Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 3-8. Returning to black and white, Van Allsburg has come up with an unusual way to introduce the alphabet. In fanciful fashion he groups the letters into an ``Alphabet Theater,'' which is staging a violent drama entitled The Z Was Zapped (a play in 26 acts). In the middle of each ice-white page a letter makes its appearance in front of a curtain. Unfortunately for the poor letters, their fates are not pretty ones. A, with rocks pelting down upon it appears first; the overleaf states ``The A was in an Avalanche.'' A similar format decries ``The B was badly Bitten.'' Readers can clearly see the mouth and teeth of Van Allsburg's always-appearing dog in the wings, while on center stage the letter B is missing a large chunk. So it goes: the E evaporates, the M melts, and the N is nailed and nailed again. Today's children do not shy away from violence, and they'll find plenty of it here; this depiction of atrocities will probably be far more upsetting to adults than to kids, but one does wonder about Van Allsburg's fantasies. Motivation aside, he certainly cannot be faulted on his artwork. As in his other black-and-white renderings, he makes masterful use of light, shadow, and shading, and his draftsmanship is meticulous. Teachers may want to use this with older children to demonstrate the relationship between letters and words or even discuss the demise of the alphabet in the light of our TV-oriented world. Children who find the book on their own will be impressed by the art's drama and probably tickled by the goings-on. Hopefully they won't feel obliged to try out some of the murderous methods themselves! IC. Alphabet [CIP] 87-147988
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Van Allsburg's latest is not an alphabet book but an ``alphabet theatre'': as its title page proclaims, it is ``a play in twenty-six acts, performed by the Caslon Players, written and directed by Mr. Chris Van Allsburg.'' In it, each letter of the alphabet is shown on a draped curtained stage, undergoing some sort of (usually ominous) transformation. Turning the page reveals the text that spells out the alphabetical event: the A was in an avalanche; the B was badly bitter; the C was cut to ribbons; and so on. This is an original and unusual undertaking, executed with both visual and verbal adroitness. In technique it most resembles Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick; in both books, black pencil is used with remarkable skill to create the richness of texture and shading usually associated with full color. It is perhaps closest to Harris Burdick in ambition as well, in the sense that an imaginative challenge is presented to the reader (here, to come up with a verbal account of the pictured transformation before turning the page to find it). But the imaginative possibilities of the ``alphabet theatre'' are limited; this alphabet book format is more of an intriguing design element than a way to teach the ABCs. The picture and text that belong to a single letter are not on facing pages. While Van Allsburg's visual ingenuity is in full evidence (among his hauntingly realistic images are the evaporating E and the jittery J), there is both a sinister quality and an stagey dimension to the work. Artistically, a virtuoso performance, but one with an undeniably cold cast. All ages. (October) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1 Up Returning to the black-and-white medium of conte pencil, Van Allsburg now presents an alphabetical morality play in 26 acts. Each sculptured letter is the subject in an action-packed tableau enacted on a sedately curtained stage. Here is a preview of coming attractions``A was in an Avalanche, B was Badly Bitten, C was Cut to ribbons.'' Children can try to guess what action has occured, thereby increasing their vocabulary and the fun, or they can turn the page and read the text, or better yetdo both. This clever romp resembles old vaudeville theater, with one curious act following the next. The ``Y'' is even yanked offstage by a crook. However, the art reminds one of a still frame from a black-and-white film. In the frame titled ``S was Simply Soaked'' the water hangs in mid-air above the ``S'' as if the projector were shut off in mid-action. There is also a surrealistic quality inherent in the illlustrations. While the younger crowd may be able to guess some of the verbs that Van Allsburg illustrates, this is more an alphabet book for older children, who will enjoy guessing what heinous act is being foisted upon these noble letters. Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A puzzle book, an alphabet book, a tribute to William Caslon (who designed this classic alphabet), a carefully staged series of surreal dramatic events, a sequence of imaginative visual images--this is as intriguing as any of Van Allsburg's books. Each three-dimensional letter is presented on a proscenium stage at a moment of peril, if not disaster: ""B was badly bitten. . .C was cut to ribbons la felicitious festoon of shavings]. . .F was firmly flattened [by a forceful, firm foot]. . .U was abruptly uprooted [from the pot where it's apparently been long established]"" and, in case there's any doubt that these letters live, when X is inevitably x-rayed, human-like bones are revealed. The white, meticulously formed letters are displayed against sculptural stage curtains; the soft shading and use of shadows that serve the design without revealing consistent sources of light contribute to the sense of mysterious timelessness. Placing the text that captions each illustration on the next overleaf encourages guessing at the author's descriptions, which are always amusingly apt but never the only possibility. Whimsical, sophisticated, this should appeal to a wide audience, from those amused by mayhem in an unusual context to the many fans of this uniquely creative artist. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
