Word Play ABC [Library Binding]

Heather Cahoon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1999 | Age Level: 6 and up

"Yellow jacket? Goose bump? Weeping willow?" A quirky celebration of imagination, language and the alphabet all rolled into one, this clever book makes language fun. By challenging children to think about the nature of words while charming them with cheery illustrations, "Word Play ABC" delights youngsters of all ages with its visual and verbal twists and turns. Full color.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this imaginative debut, Cahoon blends predominantly whimsical puns and keen visual wit. Each spread presents two consecutive letters of the alphabet in a unified composition. To introduce the letter E, for instance, the author-illustrator starts with the word "eerie." She then pictures an ethereal green alien with lower-case E's for ears, a kind of "ear-E" presence. This E-E.T. flies in a teacup, adding another layer to the joke with the letter F, for "flying saucer." Some other memorable images include the letter H's "home sweet home," represented by a beehive dripping with honey, and Q's "quarter horse," a mechanical pony that costs 25 cents a ride. Cahoon's domestic settings and outdoor nature scenes display a deft handling of watercolors: expressive black-ink outlines, varying from crayon-thick to a hair's-width, wrap around warm hues of cornflower yellow, midnight blue and poppy red. Not every page offers an unqualified hit; the letter V serves as prompt for the term "viewpoint" and a bland horizon, and the familiar hugs-and-kisses "XOXO" appear for the always-problematic letter X. Further, the words accompanying this alphabet may prove mystifying to beginners and the abecedarian format a bit too reductive for advanced readers. Yet anyone who appreciates the verbal dexterity and strong imagery of books like Cathi Hepworth's ANT-ics! will do a double-take at this clever volume, which closes with a glossary and literal translations of its A-to-Z terms. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-The title of this bright, colorful book tells readers exactly what they're getting. For each letter of the alphabet, Cahoon has devised a pun or play on words and illustrated it accordingly. Thus, A (for airmail) shows an airplane writing "hello" in the sky. For C, the picture of a crocodile in a pot is accompanied by the word "Crock-Pot." At the end of the book, a glossary offers children the real meaning for the expressions used. The weakness of this book is the same as for any undertaking of this kind-unevenness. In some cases, the wordplay and illustrations are wonderful. The art and language combine to create a silliness that is both age appropriate and accessible. In other cases, the humor falls flat, is too sophisticated for the intended audience, or the pun is not represented successfully by the illustration. The presentation is visually appealing with many of the letters paired in two-page spreads that depict a single scene. There are many playful alphabet books available, including Chris Van Allsburg's The Z Was Zapped (Houghton, 1987), Richard Wilbur's The Disappearing Alphabet (Harcourt, 1998), and Jeanne Steig's Alpha Beta Chowder (HarperCollins, 1992), that successfully present the concept with humor. Add this one where the need is great.
Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Co (Lib) (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802786847
• ISBN-13: 978-0802786845
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,274,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mother of a few, creator, and project maker. New York Times best-selling children's book illustrator. Visit me on wordplayhouse.com and you-make-do.com.