ABC, A Family Alphabet Book

Title:  ABC, A Family Alphabet Book

Author: Bobbie Combs

Illustrator: Desiree Keane & Brian Rappa

Publisher: Two Lives Publishing

Genre:  ABC Book for children learning the alphabet

Level:  Primary

Number of Pages: 28

Pub. Date:  2000

Summary: The Family Alphabet book has a great format. On each page there is the letter within a colorful circle and a word that it starts with, like ‘S is for Snow.’ There is also a sentence that uses the word in it like, ‘In the wintertime, I can write my name in the snow.’ The book goes though the whole alphabet with words and sentences that tells about what families like to do. They have activities like baking together and going to the zoo. The illustrations compliment the words and show a family doing the activity or using the object that is the highlighted word. This book uses a variety of family structures, races and abilities in its illustrations showcasing two daddies baking chocolate chip cookies or a mom in a wheelchair buying ice cream.

Author, Bobbie Combs

Critique: This alphabet book is a great way for children learning the alphabet to learn words that they are familiar with because they are familiar with doing these activates with their own families. There are clear examples of objects or activates that begin with the word featured so that the child can associate the letter with the sound the letter makes. A little more advanced readers could also use this book because it highlights the word in a sentence as well. A downfall I can see with this book though is the fact that it only uses upper case letters not upper and lower and the font they use isn’t a standard one, it’s more of a fun font, so students may not be able to recognize the letters right away.

Response: My favorite feature about this book is the fact that it features diverse families. I just love seeing that in books, especially about how families can be different. I like that this book isn’t specifically about diverse families, it’s about the ABC’s, yet it’s characters that help teach it are gay, lesbian, disabled, white, black, Hispanic, etc. It really surprised me when I picked it up and a pleasant surprise it was.