The Artful Alphabet [Hardcover]

Martina Jirankova-Limbrick (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: K and up

Sure to charm children and collectors alike, this artful alphabet book promises a new discovery each time one opens its whimsy-filled pages.

"A" is for the amazing abundance of art in this addictive alphabet book! Fine artist Martina Jirankova-Limbrick fills each page with a playful profusion of objects, characters, shapes, and scenes, each one standing for, starting with, or formed by a featured letter (don’t miss the swarm of "b"s flying by a hot-air balloon). An appealing, harlequin-like girl and an acrobatic dog lead a lighthearted journey from A to Z, while a final spread lists words to be found in the artwork, luring readers to return on a search for more hidden surprises.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4-Art overwhelms alphabet in this visually enchanting creation. A charming poppet and a winsome dachshund frolic through vibrant spreads generously sprinkled with letter-appropriate pictures and words in small to teeny-tiny type. Though not appropriate for beginning readers textually, the visuals will suffice while youngsters grow into the accompanying words. Fans of "Where's Waldo" and "I Spy" books will find much to search for, and a list at the end suggests a few things they may have missed. Way too busy and detailed for a group storytime, Artful Alphabet is a dandy size for small hands and one-on-one sharing.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-up Jirankova-Limbrick's Artful Alphabet is attractive and inventive, but it's only partly successful in addressing a young audience. The small, square pages function more as a showcase for the artist's talents than a useful introduction to the alphabet, a common occurrence in "artful" ABC books. A fuzzy-haired child, dressed as a Harlequin, introduces each letter, which is surrounded by a whimsical profusion of things that begin with that letter. The paint-and-ink images, while appealing and clever, are often crowded with concepts and words that will be beyond the understanding of most alphabet learners: the I page, for example, features a list of "instructions" including, "Iron out idleness." Older children and art students are the most likely audience for this, although the busy scenes may attract some preschoolers as well. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 72 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (October 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763621870
• ISBN-13: 978-0763621872
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.5 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,598,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful and creative, December 30, 2007

By 

Leila (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Artful Alphabet (Hardcover)

Illustrations are beautiful. Children and I like finding the hidden words and discovering the creative ways the letters and words were incorporated into the drawings. Highly recommended.