Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types

For the start of the year, the start of reading:

Alphabet animals of a different type.

Each traditional animal (alligator to zebra)

is made out of its starting letter.

Each is a different typeface.

From Giddyup to Extended Egyptian,

the writers explain and exploit the merits

of each, "A typeface is like a family."

The typeface idea makes for an oddly

sophisticated alphabet focusing on something 

readers usually overlook-the wonderfully

differing shapes of types 

"An E can be easygoing." 

"The uppercase Q is quietly sticking 

out its tongue."

While the pages have more words

and ideas than I usually think works

for most kids with autism, the pictures

are large and clear, the fish clearly a fish, 

the jumping kangaroo absolutely a kangaroo.

The additional pictures of additional alphabet

words are also clear and often funny.

The book promotes interactivity with large 

light liftable flaps much easier to use than 

the usual little sticky cardboard flaps. 

Kid reviews "I just like looking at the animals."

"I mean how the animals are created. Do they look funny?

I remember alligator, bat, camel, I think there was a dog . . .

maybe there was a lion in it. I remember an Xenops. I 

lifted the grass flap and I lifted the water flap and I don't 

know what else."

An Alphabeastie board book is also available if your kid

is still tearing things, and even Alphabeastie flash cards. 

Alphabeasties by Sharon Werner and Sharon Forss

D is for Dreidel

D is for Dreidel crosses an alphabet book with a holiday book
for a rhyming introduction to the Jewish holiday of Channukah
(or Hannukkah).
And who doesn't love a dreidel?
Both my kids love the four-sided top with hebrew characters. 
Look up the rules, and play the dreidel game.
"A is for afternoon
Sundown is near
Hanukkah's starting
The family's all here!
B is for bracha
The blessing we sing-"
The School Library Journal says "there is no pronunciation guide and most of the Hebrew 
words are not fully defined."
To which I say, Bah Humbug!
(sorry, mixing holidays here).
This is a fun little book and the illustrations and rhymes make it very accessible to kids.
Here are the lyrics to the dreidel song, and
the rules to the dreidel game.

Happy Hannukah!

Alpha's Bet by Amy Rosenthal

I planned to write about C D B by William Steig,
the inspiration for Wumbers. But my son had other
plans. He glanced at a few of Steig's letter-number
puzzles, but he wanted to talk about Alpha's Bet.
I said "Arrrr," 
he said "Ssssss. Like Alpha and the snake. 
Say Arrr again." 
We'd still be doing that if I were willing.
Alpha's Bet  has lots of little silly exchanges like 
this that appeal to him immensely.
The alphabet provides a completely predictable
structure for the book and for jokes that my
son understands. He has no interest in the narrative
(which is slight anyway) but the way the protagonist
fits the letters together really works for him.
Of course, an alphabet picture book has little to no 
educative value for an eleven year old who has
known his alphabet backwards since he was three
(Literally. I walked into his room when he was three
to find he had put all the alphabet letters in backwards
order). But the amusement value is high.
And a younger child with autism learning the
alphabet will most likely like the sound jokes 
too. Of course, that child may firmly believe
for years that a man named Alpha figured out 
which order the letters of the alphabet should
be in, but you can explain the distinction between
fiction and non-fiction after your child learns
to read.
-Spectrum Mom