What do you think?
Rate this book
The Letters Are Lost: A Picture Book about the Alphabet
Once upon a time, all the letters of the alphabet were together. But now they're lost! One showed up in the Bath. There was one under a Hat, another one on a Quilt, and even one in the Sandbox. Where are the rest? Readers will delight in finding out in this vibrant, charming introduction to the alphabet.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1996
About the author
Lisa Campbell Ernst
82 books22 followersLisa Campbell Ernst was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1957. She received a Bachelor's degree in art from the University of Oklahoma, and then won an internship as a guest editor for Mademoiselle Magazine in New York City. She has written and illustrated over twenty picture books including Stella Louella's Runaway Book, which won the Children's Choice Award in Kansas, and Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 1, 2024
The K and L pages got stuck together, so those letters were really lost.
September 1, 2023
Preschooler friendly, this picture book by Lisa Campbell Ernst stars... The alphabet.
Yep, in this tale, all the letter of the alphabet become characters.
I like the author's illustrations much more in this third book of hers that I've just been reading. Very preschooler friendly and cute!
All the words and ideas may be easy for preschoolers to understand. Yet lively! I'm especially partial to the page about the letter T:
T helped to squish out the toothpaste.
For the corresponding illustration, readers are treated to the sight of some exceptionally squiggly toothpaste.
FIVE STARS for this clever book!
Yep, in this tale, all the letter of the alphabet become characters.
I like the author's illustrations much more in this third book of hers that I've just been reading. Very preschooler friendly and cute!
All the words and ideas may be easy for preschoolers to understand. Yet lively! I'm especially partial to the page about the letter T:
T helped to squish out the toothpaste.
For the corresponding illustration, readers are treated to the sight of some exceptionally squiggly toothpaste.
FIVE STARS for this clever book!
September 25, 2018
The Letters Are Lost is a very simple straight-forward book but doesn't have much of a plot. Though not every ABC book has to have a plot, the story would be more entertaining if it did. I liked the way the author made sure each letter was with a word that had that letter as the first letter. The illustrations were detailed and the bordered images makes it seem as if you were looking into the story. Overall, the story wasn't the most creative way to make ABC's relevant to children but it does get the job done.
August 9, 2024
Picking out some re-sale books at a used booksale for some little kiddos (who are not my own)
I came across Letters Are Lost! It's clear simple book with each block letter focusing on a word. For example "F took a swim with the Fish" and "G stopped to look through some glasses".
The pictures are large and clear, nice simple drawings for very young children. A great book for your birth-3 year olds to read prior to going to sleep. One of those books that is simple clear and will easily reinforce something they need for their later years.
I came across Letters Are Lost! It's clear simple book with each block letter focusing on a word. For example "F took a swim with the Fish" and "G stopped to look through some glasses".
The pictures are large and clear, nice simple drawings for very young children. A great book for your birth-3 year olds to read prior to going to sleep. One of those books that is simple clear and will easily reinforce something they need for their later years.
January 4, 2017
The block letters are all in place but then they all seem to disappear. The reader goes on a journey through the alphabet to find out what happened to them!
July 12, 2017
like some of her other writings, but i didn't understand why this was written
January 26, 2019
Good Alphabet book
October 22, 2019
3.5 stars
November 18, 2020
Book told a story through a scenario. Soft story tone, not a typical alphabetical book. Colorful pictures, not too overwhelming though. Included questions at the end for new predictions.
February 17, 2022
Our students really enjoyed this ABC book.
June 10, 2023
This entire summer…looking for great alphabet books to begin my next school year with…and this book is GREAT!!!…and I am going to hide alphabet blocks in my classroom for my kiddos to find!!!
June 7, 2016
Title: The Letters are Lost
Author: Lisa Campbell Ernst
Genre: ABC
Theme(s): Alphabet, Lost & Found
Opening line/sentence:
Long ago
the letters were all
together, neat and tidy.
But time passed. First one
block disappeared, then the
next, and the next, until now –
Their box is empty.
The letters are lost!
Come, let’s find them, one by one.
Brief Book Summary:
Long ago the letters were placed neatly in their box. But now, with the letters missing, the reader must help to find them. Young children go on an alphabet adventure through this engaging picture book.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Ilene Cooper (Booklist, January 1 & 15, 1996 (Vol. 92, No. 9 & 10))
Ernst, the author of such ebullient favorites as Zinnia and Dot (1992), here offers an alphabet book that is just right for its target audience. The premise is that the wooden blocks, with one letter to a block, were once together in their box. But now they've all gone astray. Where are they? Well, the A is in an airplane, the B has tumbled into the bath, and the L has landed in a pile of leaves. Each block is prominently featured in the framed paintings that show simple shapes and situations, which are, for the most part, easily identifiable to young ones. Although there is nothing especially groundbreaking about her book, Ernst gets high marks for having everything just right: the colors, the size, the appeal. At the book's conclusion, the blocks are back together but "not for long. Soon they will disappear again. Can you guess where they might go?" An open invitation to have children make up their own scenarios while learning their letters. Fun!
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kathleen Karr (Children’s Literature)
Old-fashioned, wooden letter blocks form the inspiration for this cheerful alphabet book. The images are bright and bold, yet comforting rather than brash. These accessible illustrations are coupled with an intelligent typestyle that is actually large enough for little ones to pick out letters. Surprise creatures whose names also begin with the same letter are tucked unobtrusively into most pages of the alphabet. This is a very pleasant book, with a sense of humor behind the simple story line.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
These two professional reviews agree that Ernst did a tremendous job at aiming towards its target audience. The missing letter concept brings an opportunity for children to come up with their own ideas. The professionals agree that every missing letter is easy to identify and corresponds to where the letters have ended up, keeping young children engaged page after page.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
Ernst takes advantage of knowing the target audience of this book. The text is large enough to children to read, and each letter of the alphabet has it’s own block and page. The illustrations are basic, yet detailed enough that allows adults to add to the content of the text.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
Children are able to connect the missing letters with the beginning letter of where it went. This could be incorporated into a lesson with children being assigned different letters, drawing a picture of where their specific letter went. Children could also use predictive skills to guess where the letters might go next. This could be used in a classroom setting, where the class brings together their ideas to create their own missing letter book!
Author: Lisa Campbell Ernst
Genre: ABC
Theme(s): Alphabet, Lost & Found
Opening line/sentence:
Long ago
the letters were all
together, neat and tidy.
But time passed. First one
block disappeared, then the
next, and the next, until now –
Their box is empty.
The letters are lost!
Come, let’s find them, one by one.
Brief Book Summary:
Long ago the letters were placed neatly in their box. But now, with the letters missing, the reader must help to find them. Young children go on an alphabet adventure through this engaging picture book.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Ilene Cooper (Booklist, January 1 & 15, 1996 (Vol. 92, No. 9 & 10))
Ernst, the author of such ebullient favorites as Zinnia and Dot (1992), here offers an alphabet book that is just right for its target audience. The premise is that the wooden blocks, with one letter to a block, were once together in their box. But now they've all gone astray. Where are they? Well, the A is in an airplane, the B has tumbled into the bath, and the L has landed in a pile of leaves. Each block is prominently featured in the framed paintings that show simple shapes and situations, which are, for the most part, easily identifiable to young ones. Although there is nothing especially groundbreaking about her book, Ernst gets high marks for having everything just right: the colors, the size, the appeal. At the book's conclusion, the blocks are back together but "not for long. Soon they will disappear again. Can you guess where they might go?" An open invitation to have children make up their own scenarios while learning their letters. Fun!
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kathleen Karr (Children’s Literature)
Old-fashioned, wooden letter blocks form the inspiration for this cheerful alphabet book. The images are bright and bold, yet comforting rather than brash. These accessible illustrations are coupled with an intelligent typestyle that is actually large enough for little ones to pick out letters. Surprise creatures whose names also begin with the same letter are tucked unobtrusively into most pages of the alphabet. This is a very pleasant book, with a sense of humor behind the simple story line.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
These two professional reviews agree that Ernst did a tremendous job at aiming towards its target audience. The missing letter concept brings an opportunity for children to come up with their own ideas. The professionals agree that every missing letter is easy to identify and corresponds to where the letters have ended up, keeping young children engaged page after page.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
Ernst takes advantage of knowing the target audience of this book. The text is large enough to children to read, and each letter of the alphabet has it’s own block and page. The illustrations are basic, yet detailed enough that allows adults to add to the content of the text.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
Children are able to connect the missing letters with the beginning letter of where it went. This could be incorporated into a lesson with children being assigned different letters, drawing a picture of where their specific letter went. Children could also use predictive skills to guess where the letters might go next. This could be used in a classroom setting, where the class brings together their ideas to create their own missing letter book!
June 3, 2021
I had a lot of hope for this book and felt like this book fell flat. It didn't really have any kind of story-line or a flow. I felt like it could have but just didn't quite get up to where it needed to be. The illustrations in this book are simple but colorful which is great for kids. I don't recommend checking this book out.
