SOLVED. YA Adventure character meets antagonist that makes him recite alphabet backwards. [s]

[Theresa]

I read a book in 5th or 6th grade around 1993-1995 around the same time I read The Little Prince and The Phantom Tollbooth so I apologize that I’m getting some details mixed. This book I’m seeking would be similar in that it was an adventure story. At some point the protagonist, which I remember to be a boy, meets a king or gatekeeper of some kind. In order to pass the test (and not be killed?) he must recite the alphabet backwards. I think he practices it and he does succeed in reciting it. I think there may have been other backwards things as well. All I remember is going home that day and learning the alphabet backwards just in case I ended up in a similar position.

[Kris]

Theresa, is this a fantasy book? If yes, what are the fantasy elements?

Can you tell us more about the boy - e.g., his age, family and friends, rich or poor, skills, hobbies?

What is the story's time period and location (e.g., medieval fantasy world, realistic Earth (where))?

[Theresa]

Yeah, I suppose adventure fantasy. He was likely around the same age 10-12 years old and it was required reading in Illinois at that time. It took place in a fictional world, again, similar to common required reading like Tollbooth, Little Prince, or Chronicles of Narnia. I truly can’t remember anything more specific than the alphabet thing but I know there were a series of tasks he had to do. I’m sorry, I know I’m grasping for straws here, but I’ve been looking for this book for years and hoped someone might recognize such a minute detail.

[Tabitha]

I might be on the wrong track here, but this sounds incredibly similar to a short story I read. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name or author, but did the story end with the boy winning against the gatekeeper (who is taking him to the king/dungeon?) by having the gatekeeper recite his alphabet backwards? In other words, how we would normally say it?

I used to have a children's literature textbook with this story. The textbook was silver, and I think it might be Silver Secrets, Level 10.

[Theresa]

It could be a short story, I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe that’s why I haven’t found a novel. I remember the boy being able to recite the alphabet backwards and he was saved from possibly a jail or dungeon. I went home that day, terrified this could happen to me and memorized it backwards. It’s a fun bar trick but decades later I’m interested in finding the original story.

[Tabitha]

I did some more sleuthing! Is it The Mysterious Zetabet? This is a story in the textbook, but also a book in its own right. I had also learned the alphabet backwards when I read this, so I hope it is the right one!

[Theresa]

Yes!!!! Omg, how did you find this? It seems so obvious now given the title. Thank you so much!

[Tabitha]

I dug around on the internet, found an archive, and pulled up the textbook, and found the story! :D Glad I could help!

[Theresa]

I just read it on archive.org and that’s it! I remembered some details wrong but oddly I remembered the illustrations. I’m also fairly certain we used that same textbook because the cover is so familiar. Thanks again!