The Alphabet from Z to A: (With Much Confusion on the Way) - Softcover

Judith Viorst is the author of the beloved Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, which has sold some four million copies; the Lulu books, including Lulu and the Brontosaurus; the New York Times bestseller Necessary Losses; four musicals; and poetry for children and young adults. Her most recent books of poetry include What Are You Glad About? What Are You Mad About? and Nearing Ninety.

Grade 2-5-"An alphabet book for folks who already know their ABCs." Presented in reverse order, with observations and discussions about the oddities of the English language, this is an intriguing look at how words are spelled and pronounced. Viorst laments the fact that "W is for WHO but not HOOT," "U is for UNICORN but not ONION," "J is for JEWEL but not GEM," and so on. Written in loose clever verse, the peculiarities of the sounds and sights of each of the 26 letters are presented. The illustrations are beautifully detailed acrylic paintings with many small objects beginning with that letter intertwined with the letter itself, much like a medieval manuscript. There is lots of white space around each letter, though the pictures are too small for large group use. Hull's colors and style are reminiscent of Graeme Base's in Animalia (Abrams, 1987), although not as opulent. Older chldren may find this helpful in a study of linguistics; it may even inspire them to find examples of their own. There is an author's note and a list of all the items to identify in each illustration. An additional curiosity for extensive alphabet collections.
Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.