This is not your mothers alphabet book! This is not for a young child just learning their alphabet. This alphabet book could be given to an adult. I could also see this used in classes as low as second grade but upwards to junior high due to the items mentioned. It would be a great gift for someone who collects alphabet books.
Now why this book is so fantastic. P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Ever by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter (illustrated by Maria Beddia) lives up to its name. When they have “letter” is NOT for “item” you know you have entered the Twilight Zone of alphabet books. After all, N is not for Knot but shouldn’t it be? It is spelled Qatar but is pronounced CUT-er. Each page has fun with the letter and even the sound (F is not for Photo but is for foto (according to the glossary is a Spanish spelling).
My only issue with this book is that some of the words (again I am looking at you Qatar) are not given pronunciation guides until the end in the glossary. I knew a few words without the glossary but even after reading it a couple time, I still had trouble with a few words. Therefore, if you are using it for a classroom setting or a read-aloud, familiarize yourself first with those tricky things. Also, you can be ready for “Foto is not a real word!” And the question “What is bdellium?” (pronounced DEL-ee-yum).
Next time I get a pet zebra I am so calling it Zhivago and the next pterodactyl I see, I hope it is called Ptolemy but does not have psoriasis.
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