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Anno's Alphabet
Each letter of the alphabet accompanies a full-page picture puzzle of an object whose name begins with that letter: anvil, bicycle, etc.
64 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1974
1 person is currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Mitsumasa Anno
247 books80 followersHis name is written as 安野光雅 in Japanese.
Mitsumasa Anno (born March 20, 1926) was a Japanese illustrator and writer of children's books, known best for picture books with few or no words. He received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1984 for his "lasting contribution to children's literature".
Source: Wikipedia.
Mitsumasa Anno (born March 20, 1926) was a Japanese illustrator and writer of children's books, known best for picture books with few or no words. He received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1984 for his "lasting contribution to children's literature".
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 18, 2023
While Mitsmasa Anno's Anno's Alphabet is certainly very much visually stunning in many ways, personally, I would definitely much prefer to have the main letters appear in a less washed-out and boringly beige natural wood-like format, in other words, I really would like them, would want the letters shown with a bit more colour to them (such as having them appear as though dyed a rich forest green or a deep ocean blue, for that would not only look lusher, it would also increase visual contrast). And really, and furthermore, if Anno's Alphabet is ever to be used for children to practice their words, their letters, the illustrated objects really should (no, in my opinion, they must) be presented not only as images but also with their written forms, both singulars and plurals. Oh I know that there is a detailed and appreciated list at the back of Anno's Alphabet, but this is simply NOT the same and on par for me as having the words of the featured illustrations actually appear WITH their respective letters of the alphabet (and annoyingly, frustratingly, many of the additional objects, many of the additional words to be searched for in the black and white trellis surrounding each of the letter sections are not only often much too complicated and advanced for the intended age group, they are equally usually rather difficult and sometimes nigh impossible to find, to locate, so that I for one basically have simply given up trying, as I was starting to get both eyestrain and a massive headache).
Therefore, while I certainly can somewhat and even perhaps greatly appreciate Mitsumasa Anno's artistry, I visually do not all that much enjoy Anno's Alphabet and actually tend to firmly believe that the book majorly defeats its intended purpose, that as an alphabet book, Anno's Alphabet really is pretty much a total bust, an epic failure so to speak.
Therefore, while I certainly can somewhat and even perhaps greatly appreciate Mitsumasa Anno's artistry, I visually do not all that much enjoy Anno's Alphabet and actually tend to firmly believe that the book majorly defeats its intended purpose, that as an alphabet book, Anno's Alphabet really is pretty much a total bust, an epic failure so to speak.
August 18, 2017
A deceptively-simple alphabet book that becomes more interesting the more you pay attention. Like many letter books, there's the letter on the left side, then something beginning with that letter on the facing page. But that's just the beginning.
After a brief visual introduction of a woodcarver preparing his tools and materials, the letters are all constructed of wood, some impossibly so. The A, for instance,
The items and objects are often made of wood or have wooden elements, though not all do. Along with more expected items like eggs and kangaroos, some are surprising,
Each page is decorated with a delicate border reminiscent of historical fine-press books. They're easy to scan over, but if you look closely, you'll see they're each unique and related to the letter of the page. More objects hide with the plants in the borders,
See what you can spot, then compare your answers to the key at the end.
After a brief visual introduction of a woodcarver preparing his tools and materials, the letters are all constructed of wood, some impossibly so. The A, for instance,
The items and objects are often made of wood or have wooden elements, though not all do. Along with more expected items like eggs and kangaroos, some are surprising,
Each page is decorated with a delicate border reminiscent of historical fine-press books. They're easy to scan over, but if you look closely, you'll see they're each unique and related to the letter of the page. More objects hide with the plants in the borders,
See what you can spot, then compare your answers to the key at the end.
October 1, 2016
The alphabet is just an illusion.
It's an alphabet book. The art is well-done, but it's just a depiction on the left side of the letter, like an illustrated piece of wood, like the A is an illusory triangle (like the Penrose triangle), where it doesn't make any sense. The letters tend to be illusions. On the right side of A is an anvil, but a weird anvil where they're heating up and hitting wood with a hammer. The border of the A pages is acanthus and aster leaves and flowers. For R, it's a rocking horse where the legs are illusory and backwards, and the border is roses and rabbits. It's not bad. It's pretty to look at, but not interesting enough to read more than once.
For more children's book reviews, check out my site at http://www.drttmk.com.
It's an alphabet book. The art is well-done, but it's just a depiction on the left side of the letter, like an illustrated piece of wood, like the A is an illusory triangle (like the Penrose triangle), where it doesn't make any sense. The letters tend to be illusions. On the right side of A is an anvil, but a weird anvil where they're heating up and hitting wood with a hammer. The border of the A pages is acanthus and aster leaves and flowers. For R, it's a rocking horse where the legs are illusory and backwards, and the border is roses and rabbits. It's not bad. It's pretty to look at, but not interesting enough to read more than once.
