Booklist Review

PreS-Gr. 1. Jaguars in jammies and snakes swinging from stars bring the ABCs to life in this animal-themed alphabet book. The animal antics are described in snappy, rhyming verse, which sometimes sneaks in some counting practice: Two mischievous monkeys mambo on the moon / Nine hungry newts are looking for a spoon. Upper- and lowercase letters appear prominently in each spread, large and in color, to aid in letter identification. As fun as the rhymes are, Hosta's dynamic collage creations steal the show. Each letter gets one full-page collage illustration, and the pictures are exceptional. Color, shape, and texture are used to great effect, and the compositions are well designed. Unfortunately the cover, which features a large heart filled with letters, won't attract the audience this book deserves. --Lauren Peterson Copyright 2004 Booklist