Alphabet Adventure

by Audrey Wood, Bruce Robert Wood (Illustrator), Guy Parker-Rees (Illustrator)

Overview

Best-selling author Audrey Wood collaborates with her son Bruce Wood on Alphabet Adventure, a wonderfully different ABC book that tells the story of an alphabet that sets off to teach a young student his letters. But along the way, the lowercase letter "i" loses her dot, which later reappears. Kids will delight in looking back through the pages to find the dot hidden in every illustration. In colors as bright as sunshine, children will learn the names of each letter of the alphabet, in order and out of order!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439080699
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2001
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	280,366
Product dimensions:	10.75(w) x 9.62(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD410L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Audrey Wood has been writing award-winning children's books for more than thirty years, and she is a fourth-generation artist. She often collaborates with her husband, Caldecott Honor illustrator Don Wood (THE NAPPING HOUSE; KING BIDGOOD'S IN THE BATHTUB; IT'S DUFFY TIME!), and she created many bestselling books with their son, Bruce Wood (ALPHABET MYSTERY; TEN LITTLE FISH). Audrey has illustrated numerous popular books herself, including SILLY SALLY, A DOG NEEDS A BONE, and BLUE SKY (2012). She lives with her husband in Hawaii, under the blue sky, rain sky, and changing-all-day sky.

As a fifth-generation professional artist, I grew up with art all around me – in the studios of my parents and grandparents. I have always been very interested in art – it always seemed like a lot of fun.

One of the major advantages of growing up in a family of artists is the support you receive while learning your art form. It was also a unique experience. One year for my birthday, my parents made me a kid-sized cardboard castle out of refrigerator boxes in our backyard. It took me a few years to realize that not all my friends' parents were as creative as mine.

My initial interest in digital art came about at a young age. I started using Commodore 64's when I was eleven or twelve, and by age thirteen, I could do basic programming. Since then, I was always interested in how companies made computer games, and I think that's what ultimately led me to 3-D design.

In 1991, I attended the California Institute of the Arts, where I studied drama and advanced my interest in art created on the computer. Then, in 1993, I decided to enroll in the innovative San Francisco State Multimedia Center, where I pursued my long-standing interest in designing computer programs by studying animation and 3-D modeling.

This year I joined my family's creative team and illustrated my first book, The Christmas Adventure of Space Elf Sam. The book took me over two years to make, and it was a true family collaboration. My mom wrote the story and my dad, Don Wood, functioned as art director.

I love telling stories with my art, and picture books are just that. And of course, I love seeing the face of a young child, sitting on a bookstore floor, completely immersed in a book that I have created.

Aside from being a children's book illustrator, I also surf, snowboard, and sail, which means that I do get to see the sun sometimes.

Editorial Reviews

The alphabet letters are stuck on Alphabet Island "Oh, who knows what to do?" There's no pageboy to pull the plug and solve the problem in Wood's King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (1985). An adult reading to a child, however, might be tempted to pull the plug on the plodding story and concentrated solely on the vibrant, double-page spread by Wood's son. The story follows a cast of 3-D lower-case alphabet letters (plus their leader, Capital T for teacher) preparing to leave Alphabet Island to go to school. Little "i" loses her dot, setting up a slight mystery that sends the letters all over the island for it; it's hiding somewhere in each illustration. The missing dot returns when she is about to be replaced, and the alphabet team climbs aboard a pencil to jet off to school, where they help a boy spell his name. The computer-generated illustrations far surpass the slight story, with jaunty letters in crayon-bright colors and an appealing Alphabet Island full of turquoise canals, palm trees, and brightly painted row houses. Illustrator Wood creatively varies the perspective with overhead views and flying pencils that seem to rocket right off the page. Preschoolers can learn the names of the letters as they peruse the fascinating are, created with 3-D modeling software.
---Kirkus Reviews, July 1st 2001

The 26 lowercase letters have worked hard all summer under the tutelage of their teacher, Capital T. At last they are ready to leave Alphabet Island to help a child learn his ABCs. But before they depart, Little i falls into the canal and loses her dot. Consternation and confusion ensue, for clearly the letters can't go to school if Little i has no dot! Fortunately, Capital I joins the search and formulates a clever plan that saves the day. Joyfully the little letters hop aboard a yellow pencil and fly off to school to form their first word, bringing the story to a satisfying conclusion. This unusual alphabet book boasts not only a clever, original, and engaging story but also lavish, computer-generated pictures by the author's son. His Alphabet Island has the hot colors and lush tropical look of Miami Beach, and his double-page spreads are positively cinematic, with wide-screen scope and inventive use of perspective. Best of all, Wood manages to invest his three-dimensional letters with individual personalities that kids will find irresistible. -Michael Cart
--Booklist, September 1st 2001

