Alphabet Soup

I first checked out this book from our library and it has proven to be one of our best book selections ever. Our 3 year-old son has requested it every single night since we brought it home and he loves studying the illustrations. He is especially amused at the jaguar making a jam sandwhich at the end of the story. I often find him looking at this book on his own. It has truly sparked his interest in letters!

I am a Scott Gustafson fan and so is my husband and my nearly 3-year-old son. We bought this book as a Christmas gift for my son at a local gallery (as well as couple of others and a print) two years ago. I too had a hard time finding it at chain bookstores. This is by far my son's most favorite book--not only did he learn all his letters from it, but he tests his parents knowledge by asking us questions from the book, ie, "What does the zebra bring for the soup? Zuchini!" I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in original and intelligent art.

The review from Horn books said that this book "doesn't work" but I definately disagree. It is funny, charming, and beautifully illustrated. It is more advanced than most alphabet books; perfect for children who need work on their alphabet, but are past the common "A is for Apple" type book. My five year old son loved this. We both giggled and read it over and over again. It also has a warm underlying message about friendship. Makes a nice gift.