Alphabeasties: And Other Amazing Types [Hardcover]

Sharon Werner (Author), Sarah Forss (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 29, 2009 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years

Blocky or small. Thick or tall.
Roundish, slope-y, fancy or dopey.
Letters look different in all different places.
That's because they have different typefaces.

From an alligator made of aaa's to a zebra made of zzz's, the alphabeasties in this book are ingeniously built out of multiple typefaces. Adults and children will be engaged and delighted with the flaps, which lift to reveal "beasties" for each letter of the alphabet.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4—The introduction to this book is a little clunky; it's rather wordy and difficult to read with black letters in a small font against a dark gray background. Things become more interesting once that page is turned. An alphabet of animals is presented, each one cleverly composed of its initial letter in a typeface that often suits the characteristics of that creature—a spiky alligator, shaggy sheep, etc. Fold-out pages allow for the impressive height of the giraffe or the length of the alligator to be revealed. Small boxes on the bottom and sides of the pages show how using a different typeface for a particular letter render it suitable for a different purpose—a loopy "l" for lasso as opposed to some that lean or bend slightly for laziness. There is a lot to examine here, and readers should return repeatedly to do just that. Suggestions follow for children to try inventing their own typefaces, and to investigate the Web site for the Type Directors Club. Young readers will enjoy the animals while older children will have a greater appreciation for the book's artistry.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ END

Review

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Starred Review. No ordinary abecedarian, this typographical trip will wow design fans and suggest creative projects with letterforms. The book s introduction speaks affectionately of typefaces just like people, they look different and have different personalities before embarking on a thrilling spin through the alphabet. The first spread presents an alligator s silhouette, made up of capital and lowercase As, as the repeated word algae forms green strands around it. A bat shaped from gothic Bs holds vampire connotations; tall, skinny Gs evoke the height of a giraffe that hides behind leafy, vertical folds; and breathless italic Rs make a rabbit seem poised to leap. Werner and Forss, a debuting team of graphic designers, devote page borders to extra wordplay: a C becomes the curved back and tail of a cat, a K s extended foot kicks a soccer ball, a cursive L is a lasso and rounded Ps nestle in a pod. Innovations arrive several to a page, rewarding repeat visits and encouraging readers to muse on the power of type and all that letters and words can imply or insinuate.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Blue Apple Books; 1 edition (July 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934706787
• ISBN-13: 978-1934706787
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.6 x 11.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for learning and just looking October 19, 2009

By Suzy Black

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I got fed up with ABC books for a) being boring and predictable and b) using typefaces that were tricky (when the upper case C looks like a G, for example, or the upper case I is no different from the lower case L), so I was delighted to get this book. Kids are great at picking out the essence of a thing - at 18 months old they'll recognise a cow simply because it's black and white and has a pink nose. This book provides them with the tools to recognize letters and the examples are great too: the letters are used in illustrations as part of the picture (an illustration of a face with hair, for example, where the hair is made up of 'H's) and it's got a sense of humor.

I want to buy another one to keep in pristine condition as I feel this will become a classic. I love it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great way to learn abc's November 20, 2009

By azpackerbackers

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

have bought this book as a gift for 4 children ages 2-5 and they all love it, as do their parents. very creative and fun way to learn.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars cute idea! August 31, 2010

By Picky Patty

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

LOVE the design and the idea behind this but i think it would've been smarter to make it a sturdy board book that a child that's learning their ABC's can handle without damaging