In this cleverly conceived and dramatically executed story, the small letters of Charley's Alphabet are ready to graduate to their real task, which is to help the child learn his ABCs. Unfortunately, an accident that leaves little "i" missing its dot threatens to derail the mission. Capital "I" saves the day with a clever plan and all is well for the little alphabet and Charley. There are many crafty elements to this clever story. After little "i" is rescued, the other letters are so excited that they line up in the wrong order and some are upside down or backwards. Observant youngsters will spy little "'i's" dot following it. The glossy illustrations are computer generated. Highlights, textures, and shadows are extremely successful using this medium and add great interest. Each page glows with jewel tones and is a feast for the eye. Children who are mastering the alphabet will be fascinated by this book, not only because of the letters but also in the suggestion that the alphabet can be theirs.
---School LibraryJournal, September 2001

From the Publisher

The Barnes & Noble Review
The ABC's set off on a mysterious adventure in this vibrant new picture book from Audrey Wood. After a summer of training, the alphabet is ready to go to school and help young students to read. While leaving Alphabet Island to go to school, little i falls off the bridge! Working as a team, the other letters save her, but they soon realize she is missing her dot. They search far and wide to find the dot, as the alphabet would be incomplete without it. Their hunt is unsuccessful, and big I suggests that they look for replacements for the missing dot -- a ladybug, a star, and a cherry are a few possibilities. But the dot suddenly jumps out and claims her spot with little i. Dot's game of hide-and-seek is over, and the team head to school just in time.

This wonderfully bright introduction to the alphabet offers more than a mere lesson. Kids can search the pages for little i's dot, as it is hidden in each layout. Use of both capital and lowercase letters, in order and in disarray, will help youngsters recognize letters in all their states. The illustrations are vibrant and unique, using 3-D software to create clean, graphic images. With eye-catching pictures and a charming adventure, kids will be using their ABC's in no time. (Amy Barkat)

bn.com

As the lower-case letters of Charley's alphabet march over a bridge to school to help children learn the alphabet, little i falls into the water and loses her dot. They all search but cannot find it. So they all bring something to substitute: b a bug, c a cherry, h a heart, and so forth. But the dot won't be left behind; it comes out of hiding so they can get to school on time to make their first word. The letters look like the kind that spell words out on the refrigerator. They have their adventures on double pages that appear almost surreal as computer-generated houses, trees and all have a sameness, as if frozen in space. An amusing if unemotional practice in letter recognition. 2001, Blue Sky Press/Scholastic, $15.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Children's Literature

PreS-Gr 1-In this cleverly conceived and dramatically executed story, the small letters of Charley's Alphabet are ready to graduate to their real task, which is to help the child learn his ABC's. Unfortunately, an accident that leaves little "i" missing its dot threatens to derail the mission. Capital "I" saves the day with a clever plan and all is well for the little alphabet and Charley. There are many crafty elements to this clever story. After little "i" is rescued, the other letters are so excited that they line up in the wrong order and some are upside down or backwards. Observant youngsters will spy little "i's" dot following it. The glossy illustrations are computer generated. Highlights, textures, and shadows are extremely successful using this medium and add great interest. Each page glows with jewel tones and is a feast for the eye. Children who are mastering the alphabet will be fascinated by this book, not only because of the letters but also in the suggestion that the alphabet can be theirs.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

The alphabet letters are stuck on Alphabet Island. "Oh, who knows what to do?" There's no pageboy to pull the plug and solve the problem as in Wood's King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (1985). An adult reading to a child, however, might be tempted to pull the plug on the plodding story and concentrate solely on the vibrant, double-page spreads by Woods's son. The story follows a cast of 3-D lower-case alphabet letters (plus their leader, Capital T for teacher) preparing to leave Alphabet Island to go to school. Little "i" loses her dot, setting up a slight mystery that sends the letters searching all over the island for it; it's hiding somewhere in each illustration. The missing dot returns when she is about to be replaced, and the alphabet team climbs aboard a pencil to jet off to school, where they help a boy spell his name. The computer-generated illustrations far surpass the slight story, with jaunty letters in crayon-bright colors and an appealing Alphabet Island full of turquoise canals, palm trees, and brightly painted row houses. Illustrator Woods creatively varies the perspective with overhead views and flying pencils that seem ready to rocket right off the page. Preschoolers can learn the names of the letters as they peruse the fascinating art, created with 3-D modeling software. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews