PPBF: Take Away the A

Author: Michaël Escoffier
Illustrator: Kris Di Giacomo
Publisher: Enchanted Lion, 2014
Ages: 4-8yrs
Themes: alphabet book, word play, vocabulary
Opening: Without the A the BEAST is the BEST.
Summary: (from the publisher) Take Away the A is a fun, imaginative romp through the alphabet. The idea behind the book is that within every language there are words that change and become a different word through the simple subtraction of a single letter. In other words, without the “A,” the Beast is Best. Or, without the “M,” a chomp becomes a chop—though it could be that this particular play on words didn’t even make it into the book, there are so many! We certainly don’t want to give too much away. . . . Now, take a look and find some more! Discovering all of the words in the book is a lot of fun, and then there’s the wild, exciting adventure that follows, of trying to find more!

I like this book because: I enjoy a good alphabet book, but even more I enjoy a book that is fun! This is chock-full of great illustrations in muted warm colors, packed with beasts of all kinds. This is book I’m buying this giving season!

Resources/activities: Make your own Alphabeast book – a great group project for the classroom!

You can always check out past PPBF picks on Susanna Hill’s blog – though today you can find (and read!) all the entries for Susanna’s Annual Holiday Story Contest – HERE