ABC for You and Me

April 1, 2000
PreS-A simple concept book with wonderful full-color photographs. Each picture shows a child with Down's syndrome posing with an object that represents a letter of the alphabet. The items will be easily recognized by the intended audience: K is for kite, H is for hug, Q is for quilt, and W is for wagon. Upper and lowercase letters are highlighted at the top of each page in a square of color, while the word representing the object runs across the bottom of the page in large type. The photographs, viewed against a white background, appear to jump out on the page. In each picture, the smiling child or children are engaged with the object, evoking a joyful mood. Both genders and a number of ethnic groups are included. This is a terrific concept book for preschoolers with the added bonus of exposing them to a group of children not usually seen in picture books.-Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2000
Ages 2^-7. This alphabet book uses photographs of children with Down Syndrome as it introduces letters of the alphabet. Simple words, such as "apple" and "ball" are used under each photograph, and the items appear as props in the pictures. The multiracial models are all photogenic, enabling the photographer to capture their personalities and give youngsters a glimpse of who they are. At times, the models pose with what appear to be siblings, and the author thanks the 12 families at the start of the book. In no way does this book pander to an audience or flaunt a segment of the population; it merely celebrates the beauty of all children, much like the spirit behind the Special Olympics. The creative team behind this book wisely chose not to include an introductory or closing essay, nor a blurb about Down Syndrome; the pictures simply speak for themselves. A book for all preschool classrooms. ((Reviewed July 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)