April 30, 2019
1. Awards the book has received (if any): No awards received.
2. Appropriate grade level(s): Pre-K-1st Grade
3. Original summary: "The Letters Are Lost: A Picture Book about the Alphabet" by Lisa Campbell Ernst is a great way to introduce or reinforce alphabet knowledge for young readers. Children will be involved in this text from the first page due to the adventerous storyline Ernst creates with all the different letters. Wherever the letters pop up, the objects on the page with them start with the same letter as what is missing!
4. Original review: This book could be used with Preschoolers who are just beginning to learn alphabet knowledge, or up to first graders who can identify the letter and also the similar words on the in the text, which is why it is such a useful read for students. The images are clear, vibrant, and exciting; the story line keeps the reader guessing and the words are simple. This story can easily be lead into an acitivity by a teacher and will inspire students to learn more about different letters of the alphabet.
5. 1-2 possible in-class uses: A class book with each child assigned their own letter that is lost, either random or the beginning of their first name; discuss where each student thinks the first letter of their name would disappear and require them to name somewhere starting with the same letter.
2. Appropriate grade level(s): Pre-K-1st Grade
3. Original summary: "The Letters Are Lost: A Picture Book about the Alphabet" by Lisa Campbell Ernst is a great way to introduce or reinforce alphabet knowledge for young readers. Children will be involved in this text from the first page due to the adventerous storyline Ernst creates with all the different letters. Wherever the letters pop up, the objects on the page with them start with the same letter as what is missing!
4. Original review: This book could be used with Preschoolers who are just beginning to learn alphabet knowledge, or up to first graders who can identify the letter and also the similar words on the in the text, which is why it is such a useful read for students. The images are clear, vibrant, and exciting; the story line keeps the reader guessing and the words are simple. This story can easily be lead into an acitivity by a teacher and will inspire students to learn more about different letters of the alphabet.
5. 1-2 possible in-class uses: A class book with each child assigned their own letter that is lost, either random or the beginning of their first name; discuss where each student thinks the first letter of their name would disappear and require them to name somewhere starting with the same letter.
February 21, 2012
I loved this book for primary age children! Even though it is "just a book abot ABC's" I really liked how Lisa Campbell Ernst made it int an adventure for this kids. The letter blocks are stacked neatly in their correct place, but one by one, they begin to disappear. So, the reader is supposed to help the charactersfind the letters by continuing to read the story. The location of the letters are linked to what letter they are. For example, the letter A was found flying an airplane,letter B was found in the bath, and so on. The thing I loed most about this book was that you could easily come up with activities to go along with this book. The first activity that came to mind, to get the kids' mind flowing, was to let them think about where else the letters could have hid. There are so many more activities you could do with the kids, but the book itself is good enough for just the kids to read and understand the story and the alphabet!
September 1, 2014
Genre: ABC Books
This fun alphabet book features a box of block letters that are lost in peculiar places. As each alphabet block is discovered, readers find many other items on the page that begin with the same letter. it is a book of great discoveries.
Themes: Alphabet
Ways to use the book: Read the book to students and enjoy the illustrations and finding all of the additional items that begin with each letter. At the end, the letters are together again, but the text prompts the reader that they are going to be lost AGAIN. Hand each student a paper square with a letter in it. That student will be responsible to create a page showing where that letter was lost. For example; A was lost in the apple tree. The student can draw the apple tree and glue the square with an A on it into the apple tree. The teacher can support the students by writing the sentence to accompany their new story. Compile all pages into a class book to put into the class library.
This fun alphabet book features a box of block letters that are lost in peculiar places. As each alphabet block is discovered, readers find many other items on the page that begin with the same letter. it is a book of great discoveries.
Themes: Alphabet
Ways to use the book: Read the book to students and enjoy the illustrations and finding all of the additional items that begin with each letter. At the end, the letters are together again, but the text prompts the reader that they are going to be lost AGAIN. Hand each student a paper square with a letter in it. That student will be responsible to create a page showing where that letter was lost. For example; A was lost in the apple tree. The student can draw the apple tree and glue the square with an A on it into the apple tree. The teacher can support the students by writing the sentence to accompany their new story. Compile all pages into a class book to put into the class library.
March 3, 2009
Genre - picture book
reading level - 1st and 2nd grade
topic and themes - the letters are all together and then they get lost
Curricula use -guided reading
social - can be used to show children that it's good to pick up their toys so you can find them when you want them
literary elements - personification
text and pictures - text and pictures are directly connected by every picture having the letter of the alphabet in the picture
summary - This book starts off with the letters all being together and then they all disappear. The book goes through the whole alphabet telling you where each letter has gone. The book ends with the letters all together again and then the book asks if you know where the letters will go. There is an interesting element to end the book with a question for the readers to think about.
reading level - 1st and 2nd grade
topic and themes - the letters are all together and then they get lost
Curricula use -guided reading
social - can be used to show children that it's good to pick up their toys so you can find them when you want them
literary elements - personification
text and pictures - text and pictures are directly connected by every picture having the letter of the alphabet in the picture
summary - This book starts off with the letters all being together and then they all disappear. The book goes through the whole alphabet telling you where each letter has gone. The book ends with the letters all together again and then the book asks if you know where the letters will go. There is an interesting element to end the book with a question for the readers to think about.
