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Alphabetter
Did you ever try to use an egg in place of a football? Or dress up a live quail in doll's clothes when you didn't have a doll? Or strap rag-dolls onto your feet in place of slippers? In Alphabetter, twenty-six boys and girls find themselves in twenty-six different predicaments when the alphabet refuses to cooperate with them. In the end, the solution turns out to be right on the next page, if only they can find it…
Did you find all the letters hidden in the pictures in Alphabetter ? Some of them are very hard to find! These are the ones that we know about. Maybe you found others as well. Happy searching!
Did you find all the letters hidden in the pictures in Alphabetter ? Some of them are very hard to find! These are the ones that we know about. Maybe you found others as well. Happy searching!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
39 people want to read
About the author
Dan Bar-el
21 books97 followersDan Bar-el is an award-winning children’s author, educator and storyteller. His writing includes chapter books, such as The Very, Very Far North and Audrey (cow), picture books, such as Not Your Typical Dragon and It's Great Being a Dad, and graphic novels, such as That One Spooky Night and Dog Night at the Story Zoo.
For the past twenty-five years, Dan has been working with children ages 3 to 13. He’s been a school age childcare provider, a preschool teacher, a creative drama and a creative writing teacher. He’s developed a multitude of creative activities for children including movie making and a radio show involving school-age childcare centres across Vancouver. As a preschool teacher, Dan created Stories in Our Own Words, a program for 3 & 4 year olds based on the ideas of famed educator and author, Vivian Gussin Paley that fostered the development of the children’s own stories by recording them and then acting them as a group.
In the past, Dan trained and worked professionally as an actor, has written for theatre, as well as written and performed comedy across Canada. These days, when not writing or teaching writing to children through the organization CWC, Dan merrily travels around the country visiting many schools and libraries.
Hiking and travelling are two of his passions. In 2004, he completed the 800 km pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostella in Spain, and more recently, he did the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu in Peru. Cooking, baking and eating the results of said efforts are some of his others pursuits. Dan lives in Vancouver, BC with his wife, artist and goldsmith, Dominique Bréchault, and Sasha, the most adorable cat in the known universe.
For the past twenty-five years, Dan has been working with children ages 3 to 13. He’s been a school age childcare provider, a preschool teacher, a creative drama and a creative writing teacher. He’s developed a multitude of creative activities for children including movie making and a radio show involving school-age childcare centres across Vancouver. As a preschool teacher, Dan created Stories in Our Own Words, a program for 3 & 4 year olds based on the ideas of famed educator and author, Vivian Gussin Paley that fostered the development of the children’s own stories by recording them and then acting them as a group.
In the past, Dan trained and worked professionally as an actor, has written for theatre, as well as written and performed comedy across Canada. These days, when not writing or teaching writing to children through the organization CWC, Dan merrily travels around the country visiting many schools and libraries.
Hiking and travelling are two of his passions. In 2004, he completed the 800 km pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostella in Spain, and more recently, he did the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu in Peru. Cooking, baking and eating the results of said efforts are some of his others pursuits. Dan lives in Vancouver, BC with his wife, artist and goldsmith, Dominique Bréchault, and Sasha, the most adorable cat in the known universe.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 13, 2019
This alphabet book is a little bit different. On each page, there's a child whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet. They have an object (that also starts with that same letter), but what they really need is a different object (that starts with the next letter in the alphabet). On and on it goes, and I found this part to be a bit tedious. (Little kids might feel differently, though.) Finally, we get to Zara and her zamboni. What she really wants is a friend... so she gives the zamboni to Yanni, who gives his yoga mat to Xena, and you can see where that's going. All the way back to the beginning of the alphabet!
On the copyright page, the reader is informed that there are 26 letters hidden on the individual pages. I looked, but I could only find a few. This is an alphabet book, which means it's likely aimed at very young children. If finding the letters is too difficult for adults, then I question how appropriate an activity it is for toddlers!
The idea of this is cute, though, and the repetition (while annoying to adults) will probably be relished by kids, especially when they see everything going in reverse and the characters finally getting the objects they need.
On the copyright page, the reader is informed that there are 26 letters hidden on the individual pages. I looked, but I could only find a few. This is an alphabet book, which means it's likely aimed at very young children. If finding the letters is too difficult for adults, then I question how appropriate an activity it is for toddlers!
The idea of this is cute, though, and the repetition (while annoying to adults) will probably be relished by kids, especially when they see everything going in reverse and the characters finally getting the objects they need.
September 4, 2013
Every child in this book (who conveniently appear in alphabetical order) is in need of something and is using something else in that thing's place. Example: "Talia had a toy train, but she didn't have an umbrella." and poor Talia is standing in the rain trying to shield herself with the toy train. Umar has an umbrella, but what she really needs is a vase for her flowers. The umbrella isn't working. There is a solution to their problems, though, as they all eventually discover.
The illustrations each have a letter of the alphabet hidden on their appropriate page (pretty well hidden, too). Kids will appreciate the humor of the situations as each person attempts something ordinary with an unusual tool.
The illustrations each have a letter of the alphabet hidden on their appropriate page (pretty well hidden, too). Kids will appreciate the humor of the situations as each person attempts something ordinary with an unusual tool.
June 29, 2020
Delightful Story About How to Make Friends
Hilarious photos and a charming alphabet story about making friends by sharing what you have with others. I loved it.
Hilarious photos and a charming alphabet story about making friends by sharing what you have with others. I loved it.
January 16, 2013
I started reading this to my older son around age 2, and when the "why?" stage peaked it was 26 pages of why? For this book the only answer to that other than "because that's how the book goes" is "Joo Pyo had a jewel but he didn't have a kite, and Kalil had a kite but he didn't have a letter because the whole premise of the book is that each kid has something starting with the same letter of the alphabet but they each want something starting with the next letter of the alphabet." And then "because it's funny and it leads to a convenient resolution" to the next inevitable why.
The illustrations are delightful. I love that the kids' names are ethnically diverse and relatively uncommon but with history as names (i.e. not Jayden/Brayden/Brooklyn). It encourages sharing, trading, friendship and diverse interests along with alphabet awareness, and the penultimate page is fun to try to read all in one breath.
All the names from Alphabetter: Alberto, Benoit (with the circumflex on the i), Cara, Dina, Edward, Frieda, Gwendolyn, Hector, Ina, Kalil, Joo Pyo, Louise, Mateo, Noah, Orion, Parker, Quinn, Rohin, Sasha, Talia, Umar, Vladimir, Wallace, Xena, Yanni, Zara.
The illustrations are delightful. I love that the kids' names are ethnically diverse and relatively uncommon but with history as names (i.e. not Jayden/Brayden/Brooklyn). It encourages sharing, trading, friendship and diverse interests along with alphabet awareness, and the penultimate page is fun to try to read all in one breath.
All the names from Alphabetter: Alberto, Benoit (with the circumflex on the i), Cara, Dina, Edward, Frieda, Gwendolyn, Hector, Ina, Kalil, Joo Pyo, Louise, Mateo, Noah, Orion, Parker, Quinn, Rohin, Sasha, Talia, Umar, Vladimir, Wallace, Xena, Yanni, Zara.
November 5, 2012
Reviewed by Me for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com
Twenty-six boys and girls, from Alberto to Zara, have a problem. They each have something someone else wants, and they each need something they don't have. That darn alphabet just isn't cooperating!
Dinah has a doggy bone, but what she really needs is an egg. Louise has a letter, but she really wants a marshmallow. And poor Vladimir has a vase, but he really, really needs a water ski!
Each of them can get what they want, but only if they cooperate and switch the alphabet around! The answer to all of their problems is on the last page, if only they know how to get to the solution.
This is a fun book, and has the added bonus of containing a hidden letter on each page. And believe me, some of these letters are REALLY well hidden! Kids and parents will have to work together--like the children in the story--to find all the hidden letters.
Twenty-six boys and girls, from Alberto to Zara, have a problem. They each have something someone else wants, and they each need something they don't have. That darn alphabet just isn't cooperating!
Dinah has a doggy bone, but what she really needs is an egg. Louise has a letter, but she really wants a marshmallow. And poor Vladimir has a vase, but he really, really needs a water ski!
Each of them can get what they want, but only if they cooperate and switch the alphabet around! The answer to all of their problems is on the last page, if only they know how to get to the solution.
This is a fun book, and has the added bonus of containing a hidden letter on each page. And believe me, some of these letters are REALLY well hidden! Kids and parents will have to work together--like the children in the story--to find all the hidden letters.
March 6, 2014
This story was fun and easy to read. The page with all the letters on it is a little hard to follow.
Alphabetter is a really cute alphabet book where every child needs something that they don’t have. In the book the next child has what they need. An example, “Edward had an egg, but he didn’t have a football”. Then on the next page, “Frieda had a football, but she didn’t have a goldfish”. The book goes on like this through the alphabet until the end and then on the last page they all trade their objects so that everyone is happy.
Alphabetter is a really cute alphabet book where every child needs something that they don’t have. In the book the next child has what they need. An example, “Edward had an egg, but he didn’t have a football”. Then on the next page, “Frieda had a football, but she didn’t have a goldfish”. The book goes on like this through the alphabet until the end and then on the last page they all trade their objects so that everyone is happy.
September 22, 2015
This is a silly book that introduces the alphabet in a very unique way. It teaches different ways that letters can bear used and broadens vocabulary. On top of that is has an underlying message of how important working together is. When going through each letter, a child has something another does not and is missing something, in the end they team up and combine all of their things so they collectively have what they need
July 18, 2022
This is an amusing story about 26 children who have one thing but need another. It follows through the alphabet, each child needing what the next one has. Funny theme, and cleverly illustrated with the featured letter hidden on the page.
May 25, 2018
Building community. Like playing telephone with a book. But better.
July 10, 2022
The absolute cutest alphabet book I’ve read thus far!
January 11, 2024
Here for the yoga mat. Poze interesante
February 22, 2024
Cause I like it so much
August 3, 2007
Twenty-six funky kids, misplaced objects and hidden letters transform the familiar ABC drill into an entertaining, interactive story.
Listen to our chat about this book on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/0...
Listen to our chat about this book on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/0...
July 3, 2009
Concept book (ABCs) -- talks about characters for each letter who wind up working with each other just like alphabet letters.
March 23, 2013
A fun alphabet book with a twist!
May 16, 2013
This was a cute book. It works well if the children have time and space to really look at the illustrations because those are what make the book worth reading
June 27, 2013
An alphabet book with a plot, and it's a really cute one.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews