All Aboard!: A Traveling Alphabet [Hardcover]

Bill Mayer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Journey from the everyday to the exotic with this alphabet on the move. Cross the B-shaped arches of a bridge; land on the angled L of an airfield; drive over the looped O of an overpass.

Bill Mayer's bold art evokes classic travel posters with utterly modern color and flair. Allow your imagination to soar -- and discover something unexpected in each elegant picture puzzle.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Mayer's work has appeared in major journal publications such as the New York Times magazine, National Geographic, Time magazine, Sports Illustrated, and the Wall Street Journal. He also created the Bright Eyes stamp series for the U.S. Postal Service, and has illustrated picture books such as All Aboard by Chris Demarest. Bill lives with his wife, a fellow artist, in Decatur, Georgia. For more information, visit him at thebillmayer.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (February 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689852495
• ISBN-13: 978-0689852497
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,365,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in the 1950s, Chris Demarest was influenced by both his parents' artist abilities. His mother once worked for the Walt Disney animation studios and his father was a life-long doodler. In the upstairs attic of his parents' house, Demarest's father escaped to draw pictures of airplanes. That passion led his father to join the US Army Air Force in WWII, flying the dangerous missions from India into China, referred to as 'the Hump".

Demarest spent most of his years in publishing doing a cartoon, light-hearted style, but tapped into his youth and began working on a series of adventure books. Firefighters A to Z became a NY Time Best Book 2000. Documenting more firefighting careers, USCG work and the Hurricane Hunters, Demarest does all his research first hand. In 2004, he flew with the Hurricane Hunters out of Biloxi Mississippi into Hurricane Ivan, a Cat 4 storm.

His latest book, ARLINGTON: A History of Arlington National Cemetery will be published by Roaring Brook Press, Fall 2010.

Contact info: [e-mail]
Website: http://www.pbase.com/chrisdemarest
603 460-3095

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Aboard THIS Book: A Fanciful ABC Voyage!, May 19, 2009

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All Aboard!: A Traveling Alphabet (Hardcover)

One of the best of the new generation of alphabet books: Books so sumptiously and cleverly illustrated that they're appropriate for adults as well as children.

Hard to believe? Just look at BIll Mayer's picture of a zepplein for the letter Z. Like all the pictures here, it's in the form of the great travel poster art of the 1920's-1940's, a genre that--at various times--displayed elements of graphic art, of course, but also art deco, Russian constructivism, and the industrial glorification seem in bothe the United States and the Soviet Union. A huge zeppelin clims at about a 45 degree angle agianst a skyscraper background, the extraodinary flight punctuated by arc lights beaming agisnt the dark, foggy sky. The intersection of those lights with each other and with the Zeppelin form the letter Z!

Every page is a marvel of composition, color, and design (oversized, bold, geometric-like shapes predominate), as well as a challenge to the reader to find the picture elements that form the alphabet letter. These are so cleverly placed, that this book would probably be frustratng for someone learning the alphabet; instead, I'd recommend it (very, very hghly) for youngsters who know their A-Z, and who perhaps have shown good shape recognition and discrimination. A pair of friendly adult eyes (although they may be challenged as well!) will help kids find the letters, dampening any potential frustration.

A few more favorites rnging from the simple to the complex: A steep Bridge with twi arches and the waterline forming the B; an A formed by the intersection of a ship's boarding ramp, and a vertical line, a Byzantine-looking Elephant with an "E' formed by a sword on top (from which hangs a peanut), two tusks in the middle, and the trunk on the bottom, with the spine of the E formed by the elephant's profile. The K of a kayak formed by a straight paddle and the kayaker's outstretched arms, an L in an airport Landing strip--turbo props just visible against a Casablanca (the movie) foggy nighttime sky, and the multiple N's seen in a ship's (christened the "Nautical") rigging. The pictures are done in airbrushed gouache, dyes, and some digital retouching. There is no narrative, just labels for each A-Z picture.

Bill Mayer is so masterful, and his work so reminiscnet of the glory days of poster advertising, that any of these witty, fanciful, and eye-catching pictures would make a beautiful poster. "All aboard" may be the best of the alphabet books (although, again, it's more suitable for somewhat sophisticated letter recognition than it is for letter learning.)
Lavishly illusrated on quality paper, this is a book to treasure aat home and school, for kids, adults, and vintage poster art and travel fans of any age.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and creative!, January 21, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All Aboard!: A Traveling Alphabet (Hardcover)

Features up-close graphics of all sorts of conveyances, sure to thrill your little transportation nut. Some pictures are quite puzzling - finding the alphabet letters on the U page and the M page were a challenge. G for gondola and H for highway were my favorites - but the kids love K for kayak the best.

Interesting, unusual illustrations - this is a keeper.