Matthew A.B.C.

Who is missing from Mrs. Tuttle's kindergarten class?

Will he fit in as well as the other 25?

Publishers Weekly

What's a teacher to do when all of the students in her class have the same first name? In this offbeat alphabet book, Mrs. Tuttle has found what she believes is an easy solution. Mrs. T. distinguishes the 25 Matthews in her kindergarten by associating the first letter of each boy's last name with one of his attributes. For example, "Matthew A. is affectionate" and "Matthew G. has trouble with glue." By the penultimate page, readers have met the entire class, save for the new kid: a boy named Matthew (of course) who takes his place in the line-up right after Matthew Y. and is sporting lots of zippers. Following a fairly standard ABC-book template, each page is devoted to a letter that's featured in an upperhand corner. Throughout, Catalanotto (Emily's Art) makes a departure from his customary, portrait-flavored style and employs more playful lines and shapes in buoyantly hued watercolors. The artist's often wacky depictions of what makes each Matthew special (Matthew F. has a cat on his face; Matthew R. has freckles in the shape of a rhinoceros) offer kids plenty of laughs and, perhaps, new ways to look at their own classmates. Ages 4-6. (June) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Peter Catalanotto has written nine picture books, including two companion volumes to this one, Daisy 1, 2, 3 and Matthew A.B.C., and Emily's Art, of which School Library Journal said in a starred review, "Whether viewed from afar or up close, this creative and heartfelt book is a masterpiece." He has illustrated thirty books in all, among them several collaborations with George Ella Lyon. Their most recent book, Mother to Tigers, received a starred review in School Library Journal and was one of the New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing in 2003. He lives with his family and his two dogs in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Peter Catalanotto has written nine picture books, including two companion volumes to this one, Daisy 1, 2, 3 and Matthew A.B.C., and Emily's Art, of which School Library Journal said in a starred review, "Whether viewed from afar or up close, this creative and heartfelt book is a masterpiece." He has illustrated thirty books in all, among them several collaborations with George Ella Lyon. Their most recent book, Mother to Tigers, received a starred review in School Library Journal and was one of the New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing in 2003. He lives with his family and his two dogs in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.