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Y is for Y'all: A Book of Southern ABCs
Written by Kelly Kazek
Illustrated by Michelle Hazelwood Hyde
Here in the South, we like speech filled with whimsy and with wit. Why say, "Mama is really mad," when you can say she "pitched a hissy fit"? This book has some examples of colorful Southern words to help folks learn the alphabet the way it should be heard.
Illustrated by Michelle Hazelwood Hyde
Here in the South, we like speech filled with whimsy and with wit. Why say, "Mama is really mad," when you can say she "pitched a hissy fit"? This book has some examples of colorful Southern words to help folks learn the alphabet the way it should be heard.
- GenresChildrens
28 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
43 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Kazek
37 books29 followersKelly Kazek, born in Georgia and raised in Alabama, is an award-winning journalist and author who writes about Southern culture for It’s a Southern Thing. She now writes only books but in her 36-year career in journalism, she was an editor, columnist, and reporter.
She is the author of numerous children’s picture books for It’s a Southern Thing, including "Y is for Y’all: A Book of Southern ABCs." She has also authored "It's a Southern Thing: Life's Different Here Y'all", and numerous other humor books.
In 2022, she received the top award for humor writing by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
In April 2023, she was honored, along with the illustrators, by the BookFest Awards for her books "Y is for Y'all" and "Southern Thesaurus."
She lives near Huntsville, Alabama.
To invite her to speak or host a book signing, contact her at kkazek@southernthing.com or find more info at kellykazek@kellykazek.com.
She is the author of numerous children’s picture books for It’s a Southern Thing, including "Y is for Y’all: A Book of Southern ABCs." She has also authored "It's a Southern Thing: Life's Different Here Y'all", and numerous other humor books.
In 2022, she received the top award for humor writing by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
In April 2023, she was honored, along with the illustrators, by the BookFest Awards for her books "Y is for Y'all" and "Southern Thesaurus."
She lives near Huntsville, Alabama.
To invite her to speak or host a book signing, contact her at kkazek@southernthing.com or find more info at kellykazek@kellykazek.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 30, 2023
Definitely love the skits that It's A Southern Thing makes and share while I was so excited when Matt introduced readers to this particular book with his daughter. As he only read bits and pieces in the commercial I knew I had to get my hands on this book to see what the rest of the letters were going have as their focal subjects.
Y Is For Y'all explores elements, phrases, traditions and foods that make up the South as it is perceived today. Having lived in the bottom-most part of Virginia I can vouch for the majority of these things although the courtesy in some areas seems to be disappearing like elsewhere. Otherwise everything else is spot-on.
The writing follows where the letter being looked at is presented with a word such as A is for Azaleas and O is for Okra. These introductory sentences are then followed up with a blurb giving some more information such as how to use a word, why a food is made the way that it is, etc. so the reader can learn more. And all of this text although not rhyming most definitely has a nice flow to it thus it will keep your attention.
At the same time the book has some beautiful brightly colored illustrations with a variety of characters to remind the reader of just how diverse the South is. The details can be humorous such as in the case of the kudzu, heartwarming and even at times just pure art with bubbles added to help showcase Southern expressions.
My only main complaint is I am not quite sure who the audience is for since although the book is geared as a children's book I see this as more of a nostalgic read for adults. There are definitely words that younger readers will be needing help with in their pronunciation while if the children aren't from the South some of these may still go over their head.
In the end it was definitely a great book and one that I would still recommend, especially if you want to teach a geography session to curious children or even prepare them for a trip down South. Otherwise adults who enjoy the South will also find this book warm and charming enough to also add it to their shelves.
Y Is For Y'all explores elements, phrases, traditions and foods that make up the South as it is perceived today. Having lived in the bottom-most part of Virginia I can vouch for the majority of these things although the courtesy in some areas seems to be disappearing like elsewhere. Otherwise everything else is spot-on.
The writing follows where the letter being looked at is presented with a word such as A is for Azaleas and O is for Okra. These introductory sentences are then followed up with a blurb giving some more information such as how to use a word, why a food is made the way that it is, etc. so the reader can learn more. And all of this text although not rhyming most definitely has a nice flow to it thus it will keep your attention.
At the same time the book has some beautiful brightly colored illustrations with a variety of characters to remind the reader of just how diverse the South is. The details can be humorous such as in the case of the kudzu, heartwarming and even at times just pure art with bubbles added to help showcase Southern expressions.
My only main complaint is I am not quite sure who the audience is for since although the book is geared as a children's book I see this as more of a nostalgic read for adults. There are definitely words that younger readers will be needing help with in their pronunciation while if the children aren't from the South some of these may still go over their head.
In the end it was definitely a great book and one that I would still recommend, especially if you want to teach a geography session to curious children or even prepare them for a trip down South. Otherwise adults who enjoy the South will also find this book warm and charming enough to also add it to their shelves.
January 23, 2023
This book was so cute! It makes a great picture book and shares little southern things. It would also be great to use for adults who don't know southernism. I related to majority of the letters but I think my two favorite is "F is for fixin to" because this is a daily part of my vocabulary, and "n is for nanner puddin" because I love me some nanner puddin!!
September 23, 2021
I am an adult who is born and raised in the south. This is my go to book for gifts and baby showers. All the way from A to Z, it’s all about the south. Also, great colors and illustrations. Definitely five stars.
November 5, 2020
Cutest book I’ve seen since Curly Girl!
March 5, 2021
Love it! Only lived in the south for a short time, but this was great!
March 26, 2021
I LOVE this book!! So perfect to teach new words and have fun doing it!!! I enjoy the “It’s a Southern Thing” youtube and knew with a youngin’ in my fam I had to get it!!
A perfect read!!
A perfect read!!
May 17, 2021
Utterly adorable!
October 4, 2021
It is a darling book! My daughter and I love it. It brought back childhood memories for me and it was a great listening to my daughter mention how much she loves so many of the same things.
April 22, 2022
I bought this as a set. The book is full of beautiful illustrations, flowers, food, and a good sense of humor.
August 13, 2022
Such a cute book! I grew up in GA and loved sharing it with my daughter!
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December 10, 2024A
August 16, 2025
A really cute way to help Southern kids learn their ABCs. Just as fun for the adults!
February 24, 2023
An alphabet book with a unique theme! Oversized with colorful illustrations, showing typical southern things for each letter, with the exception of "x," which just doesn't really work in most alphabet books anyway. Each letter shows a word, followed by a short poem describing it. Many are our foods (O is for Okra) or our plants (M is for Magnolia), but my favorites are our special vocabulary (R is for Reckon). Fellow Southerners will love it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews