Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming

Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2002.

Hardcover edition, 32 pages, ISBN 0-8050-6848-1.

Fleming's handy mouse is kept busy performing 26 different operations and using a variety of tools as he airbrushes, buttons, carves, dyes, erases... his way through the entire alphabet. Her signature fabric paint collage textures are colorful and engaging. A pull-out alphabet poster lives in the back of the book.

Fun for any storyhour where a variety of occupations are featured.

Assists in enhancing letter knowledge, as well as vocabulary of great nouns and verbs related to handyman functions.

The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2003
Booklist Starred Review, 2002
Capitol Choices, 2002
The Children's Literature Choice List, 2002
ALA Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2002
ALA Notable Children's Books, 2003
Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award Nominee 2004
South Carolina Picture Book Award, Nominee, 2005-2006;

Firefighters A to Z by Chris L. Demarest

Margaret K. McElderry, New York, 2000.
Hardcover edition, 32 pages, ISBN 0-689-83798-4.

"A is for Alarm that rings loud and clear. B is for Boots stowed in our bunker gear." So begins the dramatic alphabetic journey through a fire call. Each rhyming couplet propels us further into the action, eventually winding down with  "X is for eXtinguished.... Y is for Yawning.... Z is for Zip into bed for a rest." Bright pastel primary colors capture the adrenaline-soaked atmosphere.

Demarest, a small-town New Hampshire firefighter as well as prolific children's author, brings his expertise to this exciting alphabet book. The first page contains a labeled diagram of a firefighter dressed in his/her gear.A lengthy author's note not only details the tools and procedures used by firefighters in the book, but provides many additional facts about fires and firefighting techniques.

This would be a great addition to any storyhour about fires, firefighting or firetrucks.

This book promotes letter knowledge, specialized vocabulary of firefighting equipment and procedures, and narrative skills in understanding the sequence of events of a fire call.

Firefighters A-Z was chosen as a New York Times Best Book in 2002.

Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth

Illustrated by Stephen Gammell. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1991.
Hardcover edition, 32 pages, ISBN 0-8050-1401-2.

Aylesworth creates a rhythmic alphabet chant based on the brief adventures of an annoying pest on its germ-spreading journey through a busy household. Punctuated by admonitions of "Shoo fly! Shoo fly! Shooo", the noxious insect buzzes his way from the Apple pie to his final Zzzzz before ending his "bad day" with a resounding "Swat!". Gammell's colorful paint splattering style perfectly expresses the fly's toxic trail around the beleaguered home.

The initial rhyme can be sung to "Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight", and has great audience participation potential with the "Shoo fly!" refrain. I love to slam the book shut when the fly gets splatted, adding a bit of drama, before sadly quoting the end rhyme "Old black fly's done buzzin' around, and he won't be bad no more."
Letter knowledge is enhanced through the sight and sounds of the alphabet, as well as phonological awareness in rhyming, chanting, and onomatopoeia. Ages 2 and up.