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Summary
Summary
Beep! Beep! Follow Bus Driver B from A to Z in an alphabet adventure full of humor, suspense, and heart. It's never a dull day in Letter Town! Excuse me friend, have you yet seen the home of the alphabet?Come with me, I'll show you aroundthis lovely place called Letter Town. Follow Bus Driver B through the jam-packed pages full of letters at work and play in a town unlike any other. From Avenue A to Zoo Z, there's always something to spot and see in Letter Town. Each bus stop reveals a new part of the town, while the bouncy rhyming narrative uncovers sneaky Detective D's mission to capture Robber R, who is causing mischief throughout the neighborhoods. And don't forget to be on the lookout for more hilarious letter characters and creatures on every page! In Letter Town , author-illustrator Darren Farrell takes up the rhyming seek-and-find mantle, applying his own singular charm and humor through the vast and varied wonders of the alphabet. Also included is a reverse jacket alphabet poster for little ones to proudly display and exercise their own letter-seeking and writing abilities.
Author Notes
Darren Farrell is the author-illustrator of the award-winning picture book Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib as well as Thank You, Octopus . He lives, for the time being, with his family in Seoul, South Korea, but he is originally from North Carolina and until recently resided in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him online at darren-farrell.com.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Children love books that invite them to find hidden elements, and in this alphabet book that also combines rhymes and a mystery, they will enjoy finding, counting, and identifying various letters. The story follows Bus Driver B who picks up letters as he drives through Lettertown. On each page, there are a variety of anthropomorphic letters (for example, an H getting a haircut, hang gliding, hiking, riding in a helicopter, selling hotdogs), and one of these letters will enter the bus. To reinforce which letter is being picked up, the top of the bus displays the letter that will be joining, and the letter appears very large on the page. A mystery involves Robber R stealing items throughout the story. Detective D pursues R and finally catches him, making him return all the stolen items. Children will find the brightly colored illustrations appealing and will love identifying all the pilfered items. Many children will enjoy the challenge of figuring out what each letter represents. Luckily, there's a key on the end pages to help them along. VERDICT A story that will invite many rereads but could be overly busy and complicated for younger children. An additional purchase.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The letter B, which wears a captain's hat, welcomes readers: "Come with me, I'll show you around this lovely place called Letter Town." Letter Town-which calls to mind Richard Scarry's Busytown in more ways than one-depicts expressive, almost Muppet-like letter characters that dress in clothes and carry out roles in the bustling city scenes: an H operates a hot dog stand, a P wears a police uniform, and an L resembles Abraham Lincoln. Farrell's rhyming couplets can be hit-or-miss ("Here comes an R with a black mask./ Who could he be? I'm afraid to ask./ All aboard, R! What do I see?/ Is R a member of the royalty?"), but bright berry and citrus tones and abundant sight gags are the story's main attractions. End-pages list the characters that readers will find throughout, adding to the seek-and-find excitement. Ages 3-5. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
A double-decker bus travels around Letter Town seeking (in alphabetical order) rotund, cartoon-style letters representing a variety of letter-associated occupations, objects, actions, etc. Endpapers provide a key to each spread's picture puzzle. For an extra challenge, a second visual narrative involving a robber (R) is woven throughout. Although the rhyming text is occasionally forced, the playful illustrations should appeal to young search-and-find enthusiasts. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
In a community of letter-shaped beings, congenial bus driver B provides the narration in rhyming couplets as she maneuvers her double-decker bus through the streets. At the first stop, As are at work and play (among others, an A-shaped alien, angel, and artist). All residents of Letter Town are listed in the endpapers, helpful for the intended audience, which may not know that the A with the hard hat and blueprints is an architect, or that the one dusting off an apatosaurus is an archaeologist. Some letters get their identity from a profession or activity, while others are named for an object they are holding: some Ns are ninjas and nuns, while others are eating nachos, and one is simply naked. The figures are rendered in a flat style with big swatches of bright colors, clearly targeting a younger audience think Byron Barton's palette and figures meshed with Richard Scarry's activity-filled pages to draw the young eye. Although not perfect, this has unique, whimsical characters, and that appeal makes it worth considering.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2018 Booklist
