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All Aboard!: All Aboard!
Journey from the everyday to the exotic with this alphabet on the move. Cross the B -shaped arches of a bridge; land on the angled L of an airfield; drive over the looped O of an overpass.
Bill Mayer's bold art evokes classic travel posters with utterly modern color and flair. Allow your imagination to soar -- and discover something unexpected in each elegant picture puzzle.
Bill Mayer's bold art evokes classic travel posters with utterly modern color and flair. Allow your imagination to soar -- and discover something unexpected in each elegant picture puzzle.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published February 19, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 22, 2025
Literally one word per page in alphabetical order simply listing different forms of movement. What?!? What happened to the ABC books of old?? Boring.
September 18, 2013
My four-year-old son checked this book out from our local library -- twice. At the end of the second three-week check-out period, I knew that I had to find a copy of this book for his home library. So I did.
The first time we "read" this book, I'm not sure that he fully understood the concept. He knew he was supposed to look for letters, but he expected them to look LIKE letters. The second time, about six months later, he was fine with letters not always looking exactly like letters -- his standard was looser and he found almost all of them by himself.
The artwork in this book is based on 1920s travel posters. I absolutely love 1920s travel posters. In my younger years, I decorated my apartment with 1920s travel posters. So when my son wanted this book for his own library, I was not at all annoyed -- I was thrilled. And when he no longer wants this book for his own library, I will not be at all annoyed -- I will be thrilled, and I will add it to MY own library.
The first time we "read" this book, I'm not sure that he fully understood the concept. He knew he was supposed to look for letters, but he expected them to look LIKE letters. The second time, about six months later, he was fine with letters not always looking exactly like letters -- his standard was looser and he found almost all of them by himself.
The artwork in this book is based on 1920s travel posters. I absolutely love 1920s travel posters. In my younger years, I decorated my apartment with 1920s travel posters. So when my son wanted this book for his own library, I was not at all annoyed -- I was thrilled. And when he no longer wants this book for his own library, I will not be at all annoyed -- I will be thrilled, and I will add it to MY own library.
May 23, 2008
In the foreward Mayer makes it clear that this alphabet book was inspired by the travel posters of the 1920s. While this leads to a beautiful, stylized collection of illustrations, I'm not sure that kids are going to understand most of what's going on here. Preschoolers fascinated with things that go might enjoy the book, but the letters aren't always apparent enough for the same audience to identify; I couldn't identify one of them without the key and I have a few years on the preschool crowd. The inclusion of a key to where the letters in each picture are hidden in two places, on both the back jacket and a page in the back of the book, helps those who are unable to decipher the puzzles. The illustations would make a lovely set of alphabet posters for decorative purposes, but I'm not sure how well this works as an actual alphabet book.
June 25, 2014
Beautiful images combining a 1920's style with the letter shape and the general concept of each word. I do think all this effort will be missed on young kids. I would have missed it if I had not read the foreword. The pictures are stunning, but it is not always easy to find the letter shape. Since each word being represented is printed on each page I don't think it is a big concern that all the letters can be easily found in each picture. It could be a fun adult/child activity to read this book together and find all the shapes. I love how the final page includes all the images with the shape of the letter in white making it easy to see.
January 31, 2016
The illustrations in this alphabet book are gorgeous. I could easily see people hanging these images as posters. Some of the alphabet words felt forced to me considering the title/theme ALL ABOARD! A TRAVELING ALPHABET. For instance, 'funnel' for f felt too static and possibly 'island' for I but overall I thought this was an alphabet book with great vocabulary adding words and superb graphic appeal.
January 3, 2025
This book is just a picture for each letter of the alphabet and the only text is a word starting with that letter that describes what the picture is, e.g. the "o" page says "overpass" and a picture of a spaghetti type intersection of freeways and freeway overpasses. For transportation enthusiasts, this might be a fun way to start learning the alphabet, but it's not suitable as a story time read-aloud.
February 27, 2008
The art is said to evoke "classic travel posters", which makes it a nice book for adults, but this has very little kid appeal in terms of the subjects and the ways that they are presented. I'm sure the Caldecott people will have this one in the running.
January 9, 2013
While not a strong alphabet book for learning the alphabet, the reader is exposed to specific vocabulary for different types of transportation and will have fun trying to find the letters in the bold artwork.
May 13, 2008
This is a traveling alphabet. Kids can find a letter in each of the illustrations. Some are easier than others. There's a key at the end of the book.
June 13, 2008
I thought it was fun to see if I could find the letters. Some of them were hard, but the kids may enjoy that. The pictures were cool.
September 28, 2011
Cute concept, but definately for children who are a little older than my son (two).
March 10, 2009
Not your average ABC book. I enjoyed spending time with each letter figuring out how the image created the shape of the letter and fit the travel theme.
March 28, 2009
Clever use of art using transportation theme to display alphabet. Couldn't see pulling it off in a crowd on my own but others more talented may be able to use it for group.
May 7, 2010
A-Z of vintage travel posters. A beautiful book.
March 29, 2011
Some of the words seem challenging for an alphabet book, but I like the travel theme!
June 20, 2011
This is a one word alphabet book about the different modes of travel. Bold, simple pictures in bright colors help to make this book more interesting.
August 15, 2011
Clever for a transporation unit with older group. Challenging optics on some pages. Kids will need to release the notion that letters-need-to-be-perfect.
August 21, 2011
An alphabet book featuring traveling words. Images are large and detailed. Each letter is represented with a single word, some simple, others more advanced.
November 12, 2011
very cool. Love the way the letters are hidden in each picture.
May 3, 2012
Book about finding the hidden alphabet. The artwork is cool and it is fun to try and find the letters. No words or sentences in the book just letters. Good for a pre-schooler
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews