book data
740 ratings,
4.42
average rating, 99 reviews
(more data...)
edit
published
September 15th 1987
(first published 1986)
by Harry N. Abrams
binding
Hardcover, 32 pages
isbn
0810918684
(isbn13: 9780810918689)
description
What's this elaborate illustration? "Horrible Hairy Hogs Hurrying Homewards on Heavily Harnessed Horses," of course. Graeme Base's astonishi...more
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Next Best Boo...: The Last Letter Game | 1133 | 905 | 1 hour, 58 min ago | |
| Children's Litera...: The Luc and Nate ABC Award | 12 | 21 | 11/02/2008 06:47AM |
friend reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 830)
All ratings
|
5 stars (414)
|
4 stars (231)
|
3 stars (87)
|
2 stars (6)
|
1 star (1)
|
avg 4.42
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in December, 2008
A splendid ABC book! What I love is that the phrases for each letter are very involved, lots of great words here, no "dumbing-down" for kiddies. Also, while I at first thought there was just a random collection of "misc. images" in the pictures (the animals are the main focus) I soon realized that Base was adding lots of OTHER images with the given letter. For example: Unicorns for "U" is the main focus, but then if you look carefully you can also see umbrellas ...more
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
Read in January, 1987
recommends it for:
everyone!
An absolutely gorgeous alphabet book, with my favorite ever L page "Lazy Lions Lounging in the Local Library". See how many items you can find that start with the featured letter. C'mon, it's fun!
Like this review?
yes
(3 people liked it)
3 comments
One of my favourite books from years ago, I finally picked up a copy for myself the other day. This beautifully - and cleverly - illustrated children's book is just as much fun when you're an adult. Each page or double-page spread conjures a letter of the alphabet with rhyming alliteration and illustrations full of things starting with that letter. We used to have races to find and list as many words as we could from the pictures, and we had a jigsaw puzzle of the Crimson Cats page. Endless fun ...more
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
bookshelves:
1980s,
2009,
art,
author-australia,
award-aus-cbca-picture-book-honour,
award-aus-yabba-winner,
childrens,
childrens-alphabet,
childrens-picture-book,
fiction,
library_book,
puzzle-book
Read in April, 2009
Easily the best alphabet book ever!
The alliterative text is genius, even the difficult letters are treated with respect, e.g. "Quivering Quails Queuing Quietly for Quills".
Who found Aaron A Aardvark of 8A Acacia Avenue, Adelaide, Australia's Axe hidden in the background behind the 'Armoured Armadillo's and 'Angry Alligator'... This is what is so much fun about this book, the text itself is a quick read, but finding all the objects starting with the requesite l...more
The alliterative text is genius, even the difficult letters are treated with respect, e.g. "Quivering Quails Queuing Quietly for Quills".
Who found Aaron A Aardvark of 8A Acacia Avenue, Adelaide, Australia's Axe hidden in the background behind the 'Armoured Armadillo's and 'Angry Alligator'... This is what is so much fun about this book, the text itself is a quick read, but finding all the objects starting with the requesite l...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
Animalia is a fantastically detailed ABC book, perfect for kids who like puzzles & games. Each spread has rich illustrations along a theme, such as Eight Enormous Elephants Expertly Eating Easter Eggs. But throughout the spread are dozens of items beginning with that letter. A funny and intriguing book. Animalia is the inspriration for a new PBS Kids TV series. For more information, see the PBS Animalia site. My kids love the imagination in this new series, aimed at kids ages 6 - 8.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I think this is probably the best alphabet book ever and if you can only own one, this is the one to own. It is great for younger children because it shows the alphabet with multiple words that start with each letter. It is good for older kids because the pictures are so involved and interesting. There are things that start with each letter hidden on each corresponding page. This book creates so many teachable moments for children across a wide age range.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2007
recommended to Katie by:
Read for Children's Literature portfolio
Author opens with a short poem challenging readers to find everything that starts with each letter in the pictures, as well as a hint that a drawing of himself might be hidden somewhere in the book. Each letter’s page includes a short phrase using almost all words beginning with that letter (eg “An Armoured Armadillo Avoiding An Angry Alligator”). Beautiful illustrations, though some may be too complex for younger readers.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
anybody
This is so much more than an alliterative animal alphabet book! Graeme Base packs so much stuff into every illustration, the "A" page isn't merely about an "armored armadillo" avoiding an "angry alligator." Look closely and you'll find dozens of other A-words depicted -- an apple, an alarm clock, an archer, acrobats, and more. Each page is a puzzle in this manner -- the "B" page features "blue butterflies," but if you look at the butterflies' wi...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone who ever thought alphabet books were boring, most 4-8 year old children
This is an amazing book. The illustrations are truly stunning. On the inside back cover it’s mentioned that it took the author over 3 years to create the illustrations for this book and I was not at all surprised. It can take a very long time to read this 32 page book, not because the text takes that long to read, but the illustrations are so profuse that it can take ages to find everything on each page. This can be read by children to themselves but it’s much more fun to read it with one an...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I loved Graeme Base books when I was a kid and I've enjoyed introducing them to my son. This was the first of his that I ever read, about 20 years ago, and there is likely still a copy of it floating around in my mom's house somewhere. I enthusiastically recommend all of his books to parents and people with an appreciation for beautifully illustrated books.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in September, 2008
Mommy says: Holy cow, this book iS gorgeous and amazing. Base has outdone himself with lush, intricate illustrations for each letter of the alphabet (each accompanied by a wacky, alliterative line of prose). Each illustration contains dozens of tiny, clever, often hidden items that also start with that letter of the alphabet. And Base is not afriad to "go there." For example, on the "S" page, you do in fact see Satan. Yes, you do. He also makes all kinds of architectural, lit...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
So the actual reading material in this book is minimal; so what? It expands childrens' vocabularly as they search the pages for things begining with that particular letter of the alphabet. Keeps kids entertained (and quiet!) for hours.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
This is a really amazing illustrated alphabet book. There is an intricately detailed and illustrated scene for each letter. There are hidden images through out.
I really only have one reason for not giving this book 5 stars - there are some violent images scattered through out and if not for those this book could really be universally appealing. The images don't realy bother me and I feel that I could talk to my child about them, but I know this will be a detractor for some.
...more
I really only have one reason for not giving this book 5 stars - there are some violent images scattered through out and if not for those this book could really be universally appealing. The images don't realy bother me and I feel that I could talk to my child about them, but I know this will be a detractor for some.
...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
There is no end to the discoveries one can find hidden inside the artwork. Not only is this a great read for younger ones who are just learning letter sounds, it is a fun book to share together and play "i spy" with.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 1990
I think I can speak for myself and my children when I say we loved this book. Make sure you have at least an hour to spare for reading this one. It always turned into more of a family game than story time.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Alliterative Verse always ....
Tongue twisters totally ...
Well, I always like reading them, even if i can't write them myself. This book is ace and the pictures are so awesome.
Tongue twisters totally ...
Well, I always like reading them, even if i can't write them myself. This book is ace and the pictures are so awesome.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Concept book (ABCs) -- Very sophistocated book. Very detailed pictures with minute details that pertain to the letter being talked about. Language uses alliteration. published in 1987.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2009
Beautiful illustrations. An alphabet book that needs to be checked out of the library again so my son can really appreciate the alliterations, art, and hidden symbols in this book.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
The illustrations are amazing! Each page/layout is a pictorial display (with a few coordinating adjectives and nouns) of the letters of the alphabet. Beautiful!
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2009
I can't believe I forgot about this book, one of my favorites ever. It's beautiful and a joy to read to my boys. My four year old grabbed it at the library yesterday.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
