Michael Rosen's ABC

Children's Literature - Meredith Kiger

Michael Rosen's ABC provides a unique approach to the ABC book. Witty, imaginative and nonsensical use of sound and syllables combine to create poems that reinforce each letter and/or letter sound. The surreal illustrations by Bee Willey are a perfect accompaniment and offer an opportunity to sleuth about to identify the objects mentioned in the poems. Entertaining and challenging for children and the adult reader

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4Words and pictures dance in this tongue-twisting alphabet book. Each double-page spread features one letter (capital and lower-case) and corresponding paintings packed with objects and actions that begin with that letter. Identifiable objects range from the easy (pear) to the difficult (vermicelli). Zany rhymes featuring an array of well-known characters (e.g., Charlie Chaplin, Humpty Dumpty, and Snow White) accompany and describe each colorful illustration. For example: "Yankee Doodle came to town/riding on a yak./He stuck a yo-yo in his cap/and called it yackety-yack." Younger children will enjoy listening to the nonsense rhymes as well as finding the objects and actions that correspond with each letter. Older readers will also enjoy the interactive artwork, and will grasp more fully the humorous text. A list of items that can be identified on each page appears at the end. A combination of Shel Silverstein's gift for nonsense rhyme and Maira Kalman's kookiness and color scheme, this book deserves a place in most collections.Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI