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310th out of 314 books
—
23 voters
Alphabet City
The urban landscape will never look the same again. As Stephen T. Johnson demonstrates in a series of strikingly realistic pastels and watercolors, a simple sawhorse can contain the letter "A" — while lampposts alongside a highway can form a row of elegant, soaring Ys. A 1996 Caldecott Honor book, this sophisticated, wordless alphabet book is sure to appeal to young and ol...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
October 1st 1995
by Viking Juvenile
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This is a unique and artistic alphabet book, especially good for children from preschool through early elementary, who will have fun picking out the shapes of familiar letters in everyday objects—some of which are less obvious than others. From the side of a sawhorse that resembles the letter A to the fire-escape that looks like a Z, each page shows the photorealistic painting of the letter in its urban setting with no text to distract the reader. Well deserving of its Caldecott Honor, this book...more
“Alphabet City” by Stephen T. Johnson is a great book. Being from New York City, I was immediately attracted to the illustration on the book cover that depicted a typical object seen in the city. Unlike a traditional ABC book, this book does not contain any words that are associated with each letter of the alphabet. Rather, the author relates every letter to an object that you find every day in a big city. For example, the letter E is found in a yellow traffic light, the letter R is found in a c...more
Genre: Alphabet Picture Book
Summary: This is a book full of beautiful and realistic urban scenes where the shape of everyday objects look like the letters in the alphabet. The first letter, A is seen in a sawhorse at a construction site along the road and in continues along in this way finding letters in common sights like stair railings, park benches, flower beds and building architecture to name a few.
Critique:
A. Letter recognition
B. This is an excellent way to get children to see beyond th...more
Summary: This is a book full of beautiful and realistic urban scenes where the shape of everyday objects look like the letters in the alphabet. The first letter, A is seen in a sawhorse at a construction site along the road and in continues along in this way finding letters in common sights like stair railings, park benches, flower beds and building architecture to name a few.
Critique:
A. Letter recognition
B. This is an excellent way to get children to see beyond th...more
Alphabet City
Grade/interest level: Early childhood/preschool (preK to 3rd)
Reading level: fountas and pinnell: C Grade: 1.0
Genre: multicultural
Main Characters: narrator
Setting: America
POV: from narrator/author
This is a picture book on the alphabet. I enjoyed it there are a lot of cool illustrations and pictures. There is a bunch of pictures and illustrations with hidden letters and it shows how the shape of a letter can be inside of something we’ve never seen. It also concentrates on urban landsc...more
Grade/interest level: Early childhood/preschool (preK to 3rd)
Reading level: fountas and pinnell: C Grade: 1.0
Genre: multicultural
Main Characters: narrator
Setting: America
POV: from narrator/author
This is a picture book on the alphabet. I enjoyed it there are a lot of cool illustrations and pictures. There is a bunch of pictures and illustrations with hidden letters and it shows how the shape of a letter can be inside of something we’ve never seen. It also concentrates on urban landsc...more
Genre: Alphabet (picture book)
Summary: Alphabet City features life-like illustrations of real life images that resemble each letter of the alphabet. Stephen T. Johnson did a great job with each illustration earning this book recognition as a Caldecott Honor book.
a) I loved the imaginative and attentive eye that Johnson demonstrates through his interpretation of each letter. Some of the images are easily recognizable as a “letter” while others the reader may need to gaze a little longer to find....more
Summary: Alphabet City features life-like illustrations of real life images that resemble each letter of the alphabet. Stephen T. Johnson did a great job with each illustration earning this book recognition as a Caldecott Honor book.
a) I loved the imaginative and attentive eye that Johnson demonstrates through his interpretation of each letter. Some of the images are easily recognizable as a “letter” while others the reader may need to gaze a little longer to find....more
Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson
1. Genre: Picture Book
2. Summary: This book is about finding images of letters in unlikely places that are seen every day in the city.
3. Critique:
a. Area for comment: The realistic and detailed paintings show scenes throughout New York City that depict every letter in the alphabet.
b. Comment: Each scene or letter, is given a whole page which is framed. This gives the reader a unique and intentional view of the letter.
c. Example: Every page has a framed l...more
1. Genre: Picture Book
2. Summary: This book is about finding images of letters in unlikely places that are seen every day in the city.
3. Critique:
a. Area for comment: The realistic and detailed paintings show scenes throughout New York City that depict every letter in the alphabet.
b. Comment: Each scene or letter, is given a whole page which is framed. This gives the reader a unique and intentional view of the letter.
c. Example: Every page has a framed l...more
Genre: Picture Book: Alphabet
Summary: Alphabet City is a wordless book depicting each capital letter of the alphabet on one page. The letters are found in everyday, common items found in the city as you walk and pay attention in new ways.
Critique: (a.) Johnson has created such brilliantly realistic paintings of common city objects that they appear as photographs. The paintings encourage us to pay attention to our surroundings in a new way and notice our ABC’s where we never saw them before.
(b.)...more
Summary: Alphabet City is a wordless book depicting each capital letter of the alphabet on one page. The letters are found in everyday, common items found in the city as you walk and pay attention in new ways.
Critique: (a.) Johnson has created such brilliantly realistic paintings of common city objects that they appear as photographs. The paintings encourage us to pay attention to our surroundings in a new way and notice our ABC’s where we never saw them before.
(b.)...more
1. Children's book- Alphabet book
2. This book is wordless, and shows pictures of every letter of the alphabet in everyday objects found in New York City, from staircases to stoplights!
3. Critique
a. I believe that the strongest element in this book is the pictures, since this is what is providing the alphabet in a non-standard way.
b. Johnson uses everyday objects found in the city of New York to go through the entire alphabet, while provoking the student to search for the letter in each picture...more
2. This book is wordless, and shows pictures of every letter of the alphabet in everyday objects found in New York City, from staircases to stoplights!
3. Critique
a. I believe that the strongest element in this book is the pictures, since this is what is providing the alphabet in a non-standard way.
b. Johnson uses everyday objects found in the city of New York to go through the entire alphabet, while provoking the student to search for the letter in each picture...more
Johnson, Stephen T. Alphabet City. Penguin Group: Orlando, 1995. Print.
Alphabet city is a concept book about teaching children their ABCs. At the same time, it's also a puzzle book that has the potential to be loved by children of all ages. The illustrator teaches the ABCs by painting real life objects that can be found in a city. Each object resembles a letter of the alphabet. For example, he paints a zig zag fire escape to represent the letter B, and the swooping curve of a rose window in a ca...more
Alphabet city is a concept book about teaching children their ABCs. At the same time, it's also a puzzle book that has the potential to be loved by children of all ages. The illustrator teaches the ABCs by painting real life objects that can be found in a city. Each object resembles a letter of the alphabet. For example, he paints a zig zag fire escape to represent the letter B, and the swooping curve of a rose window in a ca...more
As readers open Alphabet City, they embark upon a walk through New York City, discovering the ways that everyday things can mold themselves into letters before their very eyes. Though the illustrations' lines, shapes, and colors were pre-determined by the real-life images which inspired them, narrowing Johnson's artistic choices, he does infuse a sense of variety into the illustrations by including scenes from all four seasons. In fact, his realistic interpretations of New York City sites, at ti...more
Alphabet city is a picture book that shows letters of the alphabet in normal, ordinary locations of a city. This book has no words, so the readers is only focused on illustrations. The author chose a very interesting technique to displaying the alphabet that asks the reader by visualize letters in everyday objects, with some letters being "hidden" at first glance. The artwork is very creative, and visual appealing. This would be a good book to use in a pre-K to Kindergarten classroom when first...more
I totally see why this book received a Caldecott Honor because its incredible the amount of imagination and skill the author has. When I first picked up this book I thought the illustrations were photographs, but once I got a closer look I realized that the author painted each one. His details are so perfect and exact that the image looks real. Not only are the paintings fabulous, but they are what makes the book. There are no words just hidden letters within the pictures. I love how the author...more
Genre: Alphabet; Picture Book
Summary: A wordless picture book depicting the letters in the alphabet.
A. The pictures showcase the alphabet as it can be seen in every day life.
B. There are no words in this book, which can sometimes make for a rather boring story, but that is not the case with this title. The author takes ordinary objects and scenes from everyday life and turns them into a letter from the alphabet.
C. For example, withthe right angle side of a traffic light can make the letter E.
Cur...more
Summary: A wordless picture book depicting the letters in the alphabet.
A. The pictures showcase the alphabet as it can be seen in every day life.
B. There are no words in this book, which can sometimes make for a rather boring story, but that is not the case with this title. The author takes ordinary objects and scenes from everyday life and turns them into a letter from the alphabet.
C. For example, withthe right angle side of a traffic light can make the letter E.
Cur...more
I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I think that the photographs are very creative and most of them would be very effective in demonstrating the letters of the alphabet to a preschooler. I like that the alphabet is the only concept in the book so the reader is able to really focus on that concept alone. I also like the fact that the letters are found in different structures in a city so not only is the reader exposed to the letters of the alphabet, but also the different aspects of the city...more
Alphabet City is very easy to follow picture book written and illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson. Each page showcases a letter from the alphabet being formed from your everyday objects one might see in a big city environment. Some stand out while others are more difficult to discover. I thought the illustrations were awesome. Johnson’s wonderful job in illustrating textures and shadows fooled me into thinking the pages were actual photographs.I would recommend this book for pre-k-2nd grade. It is...more
Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson is a wordless book of very realistic paintings showing images of each letter of the alphabet in an urban setting.
Johnson's illustrations are amazing. At first I thought most of these were photographs: they look that realistic. My favorite images are A, E, G, J, M, P, Q, S, T, and Y.
I love the way letters of the alphabet are portrayed existing all around an urban environment. The artistry of the paintings is impressive. This creative effort uses some different...more
Johnson's illustrations are amazing. At first I thought most of these were photographs: they look that realistic. My favorite images are A, E, G, J, M, P, Q, S, T, and Y.
I love the way letters of the alphabet are portrayed existing all around an urban environment. The artistry of the paintings is impressive. This creative effort uses some different...more
Genre: Alphabet Picture Book
Summary:
This book is a wonderful wordless presentation of the alphabet. It uses manipulation of items in our urban environments to create the alphabet in a realistic way.
Critique:
(a) The book is accurate in its depictions of things in our realistic environment as well as it’s representation of the alphabet. It creates the ability to see things in our environment in a new way.
(b) The best part of this book is without a doubt the ability of the illustrator to present t...more
Summary:
This book is a wonderful wordless presentation of the alphabet. It uses manipulation of items in our urban environments to create the alphabet in a realistic way.
Critique:
(a) The book is accurate in its depictions of things in our realistic environment as well as it’s representation of the alphabet. It creates the ability to see things in our environment in a new way.
(b) The best part of this book is without a doubt the ability of the illustrator to present t...more
I thought that this book was very clever and artistic. The beautiful illustions feature pictures of the city. It is very creatively done. This being said, UI do not think that it will hold a child's attention. I feel like unless they are being told which letter is which children will not know. I think wordless books can be very effective and very unefective depending on how it is done. This is one of those books that becomes uneffective becuase the child will not be engaged with the illustration...more
This is a wonderful book that teaches children (and adults) to develop an inquisitive eye for their surroundings. Each amazing hand-drawn page (yes! they're not photographs!) depicts a different letter, but these aren't just normal mundane illustrations of our beloved alphabet. The letters are derived from Mr. Johnson's local environment - the letters are found in an outside urban setting and captured in their natural positions. The purpose of this is to find, "joy in the most somber aspects of...more
Jul 29, 2010
Shanna Gonzalez
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-04-08
Artistic alphabet books have become very common, but this original work is quite out of the ordinary. Stephen Johnson has captured alphabet shapes in ordinary places around a bustling city: an I in an old neon sign, an N in the iron supports of a bridge, an O in the circled armrests of a park bench. These are reproduced in paintings that are so realistic that at first glance they might be taken for photographs.
This book will provide enjoyment both for pre-readers practicing their alphabet, and o...more
This book will provide enjoyment both for pre-readers practicing their alphabet, and o...more
I don't know why I keep checking out alphabet books for the kids. I guess I'm hoping to reinforce the alphabet for my nephew, but it is rare that the kids really get excited over these kind of books. This one was no exception. My nephew was supremely bored by this book, so he barely even looked at it. As for my niece, the kids in her class have been learning about book awards when they have library day, so lately she's been on the look-out for Caldecott winners or Caldecott Honor books. After we...more
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This is going to be brief as I try to catch up but I love this book. I could see having this sitting on a coffee table in a house or office even without children because it is so visually appealing and I have seen home decor done with doing letters in this way as well. Using photographs Johnson turns city architecture into the alphabet. Some of them are a little harder to see but for a young one finding the letter is half the fun. For a while after reading this you will try to see the alphabet i...more
Where's Waldo was big in my house growing up so I appreciate the concept of the picture search. The pictures are creative and elaborate and would be a decent enough challenge for little kids to find. It's perfect for kids who are just learning to identify letters, it helps reinforce the alphabet as well as challenge their creative vision. This is one that they could pick up and flip through on their own once they got the hang of it, so really its a good tool they can learn to use on their own an...more
While I thought it was a clever concept, using everyday architectural objects to create an alphabet book, I'm not sure most kids would actually be able to pick out the letters unless they were pointed out. Although, it would be a great book to use as part of an art project for older kids. The illustrations, done in pastels, watercolors, gouache and charcoal on hot pressed watercolor paper is so realistic, it's sometimes hard to remember that they are illustrations and not photographs. It won a 1...more
This book was one of the coolest picture books that I have seen. The pictures were so well drawn. Some of them seemed as if they were photographs. When I was looking through it the first time, I thought to myself, "This better have gotten an award for its illustrations." And I was pleased to find out that it had received the Caldecott Honor which it deserves. I would recommend having this book at home or in the classroom for a while because even if your child is already reading, the pictures rea...more
We all have the task of learning our ABC's, and preferably at a very early age. Alphabet City is a neat way to introduce alphabet letters and demonstrate that letters can be found in places other than on paper and books. You can ask a child to look for their letters when you’re at the grocery store. Often children are able to say the letters before they are able to recognize them. This book makes identifying the letters of the alphabet fun whether you are just learning them or whether you compl...more
This is a valuable addition to a larger collection of ABC texts. It requires a trained eye to really "see" the alphabet letters in each page, so the pages can look like random city images to an unprepared eye. Similarly, the images will feel more at home for children that live in urban spaces (particularly New York, Chicago, etc.), but will offer new visions of daily life to dwellers of rural and suburban landscapes. I really enjoy that the images range from religious to dilapidated and from nat...more
I enjoyed how the concept of the alphabet was illustrated in this book. This book is appropriate; however, I would imagine it may be challenging to preschoolers because they must be very visual in order to point out the letter in each picture. I know for myself, the "B" took me a minute to find. After reading this book with children, I could show objects in the classroom which may contain letters. If the children are following, they may be able to identify letters in the classroom themselves.
Even though there was not much reading involved with this selection, I feel that this is a perfect way for children to learn their alphabet. This book teaches kids that there are alphabetic symbols in their everyday lives and if you were to let a child look at these while saying the letters aloud, I think this would enhance their learning the alphabet. I think that is very appropriate for a child to look at and the more they look at it, the better they will remember their alphabet.
Audience: Great for preschool aged children. Boys and girls would love this book and even children who gave a hard time with remembering things would get great use out of this book.
Appeal: Simple. Very simple. You get a great look at the alphabet with useful ways to remember each letter.
Application: This book would be great to use during story time, but most helpful when the teacher is trying to teach the children letters.
Award: Caldecott Honor Book
Appeal: Simple. Very simple. You get a great look at the alphabet with useful ways to remember each letter.
Application: This book would be great to use during story time, but most helpful when the teacher is trying to teach the children letters.
Award: Caldecott Honor Book
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Apr 26, 2008 08:32pm