Missing Letters: An Alphabet Book

by Samuel Otten, Leon Thomas (Illustrator)

Missing Letters is not a typical alphabet book-it's a word game that teaches the importance of each letter by illustrating what happens when they're removed from words. The results are surprising as words and meaning are transformed. It can be dramatic as Will becomes ill and play becomes pay, or it can be funny when peaks become peas and banana becomes ‘baaa'. Lively illustrations and a diverse cast of characters accentuate the changes, helping children increase their phonemic awareness-the ability to hear sounds not only in the starts of words but also in the middle or end.

Missing Letters can also extend beyond the pages by thinking of your own words that change when you remove a letter. It's accessible to children of any age. Young pre-readers can focus on the missing sounds and compare the illustrations, while early readers can look at the spellings to spot the difference.

60 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2020

About the author

Sam is from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States and is currently a professor of education at the University of Missouri. He enjoys music, comic books, and playing word games and number games with his four children.

Reviews

[Mary Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book to read with children as they play with words . Illustrations are spectacular. This book can be an intro to setting up language games with students.

[William Tyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy crosswords and word puzzles, and this book was a nice way to do a word game with the kids.

[Lucas O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike other kids books for emerging readers which merely go through the motions of short easy to read sentences, this book creates an imaginative game of producing new words be taking individual letters away from existing words to often hilarious effect.
"Ship" becomes "Sip" and "Rink" becomes "Ink", readers and parents alike can expand the game to other books or car trips as a way to engage kids with words and reading.

[Samuel Otten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased so I can't really give a review. But I can share what my kids said as they read the book: "Oh, I get it!" "Maggie likes the paints and pants." And "he walks right into a pen. haha!"

[John Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and clever kids' book that parents will enjoy. Start of so many puzzles to think about, if you let it.

[Liz Barbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun idea.

always room for another alphabet book among your shelf of favorites. Kids can’t imagine other examples maybe and these skills build readers!