FICTION

B Is for Bear: A Natural Alphabet

by Hannah VIANO
32p. Sasquatch. Oct. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781632170392.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Appealing to older children who may already know their ABCs, Viano takes readers through a nature-filled walk through the alphabet. Shades of moss green and pale blue dominate the palette. The pages are framed in a bold black border. The upper- and lowercase form of each letter are included, though the word featured on each page is written in all capital letters. Viano uses sophisticated, vocabulary-stretching words to present information ("A cloud is made of water droplets suspended in air."). Sentences range in complexity from simple declarative statements to longer, more complicated ones. The strength of this book lies in the captivating artwork that looks like woodcut but was actually created by cutting away from a sheet of black paper to reveal shaped and lines.
VERDICT A solid alphabet book for the older picture book crowd.
Reviewed by Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
Every letter of the alphabet expresses a term from the natural world, starting with acorn, bear, and cloud. Using the word in context, the text describes each subject in its natural setting. Of interest to young naturalists, this fact-filled ABC book, illustrated with striking black-paper cutouts that incorporate a restrained earthy color palette, has a gentle and sophisticated quality.
 , Oct 01, 2015

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