For more children's book reviews, check out my site at http://www.drttmk.com.
October 11, 2017
I love the three dimensional letters in this book. They inspire creativity and open the readers mind up to other ways to make and see a shape they may already know well. All the letters are twisted, reflected, or seemingly wrong in some way when looked at closely, but appear to be perfectly normal letters from a distance. Each letter is paired with an object that begins with that letter as in many traditional alphabet book. For children learning the alphabet, this book will give them so much more than some understanding of letter shapes and order.
February 14, 2011
Basic concept book on the alphabet. Each spread is a letter on one side and a drawing of something that stars with that letter on the other side. But nothing about the artwork grabbed me one bit, and I don't think it would entertain a little person for the whole alphabet.
October 11, 2008
Picture books - alphabet book
For preschool up
In this wordless alphabet book, each letter is shown as though carved out of wood; the facing illustrations and borders show objects beginning with that letter.
This is no beginner's alphabet book. Sure, it could be read on a basic level, identifying the letter. But a child can do that with any alphabet book - this one offers something more. Many of the letters are constructed like Escher drawings, showing impossible perspectives and curves. Many of the accompanying illustrations have an odd quirk or two: on the anvil for "A" we see a block of red-hot wood, the typewriter for "T" only as T keys, and so on. With all that's going on the main illustrations, it would be easy to miss the black and white border illustrations; take a closer look, a try to identify the flora and fauna whose names start with that page's letter. In case you miss anything, a guide at the back identifies "some of the things to be found in the pages of Mr. Anno's Alphabet." This isn't a flashy book, or one to share with a crowd, but an attentive child - or adult - could spend a long time poring over the fantastic details.
The School Library Journal review appropriately points out that the book isn't well-suited to the younger alphabet audiences, but is a little too dismissive of a child's ability to appreciate the artwork.
For preschool up
In this wordless alphabet book, each letter is shown as though carved out of wood; the facing illustrations and borders show objects beginning with that letter.
This is no beginner's alphabet book. Sure, it could be read on a basic level, identifying the letter. But a child can do that with any alphabet book - this one offers something more. Many of the letters are constructed like Escher drawings, showing impossible perspectives and curves. Many of the accompanying illustrations have an odd quirk or two: on the anvil for "A" we see a block of red-hot wood, the typewriter for "T" only as T keys, and so on. With all that's going on the main illustrations, it would be easy to miss the black and white border illustrations; take a closer look, a try to identify the flora and fauna whose names start with that page's letter. In case you miss anything, a guide at the back identifies "some of the things to be found in the pages of Mr. Anno's Alphabet." This isn't a flashy book, or one to share with a crowd, but an attentive child - or adult - could spend a long time poring over the fantastic details.
The School Library Journal review appropriately points out that the book isn't well-suited to the younger alphabet audiences, but is a little too dismissive of a child's ability to appreciate the artwork.
June 27, 2010
Whoa! G is for gun! Sweet!
This is on the Entering Kindergarten list. I can see a lot of these being hard for kids that young to figure out. Even I had to think about some of them for a second or two. It is pretty neat and different though.
This is on the Entering Kindergarten list. I can see a lot of these being hard for kids that young to figure out. Even I had to think about some of them for a second or two. It is pretty neat and different though.
September 11, 2014
I liked the fact that the letters look like wood carvings and some kids might really be engaged in finding other pictures in the borders on each page, but a lot of the objects are old-fashioned and many of my students wouldn't have any idea what they were.
March 7, 2016
A lot of detail in the borders, but too many of the puzzles depend on spotting plant names that aren't familiar to the modern child. Pretty, though.
May 21, 2021
Mitsumasa Anno is one of those artists that elevates the form of the picture book into Capitol A ART
There's so many visual influences in this book. The set up of the book is a book of two page spreads, one with a woodblock letter, and the next page with an illustration of what that letter could be. A is for Anvil, etc.
But there's so much visual cleverness in the book. Each letter is an Escher-esque impossible figure, with angles that can be drawn on a page, but not replicated in the real world. A page with ornately decorated eggs seems at first to be "E is for eggs," but upon counting the eggs, there's eight of them. Repeated motifs crop up throughout the book, the suits of cards are hidden in multiple places. And each page has a border done in the style of engraved manuscripts with hidden imagery in the border; the page for L has a ladybird, a ladybug, a leopard, and a lily.
There's other visual pleasures in the book (Anno's name hidden in various spots, images that seem to be cut from the same wood as the letters, images who's shape vaguely mimics the letter it represents), allowing the book to be read over and over again with new delights and surprises each time.
There's so many visual influences in this book. The set up of the book is a book of two page spreads, one with a woodblock letter, and the next page with an illustration of what that letter could be. A is for Anvil, etc.
But there's so much visual cleverness in the book. Each letter is an Escher-esque impossible figure, with angles that can be drawn on a page, but not replicated in the real world. A page with ornately decorated eggs seems at first to be "E is for eggs," but upon counting the eggs, there's eight of them. Repeated motifs crop up throughout the book, the suits of cards are hidden in multiple places. And each page has a border done in the style of engraved manuscripts with hidden imagery in the border; the page for L has a ladybird, a ladybug, a leopard, and a lily.
There's other visual pleasures in the book (Anno's name hidden in various spots, images that seem to be cut from the same wood as the letters, images who's shape vaguely mimics the letter it represents), allowing the book to be read over and over again with new delights and surprises each time.
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February 28, 2020This book seemed like an older book, maybe because the illustrations had an old fashioned style. Compared to the pop-up/interactive alphabet book that I also read, this one was not as fun but there was still a lot in it. As I was going through it I was thinking that I really liked the intricate boarders on each page, and I noticed that each border was different. However, I didn't actually realize until the end of the book that the boarder on each page actually includes things that belong with each letter. I don't know how much this would appeal to younger children who are learning the alphabet so I think I would pick a more colorful or interactive book for my students.
July 11, 2018
Well, it's an alphabet book. The illustrations are strange, the letters are optical illusions in natural wood. The color scheme is a bit dull and dated, but, that makes sense as it is an older book.
I'm not sure that this would have particularly wide appeal. By the time kids are old enough to really notice that there's something funny with the letters there's a good chance they already know their alphabet quite well. I feel like the target audience for such a book wouldn't notice the details.
I'm not sure that this would have particularly wide appeal. By the time kids are old enough to really notice that there's something funny with the letters there's a good chance they already know their alphabet quite well. I feel like the target audience for such a book wouldn't notice the details.
November 29, 2019
An excellent book to co-read with a child. Like other books by Anno, this has a ton of detail. The seemingly boring wooden letters are often Escher-like impossible shapes and the page borders are filled with letter-specific details that even adults will have trouble identifying. (a handy guide is in the back of the book, and yes, I cheated)
October 20, 2020
I love this book because it has endless possibilities for observation and creativity. Who knew learning the alphabet could be so interesting! Every letter is beautifully drawn realistically with accompanying object. The boarder to each picture is intricately filled with plants, animals and creatures to discover! I could spend hours looking at these amazing drawings, I see something new each time.
May 29, 2020
I liked that each letter was associated with some interesting objects so maybe this is more appealing to adults. My kids found this book visually boring and it was a struggle to get through it with them. There are lots of Alphabet books out there, I'll read one they engage with instead.
October 22, 2025
This book was so fascinating and unlike any other alphabet picture book that I've read. If you ever decide to pick it up, be sure to check out every minor detail in the images. Anno’s ability to connect "hidden" objects to the alphabet made this even more of an enjoyable read.
October 24, 2025
Seems to me like an older children's and/or adult ABC book. It might have even been more fun to make it than it is to read it, though I do enjoy to wittiness of the author and the intricacy of the design combined quite interestingly with the silliness of so many objects being made of wood.
June 11, 2018
This book was selected as one of the books for the March 2018 - Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Picture Book Winners 1975-1982 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This alphabet book is certainly unique, and I appreciate the intricacies of the illustrations, but I feel as though the gimmick is repeated too much and a younger child would likely become bored by the repetition and the oddly shaped items that represent each letter.
My husband, on the other hand, might be fascinated enough by the woodworking and the visual illusions to consider trying to recreate some of the items/letters.
Good, but not great.
This alphabet book is certainly unique, and I appreciate the intricacies of the illustrations, but I feel as though the gimmick is repeated too much and a younger child would likely become bored by the repetition and the oddly shaped items that represent each letter.
My husband, on the other hand, might be fascinated enough by the woodworking and the visual illusions to consider trying to recreate some of the items/letters.
Good, but not great.
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May 8, 2020This is a fun book! It's a good scavenger hunt book for younger kids.
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January 23, 2024Just the alphabet. No story.
August 31, 2024
(read aloud by himself at 4yo, no letters missed)
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December 18, 2025If you are not stopping on each page to trace the optically tricky, wooden-appearing letters with your finger, you're probably missing much of what this book has to offer. The longer you look the more you see in these pages and the more you appreciate the art of them. You are given the letters and pictures; you supply the words (but this makes for a richly participatory reading experience). This is a book that *is* a book, replete with bookiness. It's a quality I appreciate, have appreciated from infancy, and want my children to appreciate. Anno's may not at first stand out among many wonderful alphabet books but, at this point, I can't imagine a *better* introduction to the mystique of each letter, even for the very young.
