Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes

April 2, 2007
Snyder's cheery collages add some oomph to this hunt-for-the-word alphabet book from the author behind the Words Are Categorical series. Cleary's rhymes point readers to the more obvious words attached to each letter: "D starts dalmatian,/ a dog who's been/ spotted./ E is for each/ evergreen/ Elvis potted." (Yes, as in the King himself.) A short intro also instructs readers to hunt for other representations of the letters (they'll find "D" on the Dalmatian's collar and an "E"-shaped topiary in Elvis's wheelbarrow), as well as other things not specifically referred to in the verse: dragonfly, daisy, daffodils, eggs. The pictures bubble with color and textures, but they're really more decorative than silly. (one Elvis does not frivolous make). Still, there's much busy, bright fun in these pages, and budding abecedarians should find plenty to charm them. Ages 4-8.

April 9, 2007
Snyder's cheery collages add some oomph to this hunt-for-the-word alphabet book from the author behind the Words Are Categorical series. Cleary's rhymes point readers to the more obvious words attached to each letter: "D starts dalmatian,/ a dog who's been/ spotted./ E is for each/ evergreen/ Elvis potted." (Yes, as in the King himself.) A short intro also instructs readers to hunt for other representations of the letters (they'll find "D" on the Dalmatian's collar and an "E"-shaped topiary in Elvis's wheelbarrow), as well as other things not specifically referred to in the verse: dragonfly, daisy, daffodils, eggs. The pictures bubble with color and textures, but they're really more decorative than silly. (one Elvis does not frivolous make). Still, there's much busy, bright fun in these pages, and budding abecedarians should find plenty to charm them. Ages 4-8.