Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z

"Apple to Zucchini, / come take a look. / Start eating your way / through this alphabet book." So begins this delectable feast of fruits and vegetables, in a diverse and plentiful array. Each turn of the page reveals a mouth-watering arrangement of foods: Indian corn, jalapeno, jicama, kumquat, kiwifruit and kohlrabi. The words are shown in capital and lowercase letters set in bold type for easy reading. At the end of the book, Ehlert provides a detailed glossary that includes pronunciation, botanical information, the origin and history of the particular plant and occasional mythological references, with a small watercolor picture to remind the reader of what the plant looks like. Ehlert's glorious watercolor collages are lively and enticing; as in her Growing Vegetable Soup, she presents the plant world in an appealing and easily accessible manner. Both parents and children will be encouraged to sample exotic new foods at mealtime. Ages 3-5. (Mar.)

PreS-Gr 1-- Brilliant, vibrant watercolor collages portray fruits and vegetables that start with each letter of the alphabet. The objects depicted, shown against a white ground, are easily identifiable for the most part, and represent the more common sounds of the letter shown. (Only "J" jalapeno, jicama falls short of this criterion.) The problem letter "X" is cleverly handled with "xigua"--the Chinese name for watermelon. Both upper- and lower-case letters are printed in large, black type. A nice added touch is the glossary which includes the pronunciation and interesting facts about the origin of each fruit and vegetable, how it grows, and its uses. An exuberant, eye-catching alphabet book that's sure to be popular with parents, teachers, and youngsters. --Barbara B. Murphy, Shaler Area School District Libraries, Pittsburgh