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This brightly illustrated book celebrates the alphabet and is the result of extensive research conducted by the author with her friends and family members to solicit opinions on their favorite letters. The result is a book that moves along one vibrant letter at a time, describing personal associations and why each one is remarkable. Some of these reasons include what a specific letter resembles, the differences between the cursive version and other ways of writing it, and if it is silent when used in certain words. Every section includes a blank space that asks the reader to write in a favorite word that uses the discussed letter. Additionally, there is an invitation towards the final pages for everyone who enjoys the book to email the author with thoughts on their own favorite letters.
It is little wonder this book won the Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing. The enthusiasm for the alphabet is palpable, and every letter—ranked at the back from favorite to least favorite among the people asked—receives the greatest respect and love. This book could very easily become a means for parents to introduce their children to the alphabet with its colorful images, and the prose has a noticeable singsong quality that makes it fun to read aloud. The frequent references to cursive and facts related to the history behind various letters can also be just as educational for adults as they can be for children. All the fresh perspectives on these letters will ensure that readers never take the wonders of the alphabet for granted ever again.
A 2021 Eric Hoffer Book Award Grand Prize Short-List book
RECOMMENDED by the US Review