Alison Jay: Alphabet and Numbers

I know these have been around for a while, but they're on my shelf and I'm slowly blogging about what I've got on my shelf as well as "new things" as they come along. I recently learned of a new Alison Jay title that is coming in April this year, and it got me to thinking how much I love her work. 

These two in particular are so well put together that they're just so enjoyable to read and share with children.

Alphabet can be used as a straight forward alphabet book (I love alphabet books) where the main thing on each page begins with the corresponding letter. BUT, what makes me get excited about this book, is that if you look closely enough at her beautiful illustrations, you can find a little clue, something that doesn't start with that letter, but begins with the next letter of the alphabet. Therefore, while these are marketed for very young children ("A Child's First ABC") they are still good for the more observant older child who loves looking and finding and is a bit more confident with their letters. I see this as being great for sharing with siblings of different ages too. 

Numbers, on the other hand, has a different hook. Each number has a fairy tale/Mother Goose relation. In fact, the main girl ("one little girl sleeping") is escorted by Mother Goose ("two soaring wings") throughout the entire book. And again, like with Alphabet there are tiny clues on each page as to what the next story book reference will be. 

Alison Jay's illustrations are just fantastic. I love that they are all cracked, like they are wall frescoes from some brilliant ancient civilization that was steeped in folklore and fairy tales, revering them as the Greeks did the gods. 

I got these two in a slip case of large format board books. I love them.

5 Gold Stars

Find them on Goodreads

ABC - 123

A Babble of Words by Adam Oehlers

I have a strange attraction to alphabet books. Well, I should clarify, alphabet books that attempt to do something different, or are simply beautifully realised.

Since childhood, I have also always been fascinated with collective nouns; so many different ways to group types of animals or people.

So you can imagine my delight when I discovered Adam Oehlers’ A babble of Words: A-Z of Collective Nouns. In my opinion, this book has many things that count in its favour. It begins with a child removing a book from a crowded bookshelf; he opens it to discover an invitation to “Come get yourself lost in this ‘Babble of Words.’” (Who could resist such a request? Not me.)

Oehlers’ illustrations are nothing short of breathtaking, playfully exploring a literal interpretation of each collective noun: “An Army of Aardvarks”. Then we turn the page and the narrator leans too close and falls into the book! Now there is the added joy of finding the boy on each page. This brings to mind Graeme Base’s Animalia, another alphabet book that has become a household name. I strongly believe A Babble of Words is worthy of belonging on just as many shelves as Base’s.

The nouns themselves are surprising, funny and imaginative; brining to life the characters they are grouping. Some even move something inside you: ‘an exaltation of larks’ or ‘an unkindness of Ravens’ were particularly emotive.

It pains me to point out the educational aspects of this book. Not because they are few, but because they should be obvious and irrelevant at the same time. A Babble of Words is a joy from start to finish and will only encourage a love of words and what they are capable. Like all brilliant children’s books, it is first and foremost a pleasure to read, everything else is secondary.

I hope that Adam Oehlers continues to create other gems until he has a Shelf of Books. Or is that a Pile? Or a Stack? Or a Library of Books?