February 17, 2011
The Letters Are Lost by Lisa Campbell Ernst is an ABC book that my son and I enjoy reading together. Before the story begins, there is a picture of all the letters together, and my son would enjoy pointing out the letters that he knew. After reading this book, he would always want to play with his wooden blocks. The colors in the book are vivid and the words in the book were in large print. This is perfect for an emergent reader. Each letter has a page devoted to them along with an illustration to correlate the letter on the page. The only pages that I didn't feel were great were the A page and the X/Y page. I feel as though X & Y shouldn't have had to share a page. After a child learns the letters, this book becomes easy to "read" for the child.
September 14, 2016
This engaging alphabet book features old fashioned block letters that get lost in strange places. As each alphabet block is discovered, readers will also find items on the page beginning with the same letter. For example, when the reader finds the R alphabet block, he/she will also find a roller skate. This book would be great for young readers (kindergarten-2nd grade), as the words are large and easy to sound out. This book would be a good tool for a read aloud discussion, because the students could be asked to identify the other items on the page that begin with the alphabet found on that page.
March 1, 2011
A perfectly nice set of letter blocks slowly disappear. Lisa Campbell Ernst takes us on a journey to find the blocks. The search begins and the blocks are all appropriately placed, A is an airplane, B is the bath, until they are all together again. This is a great book to spark ones imagination, it asks, "Soon they will disappear again. Can you guess where they might go?" Great examples to teach the alphabet. The illustrations are directly related to the story, on each page the illustration has the letter being discussed in the picture.
Read
February 20, 2012I think this is a great ABC book. It contains great pictures and for an ABC book, there's actually a little story/plot. At the end of the book, there is an activity for kids to create their own book and think about where the letters could end up. You can buy an inexpensive plastic photo album at the dollar store or arts & crafts store and take pictures of where you think the different letters ended up to create your own "letters are lost" book. It is a great way for young kids to learn all about the alphabet.
March 28, 2013
Quite a cute ABC book. Carmen (almost 5) & I had fun reading through it once & then she wanted to read it a second time immediately after, so during that 2nd read I had her look in the picture to see if she saw anything else that started with the letter that wasn't mentioned in the text. She knows her letters, but can still use the practice on knowing beginning sounds of words. Asher (21 months) thought it was ok, a bit much for him yet!
February 21, 2012
I found this book to be extremely creative on presenting the alphabet. The way it went through the alphabet is adequate because it teaches sentences and new vocabulary related to the letter. There is a white thick border around the illustration. The illustrations are also very colorful and there is a middle ground background. The distance is closer and personal. The text is mostly at the bottom of the illustration. I enjoyed reading this book.
February 6, 2014
This book is about the alphabet letters and where they go when they are lost. What is interesting about this book is that each letter finds itself with items that begin with that letter. For instance P is in a bowl of popcorn. Additionally, there are other items in the picture that begin with the same letter. Consequently, this book could be used as a read aloud discussion because you could ask the kids to identify other items in the picture that begin with the letter on that page.
February 5, 2010
What can I say? The letters are lost, and found by turning the pages; there's an opportunity to interact with your audience (assuming you're reading this to someone) at the end of the book: "Soon the blocks will begin to disappear once more. Can you guess where they might go?"
Read
October 24, 2012ABC book great for introducing letters and pictures for sight word recognition. Can be used by any teacher in a primary grade classroom to help teach students ABC order and how to read and spell general sight and high frequency words.
September 4, 2008
One of my favorite alphabet books to read. My kids all enjoy this book and say again, again.
September 21, 2008
This book is a great book to use with Kindergarteners to reinforce the alphabet. A page is devoted to each letter of the alphabet and pictures are shown with objects beginning with the letter.
July 7, 2009
PICTURE BOOK
This is a very clever way to learn the alphabet. I felt that the pictures and the text supported each other. Very good representation of the letters of the Alphabet!
This is a very clever way to learn the alphabet. I felt that the pictures and the text supported each other. Very good representation of the letters of the Alphabet!
April 21, 2010
Alphabet book - better than most, but still weird phonics like a for airplane
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews