Pigs from A to Z [Hardcover]

Arthur Geisert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 1986 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Seven piglets cavort through a landscape of hidden letters as they build a treehouse.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pigs from A to Z updates the traditional alphabet book in a potentially useful way. Rather than the usual presentation of a picture illustrating each letter, Arthur Geisert (Pa's Balloon and Other Pig Tales offers intricate etchings depicting pigs engaged in assorted pursuits. In each picture, several examples of the letter are cunningly hidden among the whorls of artwork. This gives readers the opportunity to interact with the bookto actually learn about the letter's shape by looking for it. The black-and-gray tones add to this book's eccentric appeal; the clever doings are humorously underplayed by the text's dry wit.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3 Children are asked to find letters hidden within a myriad of details in large etchings. Each page is supposed to contain five forms of the featured letter, one each of the letters that precede and follow that letter in the alphabet, and seven pigs (although the A page contains eight pigs and six A 's for no apparent reason). The hidden letters are in a variety in sizes; some are large and obvious while others are so small that it's often not clear whether it's one of the hidden letters or simply a detail in the drawing. One or two lines of text accompanying the drawings tell the "story" of the piglets' building of an elaborate treehouse. The minimal script adds nothing to the book but a flat and occasionally condescending explanation of the illustrations. The relationship of text to the featured letter is tenuous at best and seems tacked-on. While some pages of text manage to repeat the featured letter several times, others have to stretch for a single connection to the illustration. The book is curiously lacking in appeal; the extensive cross hatching of the etchings, which are on an ivory background, give the book a muddy, almost antique look. The pigs are stiff and crudely drawn, with no real individuality or personality, and are often awkwardly posed for the sake of the letters they illustrate. The book is too difficult for young children just learning the alphabet, and older children will be better served by the color, graphic quality, and sheer wit of similar books by Anno and Demi. Eleanor K. MacDonald, Palos Verdes Library District, Calif.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 29, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395385091
• ISBN-13: 978-0395385098
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,733,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Arthur Geisert's unique and exquisite etchings have been widely praised and exhibited at the Chicago Institute of Art, among other museums. His work is regularly selected for the Society of Illustrators', annual Original Art exhibition, and his illustrations are now being collected by the Dubuque Museum of Art. He lives in a converted bank in Bernard, Iowa.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My children have loved this book!, July 19, 2007

By 

K. Edel "Tina" (Highland Mills, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pigs from A to Z (Paperback)

Both the text and the illustrations in this book are wonderful. The illustrations not only help tell the story, they are fun on their own. Each page is a puzzle for readers to find letters and pigs hidden in the picture. Once my girls (now 6 and 8) reached the age of 4, they often picked this as a bedtime story. The text is full of alliteration, rhyme and is an enjoyable tale of a family of piglets building a tree house for their family. I recently bought it as a gift for my nephews.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute book, August 12, 2009

By 

K. Fears (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pigs from A to Z (Paperback)

I taught kindergarten and bought this book because a coworker had it and it was very cute. Great way to let the kids search for letters.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you buy your pre-schooler one alphabet book, buy this one., December 7, 2008

By 

K. Koellner (MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pigs from A to Z (Paperback)

We read this book to our son when he was a preschooler over and over again. He never got tired of it. And, he really learned his letters while having fun. He had letter recognition well before most other preschoolers in his class.

The book works by having wonderful illustrations with each letter hidden in the picture. There are ten instances of each letter on each page. Also, each page has one instance of the preceding letter in the alphabet and one of the next letter in the alphabet. So, the "C" page will have ten "C"s, one "B" and one "D". This really makes learning the letters a game. You read the once sentence of the story that goes with each page and then your child can try and search for all the letters.

If you want to see an sample illustration, use the Look Inside feature then page to the second page.

I recommend this book to anyone with a preschooler.