Alphabet Under Construction [Paperback]

Denise Fleming (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: July 25, 2006 | Age Range: 2 - 5 years

An artist's approach to introducing the alphabet

 

Mouse airbrushes the A,
buttons the B,
carves the C . . .

 

Mouse is hard at work constructing each letter of the alphabet. He dyes the D, erases the E, and folds the F. Mouse works his way right through to Z, constructing an alphabet that surpasses even the wildest artistic imagination.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The only one having a better time than the buck-toothed Mouse in Alphabet Under Construction is Denise Fleming, the gifted writer and illustrator who here brings back the hungry hero of Lunch for a trip through the alphabet and an arts-and-crafts roll call.

Letter by letter, page by page, the playful Mouse "constructs" the alphabet--airbrushing the A, buttoning the B, carving the C, and so on, employing all manner of scaffolds, ladders, and high- and low-tech devices to get the job done. (Clearly Mouse didn't really blow his budget until near the end, on the custom tiles, the X-ray machine, and the welding equipment.) Fleming employs an arcane process that involves "pouring colored cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils" to create her distinctive style. But fortunately, you don't have to have any idea what that means to enjoy her sense of humor, her vibrant colors, and her boisterous compositions.

Mouse gets messy before it's all over, but he delivers the alphabet on time--and only has to work two weekends! (As a funny touch, Fleming includes a note-covered project calendar that Mouse collapses under as he finishes.) Alphabet Under Construction also includes a fold-out, 42-by-7-inch poster that shows every page, from A to Z. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Mouse, the rambunctious rodent first seen in Fleming's Lunch, returns in this concept-book salute to hands-on (or, in this case, paws-on) creativity. Beginning at the beginning the letter A, of course Mouse fashions letters by means of various arts and crafts. Fleming has embraced the broadest definition of "construction" to include such activities as sawing, gluing, buttoning, icing (as in a cake) and quilting. Young children will no doubt enjoy seeing Mouse scurry sometimes humorously splattered with materials from one letter to the next, although they may puzzle over a few of the scenes. A few of the entries strain to fit the overall theme as when Mouse X-rays the X, Yanks the Y and Judges the J. The always playful, exuberant mood of Fleming's handmade-paper artwork, however, remains intact. Her broad range of dynamic, intense colors envelops readers with its sunny warmth. Ages 2-5.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 - 5 years
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Square Fish; Reprint edition (July 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805081127
• ISBN-13: 978-0805081121
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Denise Fleming won a Caldecott Honor for In the Small, Small Pond. She is the author and illustrator of eighteen picture books, including Buster.

***INTERVIEW***
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Toledo,Ohio, where I live still. I am a midwestern girl.

Q: What is your earliest memory of writing/drawing?
A: It seems like I was always writing and drawing. I wanted to share my ideas from the beginning. A bit bossy am I.

Q: What inspired you to write/illustrate your first book?
A: I started collecting picture books in art school. I was crazy about the whole picture book format. I realized, as I was sharing books with my daughter, that making books is what I needed to do.

Q: What are your hobbies and interests besides reading and books?
A: I work in clay, create art from tin cans, and make art dolls. Right now I am working on combining all three media. I also dye and paint fabric for the dolls.
Planting flowers and painting the outside of my house and studio is what I am busy doing right now.

Q: What one or two words of advice would you give for young authors/illustrators?
A: Experiment with different styles and media.

*From Macmillan's Denise Fleming page.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative, Inventive, and Lots of Fun..... September 5, 2002

By Roz Levine

Format:Hardcover

Dear little mouse has a big job to do, building the entire alphabet with art supplies and construction tools, and he gets right to work Airbrushing the A, Buttoning the B, and Carving the C. And as he moves quickly, letter by letter, Folding the F, Measuring the M, Pruning the P, Vacuuming the V, or Zipping the Z, little ones will revel in all the creative fun. Author, Denise Fleming's text is kept to a bare minimum, just the letter and construction verb. It's her big, bold, and vibrant artwork, dazzling with entertaining details and engaging humor, that makes this book stand out. Perfect for preschoolers, Alphabet Under Construction is not just another "learn your letters" picture book, but an imaginative and inventive, joyous romp that shouldn't be missed.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fleming does another great one September 3, 2002

By D. Lowery

Format:Hardcover

Fleming's art is fantastic--her abstract art works really well here in this context. A wonderful romp through the alphabet with the mouse from Lunch--witty variations on what to do with each letter as the mouse tries to build the alphabet in order (action verbs introduce each letter: the mouse kinks the "k" and vacuums the "v"). The book also comes with a poster--a nice addition for those who like Fleming's work. Highly recommended.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars There Are Better Alphabet Books Out There October 16, 2009

By C. A. Frederick

Format:Hardcover

Although normally a Fleming fan, I was extremely disappointed in Alphabet Under Construction. For babies and toddlers just beginning to learn the alphabet, Fleming's illustrations make it difficult to discern letter shape. Particularly problematic is the letter "W", in which Mouse welds a bar of steel between W's two interior angled lines. Unfortunately, this means that the inside of the W appears to be an "A". My two year old misidentifies the "W" as an A every time, and technically, he's correct. Ultimately, the illustrated letters are too abstract for children learning their alphabet. Unlike another commenter, I believe that this book is more appropriate for children who have already mastered the basics of the alphabet and are simply building on that knowledge: namely, preschoolers.

For babies and toddlers, there are better introductory alphabet books out there.