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Alfred Digs
What would you do if your pet ant escaped from her ant farm? Would you follow her? Even if you had promised your mama to eat your pie, and drink your milk, and stay in your cozy burrow? Scritch. Scratch. Scritch. Alfred digs. And digs. And digs. Where is Itty Bitty? And what will happen when Alfred finds her? In this tour de force of a picture book, Lindsay Barrett George introduces an aardvark (or two), an ant (a troublemaker, really), and an adventure that takes place in a dictionary. Where? A dictionary. Read on!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 11, 2019
I think this book was rather interesting to read. I liked the concept of living inside a dictionary, and I liked the use of such obscure words throughout the book. This book does a good job of demonstrating the plot device home-away-home. I thought it would be fun to have students find a word in the dictionary they may not know and write a short essay about the word they have chosen.
September 24, 2022
Alfred Digs is a wonderful new way to take a trip through the alphabet. Alfred the Aardvark and his mother live in the dictionary, and when his pet ant runs off to the zoo he sets out to find her - from A to ... trouble! Enjoyable story with marvellous illustrations.
May 19, 2017
#Dig and #explore the adventures of an Aardvark and #mother #YoungReaders #PictureBook #BookReview #ChildrensBooks #amreading #zoo
May 7, 2018
I loved this one and so did my nanny kid. Review to come.
June 27, 2018
6/27/18 Read with Julia & Simon
August 4, 2018
This is a great book for new alphabet learners!
August 28, 2008
Alphabet Book
Alfred Digs is about an aardvark named Alfred and his pet ant named Itty Bitty. Although he likes to dig, Alfred is not allowed to dig in the house, but when his mother goes to the neighbors, he finds himself in trouble. Itty Bitty ran away to go to the zoo. When Alfred finds out, he writes his mother a note to say that he is following Itty Bitty and then he begins digging into the dictionary. On their way to the zoo, Alfred tries to save Itty Bitty from the hungry woodpecker. Alfred's mother saves the day and digs down with Itty Bitty and Alfred until they reach the zoo. Once they see the zoo, Alfred's mother asks Zebra to take them home. They barely make it home (back to the A's in a hot air balloon) before falling asleep.
Act. #1:
The students can create a class alphabet book. Each student will choose a letter of the alphabet (it may be easier to have them draw a letter out of a hat then choosing on their own). They will then have an entire page to dedicate to that letter. Students can include capital letters, lowercase letters, different words that begin with that letter, and they can color their page and add illustrations. They could also put a picture (a school photo) of each person who participated in creating the book on the page of the letter that corresponds with their name. If there are more letters than words, some students can double up if they finish before the other students or other educators or administrators in the building could participate, for example, the principal. Once the book is completed, the teacher can assemble the book and it can be the class alphabet.
Act. #2:
The students could use some of the words from this book (any new or interesting words) and place them on their classroom word wall.
Act. #3:
The students could also create their own alphabet stories...maybe a Z character who climbs up to A or something. They could be very creative for this.
Alfred Digs is about an aardvark named Alfred and his pet ant named Itty Bitty. Although he likes to dig, Alfred is not allowed to dig in the house, but when his mother goes to the neighbors, he finds himself in trouble. Itty Bitty ran away to go to the zoo. When Alfred finds out, he writes his mother a note to say that he is following Itty Bitty and then he begins digging into the dictionary. On their way to the zoo, Alfred tries to save Itty Bitty from the hungry woodpecker. Alfred's mother saves the day and digs down with Itty Bitty and Alfred until they reach the zoo. Once they see the zoo, Alfred's mother asks Zebra to take them home. They barely make it home (back to the A's in a hot air balloon) before falling asleep.
Act. #1:
The students can create a class alphabet book. Each student will choose a letter of the alphabet (it may be easier to have them draw a letter out of a hat then choosing on their own). They will then have an entire page to dedicate to that letter. Students can include capital letters, lowercase letters, different words that begin with that letter, and they can color their page and add illustrations. They could also put a picture (a school photo) of each person who participated in creating the book on the page of the letter that corresponds with their name. If there are more letters than words, some students can double up if they finish before the other students or other educators or administrators in the building could participate, for example, the principal. Once the book is completed, the teacher can assemble the book and it can be the class alphabet.
Act. #2:
The students could use some of the words from this book (any new or interesting words) and place them on their classroom word wall.
Act. #3:
The students could also create their own alphabet stories...maybe a Z character who climbs up to A or something. They could be very creative for this.
September 9, 2014
Alfred Digs is a story about an Aardvark who lives in a dictionary, who much chase his pet Ant from A to Z. But when he gets to W, a nasty surprise is in store for Alfred. Lindsay Barrett George, as the author and illustrator, nicely intertwines the illustrations and text, sometimes making it difficult to tell which is which. The illustrations are great, and add a lot to the story, (although the woodpecker illustration is nightmare-inducing).
The story itself, however, is not that great. The idea of taking place in a dictionary is fascinating, but the author does not explore it very well. In fact, if I had not read the inside cover, I would not have been sure whether it took place in a dictionary or not. The plot is thin, and the resolution is rather boring. I wish the author had done more with the dictionary aspect of the story, because it would have been a fun creative way to teach kids about dictionaries. Instead it was merely a dull story that did not completely make sense.
The story itself, however, is not that great. The idea of taking place in a dictionary is fascinating, but the author does not explore it very well. In fact, if I had not read the inside cover, I would not have been sure whether it took place in a dictionary or not. The plot is thin, and the resolution is rather boring. I wish the author had done more with the dictionary aspect of the story, because it would have been a fun creative way to teach kids about dictionaries. Instead it was merely a dull story that did not completely make sense.
August 7, 2010
I had no expectations on this book, so I ended it rather surprised at what I found. You could call it an alphabet book. But it's not one you'd be able to use in a preschool storytime! I'm not even sure how well I could read it in K-5. The illustrations are the best part and you really want to spend some time with them. I think I might be able to book talk it, though. Early readers in K-2 will find it to be a lot of fun. And maybe the older kids will like the humor as well as the illustrations.
8/3/10 & 8/5/10 This ended up being very fun to read aloud. I also decided to use it for the preschool group once I figured my school-age is usually too old for this. But the preschoolers did just fine with it. It was a different twist for alphabet, which I'm OK with so they won't get tired of how I do ABCs with them.
8/3/10 & 8/5/10 This ended up being very fun to read aloud. I also decided to use it for the preschool group once I figured my school-age is usually too old for this. But the preschoolers did just fine with it. It was a different twist for alphabet, which I'm OK with so they won't get tired of how I do ABCs with them.
December 31, 2013
Alfred is an aardvark who lives in a dictionary. His friend, an ant, runs off the visit the Zoo, so Alfred has to leave home and starts digging through B, C, D,...after his friend, and rescue him from an animal whose name starts with W.
This quirky, illustrated book is fun to read while teaching your children the A, B, Cs.
One minor criticism is a rhyme in the story that requires you to pronounce 'Z' as (the American) 'zee', instead of the (UK) 'zed'. Otherwise, an entertaining book all around.
This quirky, illustrated book is fun to read while teaching your children the A, B, Cs.
One minor criticism is a rhyme in the story that requires you to pronounce 'Z' as (the American) 'zee', instead of the (UK) 'zed'. Otherwise, an entertaining book all around.
August 13, 2013
Chase was so excited to find this book at the library. He read the title himself. I think he picked it because he likes to go in the backyard & dig holes. He liked the book well enough, but I can tell he was disappointed in it. I thought it was kind of boring. I'm sure this one won't be on the repeat list.
February 1, 2016
A is the first letter is the alphabet. Aardvark is the first animal in the dictionary. In this dictionary, Alfred and his mother live in a burrow with Alfred's pet ant, Itty Bitty. When Itty Bitty escapes from her ant farm, Alfred disobeys his mother and starts digging. He digs his way through the alphabet chasing after Itty Bitty until she comes face first with a woodpecker!
May 12, 2011
Aardvarks that live in dictionaries and keep pet ants that escape and run off to the zoos (against Mama aardvark's wishes)...and woodpeckers that attack. Lots of digging. Somewhat disjointed. Very weird.
July 11, 2015
This is a cute book with a fun twist. This is a dictionary....yep... a dictionary. And aardvarks live in the dictionary and when they need to go to the zoo, they have to dig, dig, dig, !
Cute book with fun twists, adorable aardvarks. Fun to read aloud!
Cute book with fun twists, adorable aardvarks. Fun to read aloud!
July 25, 2015
There's a lot going on in this book...I'm not quite sure if Mama and Baby Aardvark and their pet ant are going on a trip to the zoo, or through the dictionary, or both, but it's still a fun little trip through the alphabet, regardless.
October 7, 2008
Alfred has a pet ant called Itty Bitty. And they travel through the dictionary from aardvark to zoo. Danger ensues!
(note: upon reading this a second time, i liked it so much more)
(note: upon reading this a second time, i liked it so much more)
June 10, 2008
ABC book. Very interesting, not straight ABC's but integrates a story in it.
February 16, 2009
Silly alphabet book
April 3, 2009
This book is beautifully illustrated, clever, funny and fun to read. What more could you want?
May 20, 2010
Love this book-hoping it's series. Great way to introduce or build upon learning the alphabet & dictionaries.
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January 4, 2016Strange but unique concept.
April 23, 2015
A picture-book about an aardvark named Alfred and his mother who live in a dictionary. This book is great for children who are learning the alphabet.
April 5, 2017
This is such a cute book! The illustrations are great, and it's such a creative spin on the concept of an alphabet book. Although Alfred is the title character, it was Itty Bitty that I enjoyed the most. His mischievous nature driving the story should get kids laughing.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews