Customer Reviews

Gyo Fujikawa's A to Z Picture Book

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If other books by Fujikawa are still in print, it is completely regretful that this one is no longer. This was probably my favorite picture book from childhood. The enchanting illustrations are a feast for the eyes. Each letter of the alphabet (capital and lowercase) is given its own large page, consisting of black and white drawings representing words beginning with the corresponding letter. Everyday items, foods, plants, animals, and even actions, adjectives and feelings are thoughtfully included. Alternating with the black and white letter pages are full-color pages giving further creative representation to each letter. The "D for dreams" was a particularly favorite page, showing five children lined up asleep in their beds, each experiencing a different type of dream, whether it be dangerous, delicious, dreadful, delightful or disgusting. The abundant detail on each page gives children much to ponder, and this book now completely engages my two-year-old. If you are a Gyo Fujikawa fan, this book is a must-have.

**Update- I just noticed this book will be released in September 2010. I cannot wait to share this book with others - it is so special and perfect for gift-giving.

The illustrations are charming and realistic. This was my son's favorite book as a toddler.Mine too! The pictures are wonderful!

My now 33 year-old daughter Lindsey "introduced" this book to me when she was just a few months old. As an infant, she would sit in my lap and gaze at the pictures, entranced, as I traced the images with a finger and read aloud the captions beneath each one.

The book continued to captivate her attention long after she'd lost interest in the latest new toy, whatever that might happen to be. When an out-of-town friend visited with her little girl Jessica, a couple of years older than Lindsey, she showed her new friend the book. "Chambered nautilus," I heard two year-old Lindsey instructing Jessica. Jessica's mother gave me a startled look and said, "She just said 'chambered nautilus.' Is that really in there?"

"Yep," I grinned. "You should see the picture."

Lindsey developed an unusually large vocabulary for her age and enunciated very clearly even when she was just beginning to talk. I've often given the credit for those early abilities to Gyo Fujikawa's extraordinary alphabet book.

Lindsey has two children, now 11 and 12 years old, both of whom were entranced with Lindsey's old book when they were little. They, also, have uncharacteristically large vocabularies and read several levels above their actual grade. Lindsey and I were discussing the contribution the A to Z Picture Book made to both her and her children's education, and she asked me if she could have the book to keep.

When I reminded her I had already given it to her when her children were little, she grew rather distraught. "I don't have it any more. Oh, no. I'll have to get another one. That was the best book EVER!"

So here I am, searching for an old friend on Amazon. So glad to see it's still available. I'll be purchasing a copy for Lindsey and another for my own bookshelf. Just never know when another grandbaby - or even a great-grandbaby - might come along!

As always, the pictures are wonderful and give you much to show a child. However, given the "letter" theme, the book works best for a slightly older child - say 3-4.

Everything was as promised. Thank you. I teach reading to at risk readers and had worn out my old copy of this book. I find it extremely helpful when teaching the alphabet and vocabulary to Enlish language learners.

This magical book is a long-time family favorite. My daughter is 18 months old, and she loves the book. Despite what another review indicated about appropriate age, the pictures have delighted her for the past several months, and she loves to point favorite items out from "banana" to "monster" to "yak!". The illustrations are much more appealing and accessible to her than our comparable Usborne Books "First 1000 Words."

As a lifelong lover of this book, my only complaint about the 2010 edition is the 5-6 typographical spelling errors. Hopefully if it's reprinted, they'll be corrected... but we're happy to have this delightful classic even with the misprints.

I snapped up this book at TJ Maxx the other day and I LOVE it. I will be buying lots more for all the baby showers I go to. I have given away "Babies" by the same author for years just like my mom has done for years. I just love the illustrations and this book is LOVELY. 5 Stars!!! Everyone needs this book.

Gyo Fujikawa's A to Z Picture Book

This A to Z picture book is full of Gyo Fujikawas's gentle illustrations. My own children enjoyed it, and I have purchased it now for our first grandchild.