ABCD : An Alphabet Book of Cats and Dogs [Hardcover]

Sheila Moxley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001 | Age Level: 4 and up | Series: Megan Tingley Books

Simple text juxtagposed with wacky images of dogs and cats in very human situations make this alphabet book unique. Whether these cats and dogs are racing around in rocket ships or mastering magic tricks, they offer a unique and amusing way to learn the alphabet. See if you can spot Ivan gliding on ice, Quentin curling up quietly on his quilt, and Wendy wearing weird wigs? Surprising, silly and sly, this book is fun for children learning their ABCs as well as cat and dog lovers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Moxley (illustrator of Stone Girl, Bone Girl) now brings to picture books the photo-collage techniques and motifs that she has developed for a line of greeting cards, wrapping paper, stickers and calendars: she takes snapshots of animals and then riffs on them with cut paper and acrylics and a hipster's sense of irony and faux na‹vet‚. Her alphabetical cast of characters includes Deborah the cat, said to "deliver doughnuts door-to-door." To a view of a cat's head, Moxley has painted on a cap bearing the name "Doughnuts Direct" and a bag of doughnuts, apparently held in the cat's mouth; for the background, she conjures three red houses standing against a magenta sky. There's also Louise, a voluptuous Persian, who "longs for letters from her love," although the expression in her eyes is anything but wistful, and the beagle Oswald, who "often orders orange juice" and is made to sit at a lunch counter, sipping juice from a straw. Unfortunately, there's more style than substance here. What ultimately undermines the book is a pervasive visual flatness. These works invariably recall the photos of William Wegman, also an ironist. But readers can believe his Weimaraners are in on the joke. These animals, for the most part, look like they'd rather be somewhere else. Ages 3-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3-6. Moxley's innovative artwork, created using "old-fashioned painting and a bit of cutting and sticking with a scalpel and some sticky-tape," makes this ABC book a standout. With a variety of cats and dogs as her models, Moxley took old photographs and turned them into colorful, dynamic works of art. The text is clever, too. "Wendy wears weird wigs on Wednesdays" accompanies a picture of a real-life Dalmatian set into a painted scene. There she sits, rather regally, wearing a silly pink wig decorated with white chalky swirls and yellow stars. Behind her, on a bright orange wall, is a calendar with all the Wednesdays circled in red. The letter, in both upper-and-lowercase, appears in large colored type along the bottom of the page and directly above the text. A double-spread summary featuring miniature versions of each illustration and letter ends the book. Youngsters will enjoy browsing through this very appealing book long after they know their ABCs. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Megan Tingley (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316592404
• ISBN-13: 978-0316592406
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,743,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, May 28, 2002

By 

mark (Clemson ,SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ABCD : An Alphabet Book of Cats and Dogs (Hardcover)

Mark Remi
English 385
May 16, 2002
Dr. Michelle H. Martin
Book Review

Sheila Moxleys An Alphabet Book of Cats and Dogs appeals to the eye while it educates the reader. The book illustrates the letters of the alphabet in such a way that a child can effortlessly construct sentences using all of the different letters. The authors use of unusual words and sentences for each of these letters seeks to expand the childs vocabulary. Moxleys captions under the cat and dog illustrations not only explain the picture, but are also constructed with alliteration. Sentences like Arnold is an amazing aviator, for example, allow the reader to connect with the characters. Rather than using the universal phrase A for Apple, Sheila Moxley adds amazing twists to her sentences that give the book a totally new feel.
Also the illustrator of the book, Sheila Moxley combines real photos and colorful art in this picture book. She uses no computer-generated images but instead, just old-fashioned cut and paste techniques with a little painting to create a collage. . The adorable dogs and cats possess human qualities (one holds an umbrella; another ice-skates), which is sure to make readers laugh. The books brilliantly colored paintings, funny captions, and playful illustrations not only entertain but help the reader learn the letters of the English alphabet.

Moxley, Sheila. An Alphabet Book of Cats and Dogs. Boston: Little, Brown and

Company, 2001.

5.0 out of 5 stars Arnold is an amazing aviator, March 27, 2009

By 

Ben E. Schoenbaum (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ABCD : An Alphabet Book of Cats and Dogs (Hardcover)

This book is awesome. My kids love it and so do I. What a great way to learn the alphabet, phonics, and language. The pictures of dogs and cats will entertain you every time. If this book is out of print, they should print more now! Get the used ones while you can.