From Apple to Zipper

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

``A'' is for alphabet book (see also reviews below), and ``B,'' in this case, is for belabored. Cohen's text is innocuous enough (``Q is for Quilt to warm up my toes. R is for Ribbon to tie into bows''), but the letters of Kern's alphabet, each the focal point of a page, don't fit the layout. Each letter is fashioned, surreally, from the object associated with it. Disconcertingly realistic renderings of three keys form the ``K,'' an opened egg swims inside a gray, carton-like ``E''; the ``M'' is a maze with a mouse scurrying through it. The drably colored but busy text and borders that frame each letter, however, accentuate the garish tones of the art. A poster included with the book shows only the letters of Kern's alphabet, as it was originally designed in 1989; thus assembled, patterns emerge among the color choices and symmetry is restored. Too bad it was disassembled. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

PreS-An alphabet book in rhyme, starting with Apple, Box, and Crayon and ending with Xylophone, Yarn, and Zipper. Each uppercase letter takes on the shape of what it is representing. Some of the pictures may be difficult for children to interpret, such as the E taking on the shape of an egg. Each page is brightly illustrated with the large letter in the center against a white background, and smaller ones bordering it. Average fare for collections needing another alphabet book.-Sandra Welzenbach, H.K. Williams Elementary School, San Antonio, TX