January 1, 2006
"President John Adams-- / Which one? There were two. / First the father; then the son. / Thank goodness for the letter Q!" This is a tour of notable persons, monuments, and landmarks of Washington, D.C. The alphabet-book form suggests a young audience, but the additional paragraphs of sidebar information on each page are geared toward upper-elementary readers. Watercolor paintings illustrate the forced rhyming verses.
(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
August 1, 2005
K-Gr 4 -Each letter of the alphabet represents a person, place, or event associated with our nation's capital. A four-line verse or quatrain introduces it, accompanied by a sidebar of more historical information and sometimes more people, places, or events that go with the letter. The lush watercolor illustrations expand on the text. The title is similar in style and format to Devin Scillian's "A Is for America: An American Alphabet" (2001) and Elissa Grodin's "D Is for Democracy: A Citizen's Alphabet" (2004, both Sleeping Bear). However, the -P - page is inaccurate. The Powhatan Indians did not live along the Potomac River as stated. The Piscataway Indians lived there and had a different history." -Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA"
Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.