Some of my earliest book memories are of Anno's House, one of his mathematical amusements. If you know a baby philosopher who is book hungry, you can't do better for story time than invest in some Anno books.
Update:
Some of my earliest book memories are of Anno's House, one of his mathematical amusements. If you know a baby philosopher who is book hungry, you can't do better for story time than invest in some Anno books.
Update:
March 18, 2015
(1975)
Definitely not a beginner's alphabet book. Each letter has a full-page spread and designed in an Escher-style where the wood pieces twist and turn into themselves. On the opposite page there is a full-page puzzle picture of an object that begins with that letter. Each double-page spread has a hand-drawn border, but you have to look closely because there are hidden pictures everywhere! Lucky for me, there is "cheat sheet" in the back of the book of some of the objects to be found.
Themes: ABC, sketching, animals, flora and fauna, Escher-style artwork, puzzles
Ideas: Better for small groups or individuals who can look closely at the drawings and really have time to study them. Have students design a double-page spread using the first letter of their name. Include puzzles and hidden objects. Make a class book to be shared.
Great vocabulary builder- read and discuss objects found amongst the pages.
Compare/contrast some of the items drawn in 1975 to today's versions of the same items.
Wordless, ABC Book, BGHB award winner
Definitely not a beginner's alphabet book. Each letter has a full-page spread and designed in an Escher-style where the wood pieces twist and turn into themselves. On the opposite page there is a full-page puzzle picture of an object that begins with that letter. Each double-page spread has a hand-drawn border, but you have to look closely because there are hidden pictures everywhere! Lucky for me, there is "cheat sheet" in the back of the book of some of the objects to be found.
Themes: ABC, sketching, animals, flora and fauna, Escher-style artwork, puzzles
Ideas: Better for small groups or individuals who can look closely at the drawings and really have time to study them. Have students design a double-page spread using the first letter of their name. Include puzzles and hidden objects. Make a class book to be shared.
Great vocabulary builder- read and discuss objects found amongst the pages.
Compare/contrast some of the items drawn in 1975 to today's versions of the same items.
Wordless, ABC Book, BGHB award winner
February 17, 2014
Each letter of the alphabet is accompanied by full page object beginning with that letter, and borders of smaller objects.
The details of the borders make this a "puzzle book" as much as an alphabet learning tool. The book could be used in developing vocabulary (some of the hidden objects were of things new to ME), and could be used as a starting point for a creative project making a project using alphabet pictures of one's own choosing.
References say this is a book for K-2, but the puzzle aspect makes it good for older students/adults, too.
Fun and educational.
The details of the borders make this a "puzzle book" as much as an alphabet learning tool. The book could be used in developing vocabulary (some of the hidden objects were of things new to ME), and could be used as a starting point for a creative project making a project using alphabet pictures of one's own choosing.
References say this is a book for K-2, but the puzzle aspect makes it good for older students/adults, too.
Fun and educational.
March 17, 2014
While this was an award winning title when it was published over 35 years ago, I am not certain today's child will embrace it. These are two page spreads of the letter rendered in wood with the corresponding picture on the right. Around each of the pages is a border done in pen and ink containing just a few items beginning with the same letter. With the lack of color in those borders will children pursue those illustrations? This probably needs to be an adult/child adventure.
August 12, 2015
My most favorite of the picture books by this author. The pictures are so visually rich they can't be looked at once, inviting the "reader" to peruse over and over. I think this is such a great learning book, as the child and parent look again, more things get discovered, and the older child will delight in the I Spy experience. Gives the parent an opportunity to explain some older items as well. Wish I had this for my children when they were younger. Someday maybe a Grandma Present.
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April 16, 2009This alphabet book deserves to be read multiple times - each letter contains an optical illusion and each picture is detailed with all kinds of hidden things in it. Anno is a talented artist, and while some of his letter choices may confuse children (T is for typewriter, and who has those anymore?) most are easy to understand.
April 18, 2015
This is defenitely a concept book for older studnets . The picture are difficult to understand, some are obvious and others not so much. A is for anvil, O is for orange oil paint. The pictures do make you think. I did like the glossary in the back explaining all the pictures.
October 14, 2015
I like this book because the reader has to find the letter on each page. It's almost as if it is hidden but its not. The author used pictures to surround the letter. It is great book for children who are just starting to read.
January 26, 2011
A unique ABC book with each letter painted as though made of wood and appearing 3-dimensional. I also like the borders on each page that have hidden images illustrating each letter.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews