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ABC is for Circus
ABC Is For Circus celebrates the colorful and festive world of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats, B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative, hardcover book. ABC Is For Circus is an awesome addition to our artist-centric line of ABC books and is sure to delight an audience of children and adults alike.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
56 pages, Board book
First published November 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 27, 2010
Review: ABC is for Circus by Patrick Hruby
Book Blurb: ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats, B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky board book. ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to our artist-centric line of ABC books and is sure to delight and audience of children and adults alike.
Los Angeles-based illustrator Patrick Hruby grew up in a log cabin within an Idaho forest. As a young boy he dreamt of running away to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. Eventually, however, he grew up to study math and physics before attending the renowned Art Center College of Design and pursuing a career as an illustrator. His interest in the geometry of nature is central to his work. Influenced by artists and designers such as Charley Harper, Paul Rand, and Mary Blair, Hruby has gone on to develop his own stunning and modern aesthetic. Hruby's clients include The New York Times Magazine, Playboy Jazz Festival, Varsity Pictures, and Brand New School. CMYK Magazine recently named him one of their Top 100 New Creatives.
My thoughts: ABC is for Circus has gorgeous artwork: the colors are luminous and the shapes are fluid. Hruby has an exquisite eye for detail. If the book was meant to be an art book, it would succeed wonderfully. Unfortunately, it's designed and marketed as a children's alphabet book.
The target age group is 1-3 year olds, but developmentally, the book fails to meet their needs. The pictures are overly busy, with too much detail. Some of the pictures are so stylized that the item intended to represent the letter is barely recognizable. Hruby does do a nice job of using both familiar and unfamiliar items but again, some are so stylized that the page fails to adequately represent the letter. The calliope especially is a mess, a gorgeous mess, but few children will make the connection between the item depicted and the real item if they have seen one. Moreover, it is standard, and developmentally beneficial, to include both the lowercase and uppercase form of each letter but Hruby uses only uppercase. All of the text is uppercase only.
Some children will undoubtedly enjoy the book, it is pleasing to look at but as an alphabet book, it fails.
NOTE: I have taught toddlers for 17 years and am a trained early childhood educator. This review is written from the perspective of an educator.
Publisher: AMMO Books
Book Blurb: ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats, B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky board book. ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to our artist-centric line of ABC books and is sure to delight and audience of children and adults alike.
Los Angeles-based illustrator Patrick Hruby grew up in a log cabin within an Idaho forest. As a young boy he dreamt of running away to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. Eventually, however, he grew up to study math and physics before attending the renowned Art Center College of Design and pursuing a career as an illustrator. His interest in the geometry of nature is central to his work. Influenced by artists and designers such as Charley Harper, Paul Rand, and Mary Blair, Hruby has gone on to develop his own stunning and modern aesthetic. Hruby's clients include The New York Times Magazine, Playboy Jazz Festival, Varsity Pictures, and Brand New School. CMYK Magazine recently named him one of their Top 100 New Creatives.
My thoughts: ABC is for Circus has gorgeous artwork: the colors are luminous and the shapes are fluid. Hruby has an exquisite eye for detail. If the book was meant to be an art book, it would succeed wonderfully. Unfortunately, it's designed and marketed as a children's alphabet book.
The target age group is 1-3 year olds, but developmentally, the book fails to meet their needs. The pictures are overly busy, with too much detail. Some of the pictures are so stylized that the item intended to represent the letter is barely recognizable. Hruby does do a nice job of using both familiar and unfamiliar items but again, some are so stylized that the page fails to adequately represent the letter. The calliope especially is a mess, a gorgeous mess, but few children will make the connection between the item depicted and the real item if they have seen one. Moreover, it is standard, and developmentally beneficial, to include both the lowercase and uppercase form of each letter but Hruby uses only uppercase. All of the text is uppercase only.
Some children will undoubtedly enjoy the book, it is pleasing to look at but as an alphabet book, it fails.
NOTE: I have taught toddlers for 17 years and am a trained early childhood educator. This review is written from the perspective of an educator.
Publisher: AMMO Books
July 24, 2017
Kids will learn their ABC's with these bright, flat illustrations highlighting a limited palette of red, blue, green, yellow, black, and white. The letter being taught is large while the text defining the picture is small- perfect for a reader to use the picture for clues and make the connection.
February 23, 2024
An A to Z book that uses a word pertaining to the circus for each letter used. X is a bit of a stretch, but it works. Colorful pictures throughout.
March 25, 2011
Description:
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats, B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky board book. ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to our artist-centric line of ABC books and is sure to delight and audience of children and adults alike.
Los Angeles-based illustrator Patrick Hruby grew up in a log cabin within an Idaho forest. As a young boy he dreamt of running away to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. Eventually, however, he grew up to study math and physics before attending the renowned Art Center College of Design and pursuing a career as an illustrator. His interest in the geometry of nature is central to his work. Influenced by artists and designers such as Charley Harper, Paul Rand, and Mary Blair, Hruby has gone on to develop his own stunning and modern aesthetic. Hruby's clients include The New York Times Magazine, Playboy Jazz Festival, Varsity Pictures, and Brand New School. CMYK Magazine recently named him one of their Top 100 New Creatives.
My thoughts...
What an amazing, colorful, and educational ABC book! I could not wait to share this book with my daughters...the illustrations are just incredible! My girls loved this book! Not only are you learning your ABCs, but you can teach colors, animals, and all about the circus! I would recommend this book for any age baby and up...I could see this in every Kindergarten or pre-K class in the world! It is simply one of the most unique and fun alphabet books you will ever read! Love, love, love this book! 5/5 stars!!
You can purchase this book on Amazon (avail. November 2010).
Thank You so much Net Galley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read this book! I cannot wait to read more books from you in the future!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Net Galley review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
ABC IS FOR CIRCUS celebrates the colorful and festive world of the circus through each letter of the alphabet. Young children will enjoy memorizing letters and words like A is for Acrobats, B is for Big Top, and C is for Calliope in this imaginative chunky board book. ABC IS FOR CIRCUS is an awesome addition to our artist-centric line of ABC books and is sure to delight and audience of children and adults alike.
Los Angeles-based illustrator Patrick Hruby grew up in a log cabin within an Idaho forest. As a young boy he dreamt of running away to join the circus and become a trapeze artist. Eventually, however, he grew up to study math and physics before attending the renowned Art Center College of Design and pursuing a career as an illustrator. His interest in the geometry of nature is central to his work. Influenced by artists and designers such as Charley Harper, Paul Rand, and Mary Blair, Hruby has gone on to develop his own stunning and modern aesthetic. Hruby's clients include The New York Times Magazine, Playboy Jazz Festival, Varsity Pictures, and Brand New School. CMYK Magazine recently named him one of their Top 100 New Creatives.
My thoughts...
What an amazing, colorful, and educational ABC book! I could not wait to share this book with my daughters...the illustrations are just incredible! My girls loved this book! Not only are you learning your ABCs, but you can teach colors, animals, and all about the circus! I would recommend this book for any age baby and up...I could see this in every Kindergarten or pre-K class in the world! It is simply one of the most unique and fun alphabet books you will ever read! Love, love, love this book! 5/5 stars!!
You can purchase this book on Amazon (avail. November 2010).
Thank You so much Net Galley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read this book! I cannot wait to read more books from you in the future!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Net Galley review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
June 28, 2011
I received the galley to preview this book and I have to say as a graphic designer I am in love with it. The details, the colors, everything is amazingly beautiful. I really enjoyed flipping each page waiting for what would be next. I think that there were a couple of words though that were chosen that were a little odd for the age group and the theme of a circus, mainly Calliope and Xray. But those are the only two criticisms I have for an otherwise beautiful picture book.
August 27, 2010
The pictures are gorgeous. A couple of the letters have words that will be unfamiliar to most children, like "calliope" and "ventriloquist." And an "x-ray" seems like kind of a funny thing for a modern circus (although the pictures definitely make it work.) Still, I think small children will adore the illustrations, and if they don't know all of the words, that shouldn't mar their pleasure.
February 2, 2011
Patrick Hubry's ABC is for Circus is a visually stunning kaleidoscope of color. The vintage-like pictures are an instant attention getter, and they get better and better with every turn of the page. Teaching your children their ABCs will no longer be a chore for them or you. The zebras, giraffes, elephants and fireworks provide a visual feast that will spur them to open this book again and again.
June 19, 2011
I really enjoyed the fun pictures in this book, and I'm sure children will love the busy and vivid images of the circus too, but actually learning the letters of the alphabet seems to be hidden amongst the pictures and don't seem as important, which of course, is supposed to be the point of the book, right?
December 12, 2013
Originally published as a board book, this title has been re-formatted and published as a picture book. Very stylized illustrations, and spare text here. It *looks* pretty, and of course it is fun to see elements of the circus laid out in alphabetical order, but it's all pretty flat and lacks any of the joie de vivre of a circus, either real or pretend, that kids of all ages enjoy.
January 14, 2011
What pretty pictures! I want one... for my son *ahem*, yes, for my son.
I checked it out as ebook but is looking forward to the full experience of the board book version and with my son on my lap.
I checked it out as ebook but is looking forward to the full experience of the board book version and with my son on my lap.
April 1, 2016
Using circus imagery the book takes the reader through the alphabet. It has a good mix of known words (fireworks, lion) as well as more unusual ones (calliope, ring master.) The colors are bright and engaging.
October 21, 2019
This is a beautiful book, although the idea of a circus is a little dated. Is it even possible to see a circus today?
While my baby likes looking at the pictures, I wonder if the concepts will translate into vocabulary my child understands.
While my baby likes looking at the pictures, I wonder if the concepts will translate into vocabulary my child understands.
November 21, 2010
I loved this book an absurd amount
http://librarianpirate.blogspot.com/2...
http://librarianpirate.blogspot.com/2...
October 4, 2013
Bright colors, one word per letter, interesting but nothing special.
June 16, 2014
Illustrations could be used for art lessons.
October 21, 2015
The illustrations are brightly colored and beautiful, but as far as alphabet books go, I could take or leave this one. It just didn't knock my socks off.
April 11, 2017
Striking illustrations - vintage feel.
Read
April 29, 2019I like this book and guess what's inside a clown? [spoiler alert] A big heart and flowers!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews