soft watercolors, while not totally realistic, provide enough detail to be informative. The decorated borders on each page offer additional glimpses of the park's flora and fauna. A lengthy glossary extends the text and should appeal to readers at the higher end of the intended age range. This title will be more successful as a call to nature appreciation and a beginner's guide to Yellowstone than as an alphabet concept book. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)